This statue reminds Goethe's stay in Strasbourg and can be found at the University of Strasbourg. It dates from 1904 and was created by Ernst Waegener. The poet Goethe stayed at the University of Strasbourg from April 1770 to August 1771 and studied law there. It is said that he enjoyed the Alsatian landscape and was impressed by the Cathedral of Our Lady. During his stay, he tackled Herder, Shakespeare, the Bible and folk songs, which became a great influence on him.
In Strasbourg, Herder discovered Goethe's talent for poetry and aroused his admiration for folk and nature poetry, Homer and Ossian. Another aspect that marks Goethe's time in Strasbourg is his love to Friederike Brion (1752 to 1813), for whom he wrote poems like "Willkommen und Abschied" and "Mailied". One can conclude that the stay in Strasbourg meant for him a mental and physical rebirth.
If you would like to see where Goethe lived, go to Rue du Vieux-Marché-aux-Poissons, it was house number 36. You will find an interesting medaillon in bronze there.
Place de l'Université/Rue du Vieux-Marché-aux-Poissons, Strasbourg
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