Die Muttergruppe

On the edge of a lake which separates Fürstenberg and Ravensbrück, stands the sculpture known as ‘The Burdened woman.’ The sculpture stands on a tall plinth overlooking the water thus combining old and new types of memorial.  The piece, which depicts an upright defiant woman holding the body of her fallen female comrade in her arms, has religious connotations and resembles the type of sculpture that may be found in a church i.e. that of an apostle removing the body of Jesus from the cross – an image of death and despair on the one hand, and redemption and hope on the other.   Conversely the figure is also an accusatory figure showing the horror of what has happened in the camp to the world and more specifically to the residents of Fürstenburg directly across the lake who will see the figure everyday while going about their normal business (as they would have during the concentration camps existence). The figure is strong, tall, accusatory and defiant with a resolute look upon her face. Her fallen comrade is thin, her breasts sagging and head lolling, her arm hangs to one side and her legs are lifeless as the woman carrying her takes her weight; and consequently the metaphoric weight of the thousands of dead buried in the rose covered mass grave behind her and the ashes of victims in the lake in front of her.