Master stonemason and sculptor Gabriel Heimann takes on the restoration of a historic family tomb in his hometown of Pirna and uncovers fascinating clues that lead him to the tomb’s former owner: a master sculptor who played an important role in the region’s history around the turn of the century. During the restoration, he incorporates a tribute to their shared guild.

Like many cemetery administrations across Germany, the one in Pirna is also working to preserve historically significant gravesites through sponsorship programs. The park-like cemetery of the Evangelical Lutheran Parish of Pirna opened in 1870 and is home to several such graves.

Gabriel Heimann, a stonemason and master sculptor with his own business, selected one of them in early 2020: a family grave that was almost completely overgrown and not particularly easy to recognize because the boxwood planted on it obscured it. “But I could see that the stone itself was in good condition, because Wehlen sandstone is durable. I also recognized a craftsmen’s wreath, which is why I thought the gravestone was a good fit.”

Heimann’s father was also a craftsman; he worked as a carpenter. Once the overgrown vegetation on the grave had been cleared away, Heimann discovered elements that could mean only one thing: “Chisels and sculpting tools…” It turned out that he had taken on the sponsorship of the family grave of Heinrich Schneider—a master sculptor who was active in Pirna and the Dresden region around the turn of the century.

Heimann was now particularly interested in the history of the grave and its “previous owner.” And indeed, a trip to the archives brought a number of things to light: In addition to a copy of the cemetery register, which provided interesting insights into the family’s lives, the archives contained, among other things, Schneider’s death certificate, a technical blueprint of his sculpture workshop, and his letterhead.

In it, he included a picture of the Pirna War Memorial, one of his major projects, for which he received 4,199 marks from the city in 1896 “to fully settle his bill.” In 1908, Schneider also recreated the Erlpeter Fountain based on old records, commissioned by the Pirna Beautification Association. It was precisely this fountain that was restored about 100 years later… by none other than Gabriel Heimann.

Read more in the current issue of STEIN 12/20.