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08.15.04
Gems of Over-the-Rhine
The Germania Building, 1877
by Jeanne Johnston, iRhine
Gems of OTR Introduction
Everyone in Cincinnati knows the Taft Museum, the Tyler Davidson Fountain, and Union Terminal, but what about the hidden treasures in our "lost city" of Over-the-Rhine? Gems of OTR is a new, rotating feature on iRhine that highlights some of the neighborhood's most impressive jewels - buildings that can and should be sources of pride for all Cincinnatians.
The Germania Building
At the southwest corner of Twelfth and Walnut Streets in Over-the-Rhine lies one of Cincinnati's most beautiful yet under-appreciated relics - the Germania Building. The Germania Building stands as a monument to the important role that German immigrants played in the development of the city and its business community. Built in 1877 at a cost of $100,000, this striking building was constructed by Heinrich Arminius Rattermann (1832-1923), to house his company, the German Mutual Insurance Company of Cincinnati. The building was designed by Johann Bast (1812-1880), a German-born builder and architect. The building's style is an example of Renaissance Revival, and, like so many buildings in Over-the-Rhine, is built of red brick, faced on Walnut Street with a handsome limestone facade.
 The building is one of the most ornate in the city, but the most striking elements of this handsome structure are its two prominent sculptures, executed by Leopold Fettweis, a nineteenth century Cincinnati sculptor. On the second floor front is a statue named Germania, who symbolizes German culture and the German sprit. At her feet are: a palette, representing art; books, representing learning; a telescope, representing astronomy; a capital, representing architecture, and flora, representing nature. Over an abandoned entrance on the Twelfth Street side is a statue of a chariot with Apollo driving four horses.
Other notable features of the building include its cast iron store front, manufactured locally by Schreiber, and an ornate sheet metal cornice with double scrolled brackets, which were added when the fourth floor was built as a later addition to the building.
 Rattermann, who has been called Cincinnati's most important German-American man of letters, came to Cincinnati in 1845 at the age of 13 with his parents. Left with the responsibility of supporting his mother and sisters after his father died, he founded his insurance company in 1858. The company's German name, Deutsche Gegenseitige Versicherungs Gesellschaft von Cincinnati, can still be seen on a building at Thirteenth and Walnut, where the company was housed before its move to Twelfth Street.
In addition to forming his insurance company, Rattermann was self-taught and became both an influential Cincinnati and a nationally-known German-American author, writing forty-four books, numerous articles, and several operas. Rattermann established a journal devoted to German immigrant history, known as Der Deutsche Pionier, in 1869, and served as editor until 1887. This publication is still used as a reference by modern historians, who have found a wealth of information about German-American history and culture.
After America entered World War I on the Allied side, German-Americans and their traditions were quickly stigmatized. The names of foodstuffs, businesses, families, and streets, were changed from German-sounding titles to anglicized ones. For example, in Over-the-Rhine, Berlin Street was renamed Woodward and Bremen Street was changed to Republic, to name but a few. In May 1919, the study of German in public schools was forbidden, ending a tradition of bilingualism in Cincinnati.
The Germania Building and the German Mutual Insurance Company of Cincinnati were also affected, the latter changing its' name to Hamilton Mutual Insurance (the company remains in business under that name today). The statue of Germania was covered with a black cloth, and then draped with an American flag in April of 1918; before long, the statue and the building had been renamed "Columbia." The United States' motto, E Pluribus Unum, was carved on the hem of the statue's robe. Panels were placed in the arched pediment to cover the company's German name, and remain in place in the early twenty-first century. It was not until the building was restored in the 1970s that a sense of pride in the building's German heritage was rediscovered.
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Jeanne Johnston is a local writer and historian who has been observing Over-the-Rhine for thirty years. You can reach her with comments or questions at jjohnday@juno.com
About iRhine
iRhine is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that develops the focus of communication for the many diversified offerings in the historic Cincinnati neighborhood of Over-the-Rhine (OTR). Through the Web site, e-mails, educational meetings, events, and volunteering, iRhine has supported and encouraged socio-economic development for OTR and the Greater Cincinnati Region since 2000.
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Jul 31, 2010
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