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When the location was found for the
memorial, it was a matter of turning to the creation. "The managing
committee" wrote out a competition in October, 1923. As available
means those were declared those 2000 Gold-Marks which had been left
after the inflation from the donation sum.
The memorial should be built up instead of the lower mile beacon on the
coastal indentation of Möltenort.
As the first prize 70 gold-marks, as the second prize 50 gold-marks, as
the third prize 20 gold-marks were offered. Furthermore two further
drafts should be reward with 5 gold-marks.
The call for tenders carried the signature of the captain's second
lieutenant's (Kapitänleutnant) Dönitz which served as Advisor and
Adjutant of the Inspection of the torpedo and mine affairs at that time.
In the weeks after the call for tenders twenty drafts were submitted by
Kiel architects. Their "code-words" only already reflect a
piece of contemporary history. They were: Medusa, U 1, beach rock, our
U-boat heroes, granite masonry, granite, Weddigen, Thetis, U 2, iron
concrete, Korügen, sea eagle, monkfish, half-stick, U-21 silhouette,
spirit of the times, memorial, thunderbolt, Samoa and Rungholt.
The judgement committee met on January 31, 1924. Result:
1st Prize: "Zeitgeist" (spirit of the times) by
Heinrich Hansen, Kiel
2nd Prize: "Ehrenmal" (memorial) by the same architect
3rd Prize: "Donnerkeil" (thunderbolt) by Arnold
Bruhn, Kiel
4th Prize: A purchase of the drafts "Samoa" by
Professor Julius Vogel and "Rungholt" by Heinrich
Stapf, both residents of Kiel.
The protocol of the decision reads:
"From the drafts embody particularly 'spirit of the times' and 'memorial'
the thoughts of a worthy monument which also fulfils the task of a
navigation mark at the same time by outline line and masses excellently.
From these both drafts 'spirit of the times' by the bigger maturity and
clearness of the composition deserves the advantage of being selected."
The drafts were issued in February, 1924 in the Kiel Thaulow-Museum and
found - according to an article in the " Kiel news " - also in
the general public approval.
The draft awarded with the first prize "spirit of the times"
by Heinrich Hansen intended a "bulky tower" from granite
erratic blocks and a terrace-style staircase. A stylized dolphin should
be to be seen in the front side. For the four sides of the tower
inscriptions were planned: In front: "Woe to the defeated!"
Behind: "Casualties in the world war from 1914-18", in
the sides: "199 submarines" and "5085 heroes".
A cross should rise from the peak of the tower. |
