William I Monument (Szczecin)

The William I Monument was a monument in Szczecin, Poland, in form of an equestrian statue of William I, emperor of Germany from 1871 to 1888. It was designed by sculptor Karl Hilgers, and unvailed on 1 November 1894 at the King Square (now Polish Soldier Square). The monument dismantled on 31 July 1945.

History
On 1 November 1894, at the King Square (now known as the Polish Soldier Square) was unvailed the monument dedicated to William I, emperor of Germany from 1871 to 1888. It was designed by sculptor Karl Hilgers, and manufacturered by Berlin-based company Schäffer und Walker. The monument was funded from the donations from city inhabitants. It consisted of the bronze statue of the emperor on a horse, placed on a stone pedestal, with bronse sculptures of the soldiers around it.

During the World War II the statues of the soldiers in the William I Monument were taken down to be melted for materials. After the end of the war, on 31 July 1945, the monument was torn down by the Polish inhabitants of the city. The statue was then taken to Denmark and melted. It was used to manufacture the replica of the Prince Józef Antoni Poniatowski Monument in Warsaw, that was destroyed during the war.

In its place, on 26 April 1950, was unvailed the Monument of Graduate to the Soviet Army. It was deconstructed in November 2017.

Characteristics
The monument was placed at the northern end of the King Square (now Polish Soldier Square), and at the beginning of Emperor William Street (now John Paul II Avenue). It included a bronze statue of the emperor William I on a horse, wearing a military uniform and a helmet with a war bonnet. It was placed on a white stone Gothic Revivial pedestal, with depictions of historical scenes on its walls. Around its corners were placed bronse statues of the soldiers.