Isted Lion
| Isted Lion Istedløven |
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|---|---|
| Danish Palace and Properties Agency Danish: Slots- og Ejendomsstyrelsen |
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| For victory in the Battle of Isted | |
| Unveiled | 25 July 1862 in Flensburg |
| Location | The Old Cemetery Flensburg, Germany |
| Designed by | Herman Wilhelm Bissen |
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ISTED
DEN 25. JULI 1850 DET DANSKE FOLK REISTE DETTE MINDE |
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The Isted Lion (or Flensburg Lion) (Danish: Istedløven or Flensborgløven), German: Flensburger Löwe or Idstedter Löwe) is a Danish war monument originally intended as a monument of the Danish victory over Schleswig-Holstein in the Battle of Isted (Idstedt) on 25 July 1850 — at its time the largest battle in Scandinavian history. Others perceived it more as a memorial for the Danish dead in the battle.
Originally erected in Flensburg, Schleswig, it was moved to Berlin by Prussian authorities and remained there until 1945. It was returned to Denmark as a gift from the United States Army and was located at Søren Kierkegaards Plads in Copenhagen. In September 2011 it returned to Flensburg.
Following the Danish victory over Schleswig-Holstein in the First War of Schleswig (1848–51), Danish sculptor Herman Wilhelm Bissen was commissioned to create a monument to the ordinary Danish soldier. Although not an actual Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, his monument reflected a similar idea. This monument Landsoldaten (the Foot Soldier) was unveiled in Fredericia in 1858. At the following banquet, it was decided to start a public subscription of funds for a second monument, and one of the options discussed was a statue of General Frederik Rubeck Henrik Bülow, the commander of Fredericia during the German siege of the town. Through the intervention of politician Orla Lehmann, it was decided that the funds would instead be used for a monument commemorating the Battle of Isted. Like the previous monument, this commission was awarded to Bissen.
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