Bismarck Tower (Viersen)
Encyclopedia
The Bismarck Tower
located in Viersen
(North Rhine-Westphalia
, Germany) was erected in honour of the chancellor Otto von Bismarck
and has since become an icon of the city of Viersen.
. Today this view is blocked by tall trees.
The project was not without opponents: the Viersen pastor
, Lorenz Richen, in the name of all Roman Catholic priests gave a passionate speech against the idea of honouring Bismarck of all people. Bismarck, who in his time had fiercely fought against Roman Catholic influence, for instance in the school system, was for years unpopular in the mostly Catholic Rhineland.
Due to this speech encouraging Roman Catholics to protest, Richen lost his job as school inspector.
The idea for such a project did not, however, originate in Viersen. As early as 1899 the patriotic "Deutsche Studentenschaften" (German Students Association) decided to honour Bismarck as the founder of the German Empire
in 1871. After a competition for the design of towers or columns they received 317 architectural plans and finally awarded the prize to te design by the Dresden
architect Wilhelm Kreis
called "Götterdämmerung".
His work inspired many tower projects all over Germany.
In Viersen that plan was realized as of 1900 in a just a bit slimmer version, than the original "Götterdämmerung". It ended in a huge iron brazier on top of the building in order to light a beacon visible for miles on special occasions.
The selected construction material became cuboid greywacke
from the Wiehl
Valley.
The laying of the foundation stone was witnessed by several thousand people although the protesters had asked the Roman Catholic majority in town not to hoist the flags along the way of the patriotic procession leading from the town to the building site. The tower, then usually called the "Bismarck Column", was finished already in 1901.
It has a total height of 18.22 metres. On the night of the inaugural celebration the beacon was lit for the first time, and up to the time of World War I every year on the occasion of Bismarck's birthday, 1 April, for about two hours. The flames reached a height of about 4–5 metres.
In the base, built from three ever smaller growing pedestals, there are 12 steps leading up to an iron door. Four columns with a diameter of 1.80 metres rise from the corners of the plinth with three quarters of their perimeter visible on the outside. Above that rises, with an out jutting cornice the architrave. As decoration for the iron door on the western side the Düsseldorf architect Josef Kleesattel designed a coloured coat of arms of the Bismarck family as well as their motto "In trinitate robur" (in trinity, there is power) and the Berlin sculptor Arnold Künne created a bronze relief of the chancellor for the eastern front of tower. Within a steep flight of stairs with 60 steps leeds up to the viewing platform.
At the end of the 1970s the building was closed, based on safety reasons. The restoration of the structural condition became unavoidable. For financial reasons it was not effected until 2001 within the framework of the "Euroga". The city of Viersen, the municipal savings bank and funding by the county together were able to raise the necessary 370.000 €. Among other things the crumbling cement mortar lining of the joints was changed to a more modern material to avoid efflorescence.
look after the tower. They organize the opening hours as well, which are: from the first of April until the end of September on every first and third Sunday of the month. Groups can visit by special appointment all through the year and climb up to the top.
Bismarck tower
Bismarck Towers are a unique genre of German monument, built to honour the ex-chancellor of Prussia, Otto von Bismarck. A total of 240 of these towers were built between German unification and the National Socialist takeover, i.e. between 1869 and 1934...
located in Viersen
Viersen
Viersen is the capital of the district of Viersen, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:Viersen is situated approximately 8 km north-west of Mönchengladbach, 15 km south-west of Krefeld and 20 km east of Venlo ....
(North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
, Germany) was erected in honour of the chancellor Otto von Bismarck
Otto von Bismarck
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
and has since become an icon of the city of Viersen.
Geographical situation
The Bismarck-Tower is situated in hilly woodland to the north west of Viersen called "Hoher Busch" namely on a hilltop called "Wilhelmshöhe", with a height of 84.94 metres above sea level the highest point of Viersen. At the time of its erection the view from the top reached far out over the low-lying areas along the river NiersNiers
The Niers is a river in Germany and the Netherlands, right tributary to the river Meuse. Its source is near Erkelenz, south of Mönchengladbach, in North Rhine-Westphalia . The Niers flows through Mönchengladbach, Viersen, Wachtendonk, Geldern and Goch before flowing into the Meuse just across the...
. Today this view is blocked by tall trees.
History and architecture
The idea of building such a tower in Viersen was born on the occasion of a birthday party in 1899 in honour of Kaiser William by especially influential and patriotic Viersen citizens. The necessary money was to be collected by fund-raising activities to which the mayor, Peter Stern, not only contributed, but was one of the driving forces of the action group. In the end 104 citizens donated about 36,000 Reichsmarks.The project was not without opponents: the Viersen pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
, Lorenz Richen, in the name of all Roman Catholic priests gave a passionate speech against the idea of honouring Bismarck of all people. Bismarck, who in his time had fiercely fought against Roman Catholic influence, for instance in the school system, was for years unpopular in the mostly Catholic Rhineland.
