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Eulenspiegel returns: Neustadt celebrates the newly designed character!
On June 5, 2025, Till Eulenspiegel's character returned to Neustadt, after a three-month makeover.
Eulenspiegel returns: Neustadt celebrates the newly designed character!
There is news in Dresden that will delight both art and history lovers: the famous figure of Till Eulenspiegel, a symbol of mischief and cunning, has regained its place on Königsbrücker Straße after extensive restoration. Yesterday the 1.20 meter high and 15 kilogram heavy figure, made of synthetic resin with fiberglass mats, was remounted on the facade of the Neustadt Library. This marks her return after a construction site accident in September 2024 that damaged her metal pole and caused the color scheme to fade, as reported by the Neustadt Ticker.
It took three months to rework the figure. Sculptor Carsten Bürger, who restored the work of art, emphasizes that the figure embodies a “timeless gesture” that balances between different systems. The face of Eulenspiegel is based on a pub owner from Halle, whose pictures Bürger used. The fresh revision of the colors now gives the figure a vital look.
A piece of history and folklore
Till Eulenspiegel is not just a pretty work of art; it is part of a rich European storytelling tradition. His origins lie in the Duchy of Braunschweig-Lüneburg, where he probably lived in the first quarter of the 14th century. Eulenspiegel is known for his pranks through which he exposes the vices of his contemporaries. The oldest known book about him, a German folk book, was published around 1510. The stories, often based on puns, are both humorous and sometimes brutal.
The figure of the trickster is a valuable cultural reference. Historically, Eulenspiegel died of the plague in Mölln, Schleswig-Holstein in 1350. Eulenspiegel has influenced numerous areas of society over the centuries - not only was he immortalized in the literature and art of the 19th and 20th centuries, but there are also numerous museums and even a Eulenspiegel Society, which was founded in 1971.
An integral part of Dresden’s identity
The return of Eulenspiegel is not only important for the city library, but is also seen as part of Dresden's cultural identity. The city is clearly pleased with the restoration of this remarkable work of art, which has brought with it a certain familiarity since its first installation in 2014. The figure has established itself as a popular landmark and is very popular with locals and tourists.
In the dynamic combination of history and contemporary art, Till Eulenspiegel brings the past into the present. He reminds us that humor, cunning and a little mischievousness are still very important today. The Neustadt Library, in which the figure now shines again, has brought back a piece of living culture.
The artistic revival of Eulenspiegel shows once again that history can be kept alive and also has a place in a modern context. Perhaps it is precisely this mix of art and culture that makes Dresden so special.