Devil sculpture installed in downtown Esslingen, Germany
A sculpture of the devil holding an onion in Esslingen. Photo: Stadt Esslingen/Luna Kloess
German artist Tim Bengel has unveiled a bronze sculpture of the devil holding an onion in Town Hall Square in Esslingen, Germany. According to the UOJ-Germany, the sculpture weighs more than 400 kilograms.
The artist said he wanted to revive a medieval local legend. According to the tale, the devil once appeared at the Esslingen market disguised as a nobleman and asked to buy an apple. A clever market woman recognized him and handed him an onion instead. The devil then reportedly fled to Stuttgart. A small depiction of the "Onion Devil" can already be seen high on the facade of Esslingen's Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady).
Hundreds of residents attended the unveiling, and most responded positively to the statue. On social media, however, reactions have been more mixed. Responding to criticism, Bengel said that even those who dislike the sculpture are helping spread awareness of the legend.
Esslingen's mayor, Matthias Klopfer, supported the project from the outset. He expressed confidence that the sculpture would become a new local landmark and a "symbol of identity." According to Klopfer, the statue supposedly serves as a reminder that the people of Esslingen are not easily broken.
As previously reported, vandals in Germany damaged the faces of 50 statues of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary.
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