Standbild Paul Friedrich

The Standbild Paul Friedrich is a monument in Schwerin dedicated to Grand Duke Paul Friedrich, ruler of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Sculptor Christian Daniel Rauch created the statue for Schwerin. The monument was unveiled in 1849 as a civic expression of gratitude for restoring Schwerin as the capital. Grand Duke Paul Friedrich ruled Mecklenburg-Schwerin from 1837 to 1842. His decision to return the capital from Ludwigslust supported Schwerin’s urban growth beside Lake Schwerin. The duke appears in a general’s uniform on its high pedestal. A heavy ruler’s mantle completes the period depiction of the duke in uniform. The statue first stood in the Old Garden. It later returned before the State Museum in 2011 after a citizens’ initiative, following its relocation during the Nazi era. The monument survived war and later political upheaval. The firefighting efforts before his death earned Paul Friedrich the nickname chief firefighter of the land. Local monument conservators helped protect the statue through these upheavals.