"Undines Traum (Undine's Dream)" by Hans Jürgen Zimmermann

Gleaming above the shimmering waters of Lake Steinhude, the stainless-steel sculpture “Undine’s Dream” by Hanover-based artist Hans Jürgen Zimmermann captures a moment of ethereal beauty and quiet reflection. Created as an early stage design concept for the ballet adaptation of “Undine” at the Hanover Opera, this striking work unites art, myth, and place in a seamless dialogue. The story behind the sculpture draws inspiration from Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué’s celebrated romantic tale *Undine*. Stationed as an officer in Bückeburg in 1796, the author is believed to have set his enchanting tale of the water nymph at Steinhuder Meer itself. This connection lends the piece a deep sense of local identity and poetic resonance—each curve and reflection seeming to summon the spirit of the mythical lake maiden rising from the depths. Installed in 1996 by the Steinhuder Meer Tourism Association, “Undine’s Dream” is more than a sculpture; it is a tribute to the intertwining of art and nature. Standing serenely within the water at the Steinhude promenade, it invites visitors to pause, look closer, and feel the poetry carried on the gentle breeze across Niedersachsen’s largest lake.