Dewclaws are a characteristic feature of red deer (Cervus elaphus) and other ungulates. Located just above the hooves on the back of the legs, these small, vestigial structures are remnants of ancestral toes. Although their biological function is limited, dewclaws still contribute to the animal’s biomechanics and our scientific understanding of the specie:
● Traction: Providing stability in soft terrain like mud or snow.
● Evolutionary Significance: Offering insight into the evolutionary history of the species and the adaptation of ungulates over time.
Despite their minimal practical value to the animal, dewclaws are often appropriated by humans for use in traditional regalia and crafts, raising ethical questions about exploiting natural features for decorative purposes.
The most famous dewclaw in the Tierpark Berlin belongs to the Kronenhirsch, a work of art by Darsow Johann.
“The figure of the Kronenhirsch (“Crowned Stag”) with the telling name “Raufbold” (“Brawler”) is among the best-known works by Darsow today. On February 9, 1936, Hermann Göring (1893–1946), the Nazi “Reich Hunting Master,” shot the apparently prominent red deer stag in the Rominter Heide, a renowned hunting ground for Prussian rulers and politicians until 1945, which Göring had largely appropriated for his own use. Based on the animal’s carcass, Darsow created a larger-than-life statue of the stag.
In 1937, the partially gilded sculpture was displayed at the International Hunting Exhibition in Berlin, positioned at the entrance of the two exhibition halls used for the event. For this work, Darsow was awarded a gold medal. Later, the stag sculpture became part of the elaborate sculptural decorations at Göring’s Brandenburg estate, Carinhall, which he had constructed starting in 1933 in the Schorfheide near Groß Dölln. The location where the statue was placed at the end of a chestnut avenue was named “Hirschplatz” (“Stag Square”).
After World War II, parts of the park decorations left at Carinhall, including the stag statue, were taken as “spoils” by the Soviet army and transported to Berlin and Potsdam. Among these were three sculptures (Diana, Ares Ludovisi, and Apollo) that were installed in the Spandau district between 1963 and 1964. Darsow’s stag statue was documented in the Sanssouci Park around 1950.
In 1969, the sculpture was transferred as a gift from the State Palaces and Gardens of Potsdam-Sanssouci (now the Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation Berlin-Brandenburg) to the Friedrichsfelde Zoo, where it was installed in the area of the open-air stage (Children’s Zoo, Children’s Circus). Another casting of the “Crowned Stag,” allegedly not created until 1938 in Lauchhammer, has been located since 2013 at the Kurplatz in the spa town of Hartha (Tharandt, Saxony). There, it is referred to as the “Hubertus Stag,” referencing the legend of St. Hubertus of Liège.”
Source:
Kuhn, Jörg. “Kronenhirsch.” Bildhauerei in Berlin (BiB), an information platform for sculptural and artistic works in Berlin, https://bildhauerei-in-berlin.de/bildwerk/kronenhirsch-8335/. Accessed January 3, 2025.
Archiv der Gegenwart. “Internationale Jagdausstellung 1937: A Color Film.” Highlights include Finnish falconers with an eagle, a bronze statue of a crowned stag, and French parforce hunters with hounds, as well as historical figures Erhard Milch, Bernhard Rust, and Hermann Göring. Accessed January 8, 2025. https://archiv-akh.de/filme/4713#1.