Landes-Feuerwehr-Ehrenmal Baden-Württemberg

The Landes-Feuerwehr-Ehrenmal Baden-Württemberg stands on the Hohbühl, a hill in the southern part of Achern. The city was called Hindenburghöhe when the memorial was built in 1936. It was designed by architect Franz Sales Kuhn and sculpted by Karl Dietrich, who also created the 1928 war memorial at the Karlsruhe Higher Regional Court. The centrepiece is a 13-metre granite obelisk topped by a flame. Below it, a 3.7-metre granite firefighter pours water from a bucket onto a burning house, echoing the traditional image of Saint Florian. The memorial honours firefighters from Baden who died in the First World War or while on duty. Eleven coats of arms on the obelisk represent the districts as they were in 1924. A 1986 renovation added a plaque explaining its purpose. The inscription reads ‘Those who gave their lives for us live forever.’ The original 1936 plaque carried the Nazi party eagle and swastika, later removed. Visitors climb a wide flight of steps to reach the memorial. The granite firefighter stands on the obelisk’s base, facing the town. A second plaque on the rear of the pedestal records the year 1936. The surrounding hilltop offers views across Achern and the Ortenau region. The Youth Fire Brigade now cares for the site, ensuring its upkeep for future generations.