Description
Right next to the border crossing, surrounded by low greenery, there is a large erratic boulder with a bilingual commemorative plaque, dedicated to the memory of the German opera singer and actress Corona Schröter born in Guben. The place of the monument is not accidental, because here once stood the house where the artist was born.
A golden inscription (Polish and German text, separated by a treble clef) informs that "The house in which / CORONA SCHRÖTER / [a] great German artist of Goethe was born on January 14, 1751 was born. She died on August 23, 1802, in Ilmenau. / ASSOCIATION OF FRIENDS OF THE GUBIN LAND AND THE LOWER LUZITAN PUBLISHING HOUSE OF ANDREAS PETER" (Ger. "Hier stand das Haus Klosterstraße Nr. 12, in dem / CORONA SCHRÖTER / am 14. Januar 1751 geboren wurde. Sie war eine gefeierte Künstlerin. am 23. August 1802 in Ilmenau. / VEREIN DER FREUNDE DES GUBINER LANDES / und / NIEDERLASITZER VERLAG ANDREAS PETER") (Pol. "W tym miejscu stał dom, w którym 14 stycznia 1751 urodziła się / CORONA SCHRÖTER / wielka niemiecka artysktka XX Goethego. Zmarła 23 sierpnia 1802 r. w Ilmenau. / STOWARZYSZENIE PRZYJACÓŁ ZIEMI GUBIŃSKIEJ I DOLNOŁUŻYCKIE WYDAWNICTWO ANDREASA PETERA").
Historical background
On January 14, 1751, at 12 Kloster Str. (now Chopin Str. 1 in Gubin), there was a house in which one of the most famous historical figures in Guben was born, the opera singer Corona Schröter.
The house itself was probably destroyed during the Second World War, sharing the fate of almost all buildings in the oldest, eastern part of the city. On 23.10.2012, on the 210th anniversary of the artist's death, thanks to the cooperation of Andreas Peter and the Association of Friends of the Gubin Region, as well as a donation from Zdzisław Sobolewski, a stone with a plaque commemorating the singer was officially unveiled. The ceremony was attended not only by councilors and residents of both cities, but also authorities from Krosno Odrzańskie powiat and Spree-Neisse Landkreis, as well as social organizations.
Information about the artists
The Association of the Friends of the Gubin Region (Pol. Stowarzyszenie Przyjaciół Ziemi Gubińskiej, abbreviation SPZG) was founded in 2003. On 30.09.2003 of the same year, a meeting of the founders of the SPZG took place in the "Ratusz" gallery of the Gubin Palace of Culture at 14 Westerplatte Str. Almost a year later, on 24.09.2004, at the initiative of SPZG, part of the attic of the former city museum at 3 Maja Str. was turned into the exhibition and office space of the association. The whole process was supported by Andreas Peter, a historian from Guben, regionalist and owner of Lower Luzitan (Ger.: Niederlausitzer Verlag), who to this day actively collaborates with the SPZG on cross-border projects strengthening local identity.