Die Statue stellt die Prinzessin Elisabeth von Großbritannien, Irland und Hannover dar (1770-1840). (
visit link) Sie war Landgräfin von Hessen-Homburg und eine große Förderin der Stadt und Bürger von Homburg, die dementsprechend von der Bevölkerung sehr geschätzt wurde.
Das Denkmal stammt vom Bildhauer Prof. Fritz Gerth. Es wurde am 11. August 1908 in Anwesenheit von (deutschen) Kaiser Wilhelm II. (
visit link) und (englischen) König Edward VII. (
visit link) enthüllt.
Die Porträtbüste der "englischen" Landgräfin steht auf einem Sockel aus Stein, der von Voluten (
visit link) flankiert ist. Die Landgräfin ist in jugendlichem Alter, gekleidet nach der Mode des Empire.
Die Statue steht unter Denkmalschutz: (
visit link)
*************************************************************
WHO opened:
The German emperor Wilhelm II. (
visit link) and the British King Edward VII. (
visit link) unveiled the statue on 11. August 1908.
- King Edward VII. (1841-1910) was King of the United Kingdom from 1901 until 1910. Before he became King, while he was Prince of Wales (
visit link) , he had visited Homburg very often and he was related to landgravine Elizabeth (the lady of the statue). Wikipedia highlights that "he fostered good relations between Britain and other European countries, especially France, for which he was popularly called "Peacemaker", but his relationship with his nephew, Kaiser Wilhelm II, was poor."
- Wilhelm II. (Frederick William Victor Albert of Prussia; 1859-1941) was the last German Kaiser (emporer) who ruled the German Empire (
visit link) . He was crowned in 1888, abdicated in November 1918 (end of WW I - then Germany became a republic), and fled to exile in the Netherlands. Wilhelm II. was very often in Homburg, especially on Summer vacation, and took care of the development of the city Homburg (e.g. church building (
visit link) and restoration of the Roman castle (
visit link) ).
WHAT was opened:
The statue (monument) is a bust of landgravine Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth of the United Kingdom (1770-1840). (
visit link) This monument was made by the artist Fritz Gerth.
The bust is made of white stone and has volute. (
visit link) The lady is young of age and dressed in the style of the British Empire.
There is a short article in wikipedia on this monument. It is in German only, but the information above is a summary of that article. (
visit link)
TEXT in the plaque:
At the bottom of the stone is engraved (in German):
"Unveiled on 11. August 1908
by the following relatives of the landgravine
grandnephew King Edward VII.
great-grandnephew Emporer Wilhelm II.
great-grandniece crown princess Sophie from Greek
and
princess Friedrich Carl from Hesse."