Gebt sie frei (Gedenkstein) / Set them Free (commemorative stone)

This 1953 relief panel by Iserlohn-born artist Robert Ittermann serves as a memorial to the prisoners of World War II. The text inscribed in the bottom translates as “set them free.” The classical-style image depicts women and children who are waiting and mourning: one woman is kneeling in the center of the relief, with two women standing and protectively leaning over their children on the left and right. In this way, the image is directed away from the actual events of the war and on to the consequences and suffering felt by the civilian population. In its design, the relief makes reference to works of classical antiquity, as emphasized by the women’s garments and postures. This turns the work into a statement that rises beyond the immediate historical context, commemorating those who must particularly suffer the consequences of war.