Humans

While the De Verwoeste Stad by Ossip Zadkine since 1953 stands in Rotterdam in the meanwhile an entire city is built around the scultpure. When in 1946 on the train through destroyed Rotterdam the artist Ossip Zadkine was devastated by all the destruction. With nearly 3 years later during one of the artist’s exhibitions the De Verwoeste Stad introduction to the world. Where the De Verwoeste Stad means The Destroyed City.

verwoeste stad ossip zadkine street art rotterdam

The De Verwoeste Stad in Rotterdam shows a desperate human with the hands towards the sky. As a symbol of the destroyed Rotterdam city center the hole in the human’s chest is where the heart belongs. The tree trunk supports the human. The statue is in the Abstract Expressionism art style.

The statue’s purchase and anonymous donation was by the De Bijenkorf store in Rotterdam. The store lost many Jewish employees during World War 2. Also because of the suffering of the Rotterdammers. The only condition for the gift was to keep the statue forever on the same place. It is nearby the Cascade sculpture by Joep van Lieshout. Since 1978 the anonymous donation of the De Verwoeste Stad is public.



Every year on May 4th during Remembrance Day people gather around the The Destroyed City in Rotterdam. All listen the speeches and stories during the ceremony.

The De Verwoeste Stad in Rotterdam is on a square in the Maritime district. Here is the location!