Friedrich Schiller (1759-1805), the revered German philosopher and playwright, had no obvious connection with Königsberg so, aside from his lasting legacy in a general sense, it is unclear as to why Stanislaus Cauer created this bronze statue of him. Officially unveiled in 1910, one credible theory is that it was commissioned to mark the centenary of the Königsberg Opera, although it could also represent little more than the personal admiration of a wealthy patron. Legend has it that the statue was saved during the Red Army’s assault on the city thanks to a signed hung around its neck by a Soviet soldier which read ‘Do not shoot. He’s a poet’. The base complete with Russian lettering was added after the war.