The Champion Turned Golden Hercules

Upon the Neues Rathaus tower, the Goldener Rathausmann stands as a copper titan over the city. One hand of Hercules spills from a cornucopia while his other arm reaches 2.10 meters toward the streets below.

Sculptor Richard Guhr designed the sculpture, for which Ewald Redam posed as the model. Redam was the reigning Saxon champion in heavyweight and mixed martial arts in 1907. The sculpture was originally molded from 2300 kilograms of plaster mass at the Ivory and Plaster Figures Factory of the Italian Raffael Pellicci. On April 12, 1908, the finished 1750 kilogram copper figure was placed on the tower.

Time viewed these metallic curves through various lenses. While the raised arm sparked external debate, the Rathausmann anchors local identity and a festival since 1978. It endured seasons and conflict, surviving war scars removed from its skin.

Preservation began in the mid-2000s because the inner frame suffered corrosion before the 800 anniversary in 2006. Workers took the sculpture down in 2004 for rebuilding. While Berlin artisans mended the copper shell, a new stainless steel support structure weighing 1,356 kilograms and measuring eight meters long was manufactured in Spenge.

In 2006, the hero donned its new skin and 520 grams of 23.75-karat Vierfachgold. This 10,000 Euro gilding shone as the Rathausmann returned home on July 1. It remains a restored masterpiece of memory against the sky.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons