What does a striding antelope have to do with Lübeck?
This genus is rather rare here, after all. I have walked past this striding antelope hundreds of times, rarely passing it, and I have not really noticed it at all. It seems a little lonely in the shade and protection of the trees at this busy intersection in Lübeck. It rarely seems to serve as a photo subject, and is hardly used for a joint selfie either. The antilope does not seem to be considered a good luck charm.
But I think, that the antelope in all its gracefulness and grace does not deserve to be overlooked by us. With delicate limbs. She appears concentrated and alert. As if picking up a scent. She turns her gaze toward the Doll’s Bridge and the train station. As if longing for someone – a desired guest? A long-lost friend?
It was created many years ago: in 1925 the sculptor Fritz Behn created the antelope. Fritz Behn – the last name sounds familiar in Lübeck. Fritz was not born in Lübeck, but his grandfather was mayor of the city, and so Fritz spent part of his childhood and youth in the elegant house in Königstraße, which is closely associated with the family name and today houses an important museum: the Behnhaus Drägerhaus
Fritz Behn spent a long time in Africa after finishing his studies in Munich. He participated in safaris and developed a fascination for the animal world of Africa. Over the years, he made a name for himself as a major animal sculptor, among other things.
In Lübeck, Behn’s work can be experienced in various places in the cityscape. Among them also at the Schulgarten at the Wakenitz, which I also visited for the Lübeck ZWISCHENZEILEN . You can read the article here.
