Richard-Wagner-Denkmal

The Richard Wagner Monument in Leipzig was unveiled in 2013 to mark the 200th anniversary of the composer's birth. It stands in the green space at Goerdelerring in the northwest of the city center, on a historic flight of steps that once led from Fleischerplatz up to Matthäikirchhof. The sculpture is by Stephan Balkenhol, who reused the white marble pedestal that Max Klinger designed a century earlier. This cube-shaped block is about 10 feet high and bears life-size reliefs from Wagner's operas on three sides. The front is adorned with the three Rhinemaidens, symbolizing music, poetry, and drama, while the side panels depict scenes with Siegfried, Mime, the dragon, Parsifal, and Kundry.

Atop the marble pedestal sits a 6-foot-tall, painted bronze statue of the young Richard Wagner in everyday clothes. The figure alludes to the years when Wagner was educated in Leipzig. Behind him rises a 13-foot-tall black bronze plate showing the silhouette of the older composer, symbolizing his life's work. This design quotes Max Klinger's original plan, which Balkenhol described as a paraphrase. The pairing of the young artist with his shadowy older self forms the visual heart of the monument, reflecting Wagner's path from his Leipzig years to his great creative achievements.

The history of the site is marked by long delays. As early as 1913, the foundation stone for a monument based on Klinger's plans was laid here, but World War I and the artist's death prevented its completion. The pedestal stood in Klingerhain for more than 80 years before being returned to the reconstructed steps in 2010. After a competition among several artists, the jury chose Balkenhol's design in 2011. Financing came largely from the sale of small bronze replicas by the artist himself. The formal unveiling on May 22, 2013, drew mixed reactions, but it marked the end of a decades-long effort to give Leipzig a fitting memorial to the composer who was educated here.