What does a striding antelope have to do with Lübeck?
This species is rather rare around here. I've walked past this plodding antelope hundreds of times, and rarely even really noticed it. It seems a bit lonely in the shade and shelter of the trees at this busy intersection in Lübeck. It rarely seems to be a subject for photographs, and hardly ever used for a selfie. It doesn't seem to be considered a lucky charm either.
She doesn't deserve to be overlooked by us – in all her grace and elegance. With her delicate limbs. She seems focused and alert, as if picking up a scent. She turns her gaze towards the Puppet Bridge and the train station, as if longing for someone – a welcome guest? A long-lost friend?
It was created many years ago: the sculptor Fritz Behn created the antelope in 1925. Fritz Behn – the surname sounds familiar to us in Lübeck. Although Fritz wasn't born in Lübeck, his grandfather was the city's mayor, and so Fritz spent part of his childhood and youth in the elegant house on Königstraße, which is closely associated with the family name and today houses an important museum: the Behnhaus Drägerhaus.
After his studies in Munich, Fritz Behn spent a considerable amount of time in Africa, participating in safaris and developing a fascination for African wildlife. Over the years, he made a name for himself, among other things, as a significant animal sculptor.
In Lübeck, Behn's work can be experienced in various locations throughout the city. This includes the school garden on the Wakenitz River, which I also visited for Lübeck ZWISCHENZEILEN . You can read the article here.