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Auswandererdenkmal

The Auswandererdenkmal, or Emigrant Memorial, is a bronze statue in the port of Bremerhaven, Germany. It depicts an emigrant family: the father looks forward toward the New World while the mother looks back as she leaves the old country. The sculpture stands by the Weserdeich, one of the city’s main dikes, on the site of one of the original docks from which early emigrants departed. It is considered one of the most acclaimed works by sculptor Frank Varga and faces toward the United States.

Auswandererdenkmal sculpture group on a tall granite pedestal, with a seagull perched on the central figure\'s head.
The Auswandererdenkmal in Bremerhaven rises on a tall granite pedestal beneath a bright sky.
August 2020 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Auswandererdenkmal sculpture of three dark metallic figures standing together on a stone pedestal against a blue sky.
The Auswandererdenkmal in Bremerhaven shows a family group of three figures on a stone pedestal.
© · CC BY-SA 4.0
Auswandererdenkmal sculpture with a figure waving from a group of dark metal figures on a tall stone pedestal.
The Auswandererdenkmal in Bremerhaven shows a group of figures on a tall pedestal, with one figure raising a hand in a wave.
© · CC BY-SA 4.0
Auswandererdenkmal standing in choppy floodwater under an overcast sky, with a dark circular sign in the foreground.
The Auswandererdenkmal in Bremerhaven stands amid storm-tide floodwater near the Weser river.
December 2013 © · CC0
Bronze name plaques on the granite base of the Auswandererdenkmal, with the lower legs of the figures visible above.
Bronze plaques mounted on the granite base of the Auswandererdenkmal.
August 2021 © · CC BY-SA 4.0

Identification

TitleAuswandererdenkmal
Alternative titleDie Auswanderer; English: The Emigrants
Typestatuary group

Historical context

Subjectan emigrant family
Historical contextBetween 1830 and 1974, about 7.2 million Europeans traveled to Bremerhaven to board ships bound for the New World
Site significanceBremerhaven was the largest port for emigration from Germany

Creator

ArtistFrank Varga (1943–2018), US-American sculptor from Budapest

Discovery and provenance

FundraisingFinanced by a fundraising campaign of the German-American Memorial Association, which raised 200,000 US dollars, plus support from various Bremerhaven companies for the base and installation
Dedication date5 July 1986
Unveiling year1986
Original unveiling locationNear the Pingelturm at the Kaiserschleuse, Bremerhaven
RelocationRelocated in 2008 to Willy-Brandt-Platz in Bremerhaven
Reason for relocationA customs fence was erected directly next to the monument
FoundryModern Art Foundry, New York City

Physical characteristics

Heightmore than unspecified tall
BaseHigh block-shaped pedestal

Materials

PlaquesFour bronze plaques on the rear of the pedestal
MaterialBronze
Base materialPink granite

Appearance

Figures depictedFather, mother, son, and little girl
Father poseRaises his left hand and holds his son's hand with his right hand
Mother poseLeans forward, embraces the little girl's shoulders, and turns her gaze back
Son posePlaces his other hand on his mother's back
Little girl posePresses herself against her mother

Iconography and meaning

OrientationFaces toward the United States
Father gazeLooks forward toward the New World
Mother gazeLooks back to the old country

Location and ownership

Current locationWilly-Brandt-Platz at Seebäderkaje in the New Harbour (Neuer Hafen), Bremerhaven, Germany
Nearby landmarkGerman Emigration Center (Deutsches Auswandererhaus)
Site historyInstalled on the site of one of the original docks from which early emigrants departed, by one of the city's main dikes, the Weserdeich

History and restoration

InscriptionDIE AUSWANDERER
Plaques contentNames of the initiators and donors

Significance

Critical receptionOne of the most acclaimed works of sculptor Frank Varga