»Zeichen geben / Give Signs« offers a comprehensive appreciation of the sculptural art of Wieland Schmiedel (1942–2021). The sculptor, who worked in Crivitz (Mecklenburg), left behind a powerful body of work that is radically dedicated to German memorial culture. From the monumental sandstone torsos in Schwerin's “Green Valley” to the memorials for the victims of the death marches, Schmiedel's art creates a lasting monument to human vulnerability. Renowned authors reassess his work in this volume. They reveal an artist who resisted ideological appropriation and whose work holds an indispensable place in post-1945 sculpture in Germany.

Wieland Schmiedel (1942–2021) was one of East Germany's most prominent sculptors. After completing his master's degree at the Berlin Academy of Arts, he worked as a freelance artist in Crivitz. His work, including important memorials in Schwerin, Magdeburg, and Neuruppin, is consistently dedicated to commemorating the victims of war and tyranny.