Question

Describe what you see in the figure. What historical events could Hübner be referring to in this allegorical vision of the nation?

Answer 1

The figure depicts Germania as drawn by Philip Veit in 1848. Germania wears an oak leaf crown, as the German oak represents heroism. She is holding a sword and an olive branch, indicating both her readiness to fight and her willingness to make peace. In 1848, liberal nationalists used a black, red, and gold tricolour flag. The breastplate with the eagle represents the German Empire’s might.

Hübner depicted the fallen Germania. Germania is depicted as a fallen woman, her crown cast aside, because the German people’s hopes for unity under a single ruler (King Friedrich Wilhelm IV) were destroyed when he rejected their demand in 1848. The artist represented Germany in a hopeless position as a result of the king’s rejection. It symbolised the loss of hope.