George, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
George, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg [- Strelitz ] ( born August 12, 1779 Hannover, † September 6, 1860 at the Hunting Lodge Swiss House at Carpin ) was 1816-1860 Grand Duke of Mecklenburg in the country part of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.
Life
Georg ( Friedrich Karl Joseph ) was the third son of Duke Karl ( Friedrich Ludwig ) ( Prince, later as Grand Duke Charles II reign in the country part of Mecklenburg -Strelitz ) and Princess Friederike of Hesse- Darmstadt. In 1795 he enrolled at the University of Rostock. On November 6, 1816 he succeeded his father as Grand Duke. In 1817 he married Princess Marie of Hesse- Kassel. The marriage produced four children:
- Luise (1818-1842)
- Friedrich Wilhelm (1819-1904), Grand Duke of Mecklenburg [- Strelitz ]
- Karoline Charlotte Marianne (1821-1876)
- Georg (1824-1876) ∞ Catherine Mikhailovna Romanova (1827-1894)
In his reign were, among others, the improvement of the people's education, the abolition of serfdom and the structural renovation of the residence Neustrelitz by the construction of the castle church, the redesign of the Orangerie and the construction of several public buildings ( Neustrelitzer Rathaus) in the neo-classical or neo-gothic style ( Karoline Palais ). In addition, Georg were restored a number of historic monuments, such as the Marienkirche in Neubrandenburg, and so save them from the final decay. As an esthete wrong or corresponded with George celebrities of the literary and art world of his time, for example with Goethe. Politically he pursued as a young man advanced, but later increasingly reactionary ends. He was a staunch opponent of the revolution in Mecklenburg (1848 ), prevented the transition from Mecklenburg to a modern constitutional state and applied by the Freienwalder arbitration initiated in the country Schwerin partial reforms to case. This was largely due to the fact that he feared for the independence of his small Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg -Strelitz. The relapse and persistence of both Mecklenburg parts of the country at the level of a late- feudal corporate state in the following decades go largely due to the policies of George. George was regarded in his Grand Duchy of the population, as it was characterized by a policy of real help, and charity. This shows the following example: When the Altstrelitzer pastor in 1855 for permission asked to be allowed to purchase a bell for the small Trebbower village school in order to ensure an orderly morning start of school children, let George answer the Trebbower should collect money to which the to pay bell itself; but you should inform him before it was ready. After some time money was gathered for a fairly small bell, a quote from a bell construction company from the Pomeranian Demmin was also present. The pastor asked for permission to enter the order. The answer of the Grand Duke Georg came immediately and was something like: The bell must be commissioned; However, it should be made at least twice. The lack of cost plus he 'll wear as Grand Duke. Thus, a larger bell was purchased, which now heralded the start of classes. When George died in 1860, his death was widely mourned. The inhabitants of Mecklenburg- Strelitz ' brought their own accord on the idea to put a monument to him. A time not supported by the sovereign money collection in the Grand Duchy provided the means to make make him a larger than life bronze statue ( see photo). It was inaugurated on October 17, 1866 in the center of the market square in Neustrelitz.
Today, this sculpture by Albert Wolff is after decades of dismantling the communist era on the former parade ground in front of the castle church, because it was unthinkable for the second reunification Mayor of Neustrelitz at the Marketplace redesign to see the Grand Duke again in Neustrelitzer city center.