Nischel anniversary on 9 October 2021
Chemnitz's most popular photo motif and most famous sight turned 50 this year:
the Nischel.
On 9 October 2021, the time had finally come: Chemnitz celebrated the 50th birthday of the Karl Marx monument. The city's most famous head has been standing in its place for half a century - many people in Chemnitz celebrated this in different ways on its birthday.
celebrated in different ways. To mark its anniversary, the Karl Marx Monument has been given its own information stele. It provides guests and locals alike with important facts about its long history and its creation.
During the panel discussion in the afternoon, those present ventured a look into the future of the monument and discussed what would be found if the Karl Marx Head were opened up.
With Mazze Wiesner, the Nischelhuppern and Gruppa Karl-Marx-Stadt as well as a light installation, "Karl Marx" was also given a proper birthday party in the evening.
The second largest portrait bust in the world was unveiled on 9 October 1971 in front of around 250,000 people. Since then, the work of art has adorned the cityscape of Chemnitz.
The Russian sculptor Lev Yefimovich Kerbel was originally commissioned to create a full-body sculpture of Karl Marx, but changed his mind during the creative process.
The Karl Marx head consists of 95 individual parts, which were cast in bronze in Leningrad and then transported to its current location. It was reassembled on the granite plinth on Brückenstraße and VEB Germania provided additional stability by welding the parts together and filling the joints.
The Karl Marx Monument also includes the writing mirror attached to the building behind it, the "Party Saw", by artists Volker Beier and Heinz Schumann, which also consists of 174 individual parts and was meticulously crafted by the artists. It bears the quote "Proletarians of all countries unite!" from Marx's Communist Manifesto in German, English, French and Russian.
Memories of companions
In 50 years of history, not only could the monument have a lot to tell, but many contemporary witnesses and other companions also remember.
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The Nischel is 50 - a celebration!
Birthday programme on 9 October
To mark its anniversary, the Karl Marx Monument has been given its own information pillar. It provides guests and locals alike with important facts about its long history and its creation.
During the panel discussion in the afternoon, those present ventured a look into the future of the monument and discussed what would be found if the Karl Marx Head were to be opened up.
Various stands from Chemnitz invited visitors to get creative, play and have fun. For example, postcards of the Karl Marx Monument could be designed and sent on the spot, T-shirts could be printed by the "karlskopf" team and Karls Kunsthaus had a special edition of their Karl Marx bags ready. A games course awaited playful kids.
With Mazze Wiesner, the Nischelhuppern and Gruppa Karl-Marx-Stadt as well as a light installation, "Karl Marx" also had a proper birthday party in the evening.
School project "Mach dir 'nen Kopp"
In the week following Nischel's 50th birthday from 11 to 15 October, it was the pupils' turn: as part of the "Mach dir 'nen Kopp" project, historians and employees of the city of Chemnitz took them on a short journey through the city centre. They not only visited the exhibition, but also experienced the monument from a completely new perspective together with a painter and a comic artist.
Further dates for the Nischel anniversary
27 September until 19 October 2021
Exhibition "Hinterm Nischel" in the open space (Brückenstraße 10): Pop-up exhibition with Anetta Mona Chişa, Lucia Tkáčová, Laura Horelli, Osmar Osten, Anna Steinherz, Hito Steyerl, SUSI POP, Joerg Waehner organised by Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz
It is open on weekdays from 2 pm to 6 pm and at weekends from 10 am to 6 pm.
Film "The Karl Marx Monument in Chemnitz"
5 October to 14 November 2021
The Schloßbergmuseum Chemnitz is showing the film "The Karl Marx Monument in Chemnitz" by the Senioren-Film-Club Chemnitz. The film is accompanied by photographs taken during the construction phase of the monument.