This artwork depicts a moving history – and has itself had an eventful history. Anni Jung's artwork, consisting of 27 coloured relief panels, was created between 1981 and 1985. The artist was commissioned to depict the history of the city of Schwerin in pictures. A year later, her designs already showed the connection between events and personalities of the city – embedded in general German history. Anni Jung worked on the ceramic column until 1985, and it was finally unveiled in a ceremony on 7 June 1986.

At that time, it adorned the redesigned old town district and stood at the corner of Großer Moor and Puschkinstraße. Then art met harsh reality – or vice versa: in 1993, a lorry completely damaged several relief panels, while others were left cracked. In addition, the structure was ruined, so the entire Ceramic Column was put into storage.
The people of Schwerin missed the impressive work of art, which represented 800 years of city history. They asked for it back. And that is what happened – although it took 25 years: The ‘Aktion Stadt-und Kulturschutz’ (City and Cultural Preservation Campaign) called for the moral rehabilitation of people who had been victims of witchcraft and sorcery persecution between the 16th and 18th centuries. Since one of Anni Jung's 27 reliefs dealt with witch hunts, the idea arose to use the entire ceramic column as a memorial to the victims. No sooner said than done: stone sculptor Friedrich-Walter Beckmann restored the artwork. In July 2018, it was given a new home: the ceramic column now adorns the courtyard of the Schwerin Adult Education Centre. This is fitting, as one of the panels also shows the face of its namesake and founder, Ehm Welk.
Anyone looking at the column will discover expressive faces and figures, whose effect is enhanced by their colourfulness. Anyone who analyses it will recognise that it is about historical events, but also about political instrumentalisation. Anyone who wants to read more will find detailed documentation explaining the relief panels on the artwork.