Adolph Wagner von der Mühl, Iron Wehrmann, 1915

Collection Nordico Stadtmuseum Linz

The Iron Wehrmann was erected as a wooden sculpture in a specially built pavilion on Linz’s Hauptplatz in 1915. With each purchase of war bonds, donors received nails which were hammered into the Wehrmann until it was covered in iron. Klemens Brosch was tasked with the artistic execution of the Linz war bonds. The pavilion in which it was placed was designed by Moritz Balzarek. Comparable objects were created at the same time throughout the Austro-Hungarian, and also the German Empire. During the First World War, they were used for joint patriotic fundraising for war widows, orphans and war invalids

Photo: Norbert Artner