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The March Revolution of 1848 was the first attempt to establish a united and democratic German state.
The painting of Germania was an icon of that revolution. As a symbol for a unified German nation, the painting hung in full view of the first all-German Parliament during its sessions in St' Paul's Church in Frankfurt in May 1848. Germania holds the tri-colored black, red and gold flag, that was banned until 1848. She also displays the double headed eagle of the German Confederation. The broken shackles symbolize freedom, while the olive branch is a symbol of peace. The the crown of oak leaves and the sword - brandished and held upright - are gestures of leadership and defense. They symbolize the state's strength and peace loving nature.
The painting is usually attributed to Philipp Veit, but the actual painter is unknown. In 1867, after the dissolution of the German Confederation, the painting and other items of the National Assembly were gifted to the Germanic National Museum in Nuremberg. |