Due to this speech encouraging Roman Catholics to protest, Richen lost his job as school inspector.
The idea for such a project did not, however, originate in Viersen. As early as 1899 the patriotic "Deutsche Studentenschaften" (German Students Association) decided to honour Bismarck as the founder of the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
in 1871. After a competition for the design of towers or columns they received 317 architectural plans and finally awarded the prize to te design by the Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
architect Wilhelm Kreis
Wilhelm Kreis
Wilhelm Kreis was a prominent German architect and professor of architecture, active through four political systems in German history: the Wilhelmine era, the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich, and the foundation of the Federal Republic.Kreis was born in Eltville am Rhein in Hesse-Nassau...
called "Götterdämmerung".
His work inspired many tower projects all over Germany.
In Viersen that plan was realized as of 1900 in a just a bit slimmer version, than the original "Götterdämmerung". It ended in a huge iron brazier on top of the building in order to light a beacon visible for miles on special occasions.
The selected construction material became cuboid greywacke
Greywacke
Greywacke or Graywacke is a variety of sandstone generally characterized by its hardness, dark color, and poorly sorted angular grains of quartz, feldspar, and small rock fragments or lithic fragments set in a compact, clay-fine matrix. It is a texturally immature sedimentary rock generally found...
from the Wiehl
Wiehl
Wiehl is a municipality in the Oberbergischer Kreis, in Northrhine-Westfalia, Germany. It is located approx. 41 km east of Cologne. The neighbouring municipalities Reichshof, Waldbröl, Nümbrecht, Much, Engelskirchen and Gummersbach border on the town....
Valley.
The laying of the foundation stone was witnessed by several thousand people although the protesters had asked the Roman Catholic majority in town not to hoist the flags along the way of the patriotic procession leading from the town to the building site. The tower, then usually called the "Bismarck Column", was finished already in 1901.
It has a total height of 18.22 metres. On the night of the inaugural celebration the beacon was lit for the first time, and up to the time of World War I every year on the occasion of Bismarck's birthday, 1 April, for about two hours. The flames reached a height of about 4–5 metres.
In the base, built from three ever smaller growing pedestals, there are 12 steps leading up to an iron door. Four columns with a diameter of 1.80 metres rise from the corners of the plinth with three quarters of their perimeter visible on the outside. Above that rises, with an out jutting cornice the architrave. As decoration for the iron door on the western side the Düsseldorf architect Josef Kleesattel designed a coloured coat of arms of the Bismarck family as well as their motto "In trinitate robur" (in trinity, there is power) and the Berlin sculptor Arnold Künne created a bronze relief of the chancellor for the eastern front of tower. Within a steep flight of stairs with 60 steps leeds up to the viewing platform.
At the end of the 1970s the building was closed, based on safety reasons. The restoration of the structural condition became unavoidable. For financial reasons it was not effected until 2001 within the framework of the "Euroga". The city of Viersen, the municipal savings bank and funding by the county together were able to raise the necessary 370.000 €. Among other things the crumbling cement mortar lining of the joints was changed to a more modern material to avoid efflorescence.
Situation today
For scientific, artistic and historical reasons the tower is listed as historical monument; for preservation and utilization this must be taken into consideration. After the restoration the building was reopened to the public in 2003. Since then you can see inside an exhibition of historical postcards on the subject of "Bismarck-Towers all over the world". Since 2006 the Viersen licensed radio amateursAmateur radio operator
An amateur radio operator is an individual who typically uses equipment at an amateur radio station to engage in two-way personal communications with other similar individuals on radio frequencies assigned to the amateur radio service. Amateur radio operators have been granted an amateur radio...
look after the tower. They organize the opening hours as well, which are: from the first of April until the end of September on every first and third Sunday of the month. Groups can visit by special appointment all through the year and climb up to the top.
Secondary Literature
- Leistungskurs Geschichte 2005 des Städtischen Gymnasiums Dülken unter der Leitung von Gunnar Schirrmacher: Bismarcksäule auf dem Hohen Busch bei Viersen. Geschichte und Bedeutung. Stadt Viersen, Verschönerungsverein und Verein für Heimatpflege. Viersen 2005
- Fritz Eisheuer u.a.: Visitenkarte Bismarckturm. In: "100 Jahre Viersener Verschönerungsverein". Viersen o.J. (1986)
- Erinnerungen an die Bismarcksäule in Viersen. Viersen 1901
- Viersens Bauten aus alter und neuer Zeit. In: "Viersen-Dülken-Süchteln". (Deutschlands Städtebau). Berlin 1930.