The Copper Sphere and Mosaic Column of Oberursel

In Oberursel, a copper sphere crowns a mosaic column. Artist Lina von Schauroth requested this shape because a rectangular plate felt heavy. The city administration rejected an Iron Cross, selecting the orb to preserve a peaceful character.

After World War I, economic decline hindered public funding. However, Mayor Josef Füller, whose only son perished, ignited private persistence. In 1929, twenty-seven clubs formed a committee. They gathered 21,500 Mark through house visits and benefits.

Lina Schauroth was a sculptor from Frankfurt whose design nearly failed the town architect. A friend bypassed the official tender process to secure her approval. Because the town paid in advance, they built the work as ordered. Frankfurt manufactured the reinforced concrete core while Berlin produced the glass mosaics.

This 8.85-meter structure stands in Rushmoor-Park near the Protestant Christuskirche. The upper section depicts Christ. The base carries a lesson for youth and comfort for the grieving. Grey, almost faceless soldiers in uniform are depicted below the inscription. Three sides etch the names of 224 citizens who died or suffered.

Landscaping mirrors the magnitude of loss. A bastion of 216 hornbeam trees surrounds the plaza, counting each rank of fallen personnel. Eight pyramid oaks represent fallen officers. Since 2010, the entire site remains under historical protection.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons