The Naked Truth
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pmrobin13
N 38° 36.880 W 090° 14.241
15S E 740535 N 4277638
A memorial to the German spirit of enlightenment in America. The statue is by Wilhelm Wandschneider and entitled The Naked Truth.
Waymark Code: WMA9P8
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 12/09/2010
Views: 9
Commissioned in 1913, the German-American Alliance and St. Louis citizens of German descent undertook to make a memorial to “the German spirit of enlightenment in America.” In doing so, they choose to commemorate Carl Schurz, Emil Preetorius, and Carl Daenzer; three prominent German-Americans associated with St. Louis’ two most influential German newspapers, Anzieger des Westens and Westliche Post.
When the commission was awarded, the panel selected German sculptor Wilhelm Wandschneider’s design entitled The Naked Truth. The decision was made amid controversy as there was strong opposition to the nude figure. August Bush, the main financial contributor to the project threatened to remove his support if the figure was not covered although Wandschneider refused to alter the design. The panel eventually voted in favor of the design, but stipulated that the figure must not be made out of marble to de-emphasize the nudity. The memorial was dedicated on May 27, 1914 and as given to the city of St. Louis as a gift. Despite calls to melt it into munitions, The Naked Truth survived World War I and was moved to its present location in 1969.
The Naked Truth is made of bronze and in the heroic size. The woman represents truth and the two torches represent the enlightenments of Germany and the United States. On the back of the memorial is an inscription honoring the devotion of German-Americans to their adopted country appearing in both English and German.
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