Telemann-Stele

The Telemann-Stele is a monument to the composer Georg Philipp Telemann in Magdeburg’s old town. It stands where Regierungsstraße meets Goldschmiedebrücke, close to the site of the Heilig-Geist-Kirche where Telemann was baptised. The church was also where his father worked, so the young composer’s early life centred on this spot. In 1967 a bronze plaque by Max Roßdeutscher marked the 200th anniversary of Telemann’s death. Later building work forced the plaque to be removed and stored. After plans to reattach it failed, a new granite stele was designed to hold the original plaque. The stele itself was created by Detlef Roßdeutscher, grandson of the first sculptor. Students at Magdeburg-Stendal University helped develop the design under Professor Ulrich Wohlgemuth. A student named Keslin Schnuchel produced the winning concept, which was refined and unveiled in 2011. The dark grey Indian granite column carries Telemann’s portrait in half-relief on its north face. Below the portrait are his dates, a Telemann quotation, and the opening bars of his opera Der geduldige Socrates engraved in his own handwriting. Visitors see the oval bronze plaque set into the stele’s polished surface. On the side facing Regierungsstraße a small map shows the street layout in Telemann’s time. A nearby inscription explains why the monument was placed here. The south side also bears a short note on the stele’s creation. The elegant stone rises beside the bridge, linking past and present in Magdeburg’s historic heart.