Two years ago, one could only guess whether the equestrian statue depicting Angela Merkel was just a joke, or a deliberate astonishment, or perhaps a political provocation. The work of art was the feared treasure of a museum in Bavaria from October 2021, but now it crumbled under its own weight.
The creator himself could not say what he wanted
Sculptor and mastermind Wilhelm Koch said at the inauguration of the work that he had no idea and did not want to know why he put Merkel in her characteristic pantsuit and holding hands (“Merkel diamond”) on a bench. He was not driven by any offensive political intent against the outgoing chancellor, nor could he say whether Merkel had ever ridden a horse in her life. Knowing the politician’s lifestyle, riding was not his typical pastime, although he was depicted on a horse on another occasion, in the last year of his chancellorship at a humorous festival.
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“This statue can be an acknowledgment of the political career, but it can also be an irony. Let everyone decide from their own point of view. I like to surprise people, but I can’t think for them,” said Koch at the time. He also added that if someone is Chancellor of Germany for 16 years, that person should be remembered in some way.
The disaster happened on Thursday evening
In the church museum of Etsdorf in Bavaria, the 2.7-meter-tall, life-size statue gave up the fight against gravity. According to Koch, 3D concrete printing was not yet very durable at the time of creation and could not withstand outdoor storage.
The one-and-a-half-tonne work already suffered significant damage in the spring. Someone broke off the horse’s head, and one of the politician’s hands fell off. The work was reassembled and renovated, but it failed the next test.
Over the summer, cracks appeared on the statue, although Koch said it still made a good visual impression. However, the further cracks of the past few days were already fatal, and it is no longer worth bothering to reassemble it.
Koch has not yet decided whether to create a new and more stable statue of Merkel.
