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All Germany Brunswick 'Katzenbalgen' ('Cat Brawl')

'Katzenbalgen' ('Cat Brawl')

A purr-fectly spirited bronze celebration of local street felines through history.

Brunswick, Germany

Added By
Johan SWE
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‘Katzenbalgen’ (‘Cat Brawl’)   Johan SWE / Atlas Obscura User
‘Katzenbalgen’ (‘Cat Brawl’)   Johan SWE / Atlas Obscura User
‘Katzenbalgen’ (‘Cat Brawl’)   Johan SWE / Atlas Obscura User
‘Katzenbalgen’ (‘Cat Brawl’)   User:Brunswyk, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
‘Katzenbalgen’ (‘Cat Brawl’)   Dat doris, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
‘Katzenbalgen’ (‘Cat Brawl’)   Johan SWE / Atlas Obscura User
Inscriptions on the stele.   Johan SWE / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Created in 1981 by students at the University of Art in Brunswick, Germany, under the guidance of sculptor and then professor Siegfried Neuenhausen, Katzenbalgen ("Cat Brawl") stands as a purr-fectly whimsical cat monument in the city’s feline-named Kattreppeln street. The bronze sculpture realistically portrays a dozen stray cats engaged in activities such as brawling, playing, and eating, all atop of a limestone stele.

Inscriptions on the monolith, translated from German to English, convey two messages: "Cats loved this once quiet street," emphasizing the historical presence of felines in the area. Another engraving states, "Kattreppeln means Katzbalgen," highlighting a linguistic connection between the street name and the cat monument. Furthermore, the stele chronicles the street's names since 1500, offering a record of its naming changes over the centuries.

Not only does Katzenbalgen warmly pay tribute to the local street cats, embracing both past and present, but it also serves as a reminder of how the population of these strays has decreased in numbers in Germany over time. 

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History & Culture Outsider Art Sculptures

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Accessible 24/7 and situated in the pedestrian zone at the crossroads of Kattreppeln, Damm, and Hutfiltern streets in downtown Brunswick (Braunschweig in German).

Community Contributors

Added By

Johan SWE

Published

January 26, 2024

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  • https://www.instagram.com/p/CvYGwJLssdm/?img_index=8
  • https://www.myheimat.de/braunschweig/c-kultur/in-braunschweig-wo-sich-die-katzen-seit-30-jahren-raufen_a1990603
'Katzenbalgen' ('Cat Brawl')
2 Kattreppeln
Brunswick, 38100
Germany
52.262262, 10.522079
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Photo of Brunswick

Brunswick

Germany

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Germany

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