In Germany, a mere 200 public statues are of notable women. Meanwhile, there are 700 effigies of 19th-century chancellor Otto von Bismarck... Highlighting that glaring imbalance in representation, flower delivery network Fleurop will decorate dozens of statues of women for International Women's Day on March 8th.
Historical figures being celebrated include artist Käthe Kollwitz, radical revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg, pioneering female judge Erna Scheffler and the 'rubble women' who cleared mountains of debris from cities destroyed during WWII. Their stone likenesses will be draped with colorful garlands and adorned with bouquets.
The German florists' organization is following the lead of Fleurop Sweden, which has embellished statues of women on March 8th for several years. A trial in Germany in 2023 was met with widespread public support, prompting Fleurop to turn the initiative into an annual event.
