Klötzelmönch's Worried Mother Statue

The Klötzelmönch's Worried Mother is a contemporary bronze sculpture near the Rathaus in the Untermarkt, inspired by one of Görlitz's most persistent folk legends. The Klötzelmönch (roughly translated as "block-monk" or "puppet-monk") is a figure from local oral tradition — a supposedly malevolent monk who haunted the city in the medieval period. The legend was used for centuries to frighten children into obedience.

The sculpture itself is a more nuanced interpretation, depicting a mother's anxiety rather than the monster itself. It's a small piece but placed in a significant location, and it represents one of the few modern sculptural additions to the Old Town. The legend it references is a reminder that even the most beautiful preserved historic towns had their darker aspects.

things to do sight
A story
The Klötzelmönch is a figure from Görlitz folk legend — a monk who, according to the story, murdered travellers in the medieval city. The modern statue outside the Rathaus depicts not the monk himself but an anxious mother holding a child, embodying the fearful stories that were told to keep children from going out alone after dark. The piece was inspired by the legend but takes an unexpected perspective on it.