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If you enter the old town from the east, you will soon come across a triangular square with a bronze goat on the side. It was set up here because the Teltowers lovingly call this square the “Zickenplatz”. The reason for this is not preserved. One possible explanation would be the malapropism of an event that took place here once a year on Thursday before Michaelis (29 September): The cattle market!
In the square’s centre there is moreover a war memorial. Designed by the Teltow sculptor August Mattausch, it was inaugurated on 18 October 1913 on the occasion of the centenary of the Battle of the Nations (Völkerschlacht), which ended at Großbeeren. On a ring-shaped foundation composed of erratic boulders from the Mark Brandenburg rests a narrow memorial stone, brought over specifically for this purpose from the Harz area, and crowned by a Greek helmet!
As a particular symbol at the war memorial Mattausch positions an Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz), the high Prussian war decoration for all ranks established in 1813 by King Friedrich Wilhelm III. Below, a bronze plaque names the Teltow soldiers killed in action in the wars of liberation 1813 to 1815, in the German-Danish war 1864, in the German-Austrian war 1866 and in the German-French war 1870/71.
The inscription reads “To the fallen in remembrance, to the living a memento, to generations to come to emulate”. The erection of the war memorial was preceded by numerous initiatives of the Teltow Warrior Association (Teltower Kriegerverein), which also organised collections for its funding.
The pedestal of the monument is adorned with a round shield bearing the head of Medusa. This telling symbol of Athena, the Greek goddess of battle and wisdom, points to patriotism and the struggle to defend homeland (Heimat) and freedom against Napoleon. Behind the shield, a sword and a lance originally crossed. These, however, fell victim to the pains of war.
