Die Trauernde / The Mourner

The Mourner is intended as a memorial to the victims of war and their suffering. That is why the artist chose a female figure with her hands folded in front of her mouth in a gesture of horror and grief. With a slightly tilted head, the larger-than-life-size figure looks down at the viewer. A garment descends from her shoulders down to her feet, concealing her physique and depriving her of individuality. Her head and arms are deliberately disproportionate to the rest of the almost stele-like body in order to make the Mourner’s feelings of horror and grief expressly clear. Along with his Mourning Woman (1957) in Neuss-Reuschenberg, this is an important early figure by Josef Neuhaus.
Nonetheless, the sculpture was controversial from the start. She was little appreciated by some people, who felt the memorial was too abstract. The benefactor, Bürgerschützenverein Holzheim e. V., distanced itself from the Mourner, so that it finally had to be taken over by the city of Neuss. Still, the discussion about the artwork and its location was by no means over. The statue was relocated from its place in front of the catholic school to a secluded little green area near Holzheimer Bahnhof. There is only a narrow footpath to lead the informed viewer up to the figure. This has kept it out of sight to the public for many years, especially because there are also no signs pointing to the artwork.

Source: Skulpturen in Neuss Author: Dr. Christian Frommert