Portret van Friedrich Wilhelm, graaf Bülow von Dennewitz 1811 - 1875

This is Albert Schule's portrait of Friedrich Wilhelm, graaf Bülow von Dennewitz, made in the 19th century. Note the iron cross prominently displayed on his chest. Originally a symbol of the Teutonic Knights in the Middle Ages, it was revived by Prussia as a military decoration. This emblem of sacrifice and duty stretches back to ancient religious iconography. Consider the cross's continuous journey. From ancient Christian symbols of sacrifice, all the way to modern emblems of national identity. The cross taps into a deep-seated psychological need for symbols of strength, loyalty, and spiritual grounding. Ultimately, observe how symbols never truly die. They resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings, shaped by history, culture, and our collective psyche.