Suspect statues — when monuments raised eyebrows
From Jacko to Arnie — controversy has never been far away when statues are made. Following the announcement of the Ronald Reagan statue in Berlin, DW takes a look at some of the replicas that have caused most concern.
He was back
Champion bodybuilder and ex-California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has a statue in front of the house where the Austrian actor was born, in the southern Austrian village of Thal. In October 2011, Schwarzenegger returned to his hometown to officially open a museum dedicated to his life, the contents of which includes memorabilia, statues and even dumbbells.
Question Marx
The German philosopher Karl Marx once said: "Surround yourself with people who make you happy." But not everyone was pleased when China gifted a statue of the socialist revolutionary in 2018 to his hometown of Trier to celebrate his 200th birthday. A German group representing victims of Communism said at the time: "We say yes to a debate about Marx, but no to his worship."
Head wrong
A bust of footballer Cristiano Ronaldo was met with mirth at its unveiling in 2017. The Portuguese star's head was designed by artist Emanuel Santos to commemorate an airport being renamed after him in Madeira. However, it looked nothing like the ex-Real Madrid forward which sparked many amusing memes on social media. The bust was replaced by a more representative impression a year later.
Bad
A statue of Michael Jackson, commissioned by Fulham F.C. owner Mohamed Al Fayed, was unveiled outside the club's stadium to a mixed reaction in 2011. The decision made the club a "laughing stock" according to fans. Al Fayed responded defiantly saying: "If some stupid fans don't understand and appreciate such a gift this guy gave to the world, they can go to hell." In 2013, the statue was removed.