This statue was erected in commemoration of the German poet Heinrich Heine (1797 – 1856). The title is from the first line of his poem “Nachtgedanken”, where he casts a pessimistic view on the Germany of his time, not knowing that things would grow much much worse centuries later.
Heine was a democrat and a Jew, reason enough for the third-reich-barbarians to remelt the first Heine memorial in Hamburg. The current memorial by sculptor Waldemar Otto was uncurtained in 1982 and received with mixed reactions.
Nowadays, as antisemites and Nazis of all colours come out of their holes again, Heine’s work and life gain new relevance.
“Hamburg ist am Tage eine große Rechenstube und in der Nacht ein großes Bordell.”
Das stimmt auch heute noch. Und auch, dass es die Musen dort schwer haben.
Die Kombi aus lässiger dandyhafter Beinstellung und skeptischer Denkerpose ist überzeugend und passt zum Dichter.
Gruß Uwe