War Memorial 'Mutter Kinzig'

Opposite Kehl's market square, this war memorial with a graceful woman as the main statue, "Mother Kinzig" has stood since 1905.
(Kinzig is a river that flows into the Rhine near Kehl). The monument is decorated with the German eagle.

The monument contains the following inscriptions:
Front: "1870-71
Mutter Kinzig von der geprengten Rheinbrücke - July 22, 1870"

At the back: "Friedrich, Großherzog von Baden"
"Ihren tapferen Sohnen die grateful Stadt Kehl"

Left & right: the names of the 27 German soldiers who lost their lives during the siege of Strasbourg.

The statue was first part of the decoration of the railway bridge over the Rhine between Kehl and Strasbourg. On the entrance portal she stood on the German side next to the statue of "Vater Rhein". On the French side it said: "Mère Ill and Père Rhin" they had to demonstrate the unity between the two States. (Ill a river in Alsace that flows into the Rhine near Strasbourg).

During the Franco-Prussian War, the portal on the German side was detonated on July 22, 1870, causing both statues to end up in the Rhine.
During dredging works in 1897, Mother Kinzig was found and Father Rijn disappeared until today.

The statue was integrated into the memorial for the war of 1870-71 in 1905.

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Source

• Text: Francky de Rous
• Photos: Francky de Rous