The first Bismarck tower was built in present-day
Janówek, Poland. It was erected by private initiative in 1869 in the village of Ober-Johnsdorf,
Silesia, then part of
Prussia, now Janówek, Poland. It stands on top of the hill now called Jańska Góra (), 253 m above sea level. The tower itself is 23 m in height. The sponsor was the retired Prussian officer (1820–1888), a wealthy landowner in nearby
Wättrisch. One year after Bismarck's death, German
Studentenverbindung fraternities chose one of the designs submitted by the architect
Wilhelm Kreis in an 1899 architecture competition. The award-winning
Götterdämmerung fire column design of
granite or
sandstone was selected as a standard model for all Bismarck towers. The massive and squat design could be built to different heights and widths depending on the amount of money donated for the particular monument. In manifestation of the Bismarck
cult, they were built in various styles in locations across the
German Empire, including its colonies in
New Guinea (
Gazelle Peninsula),
Cameroon (near
Limbe) and
Tanzania, as well as in areas of Europe that, at the time, were part of Germany, but now lie within the borders of
Poland,
France,
Denmark or
Russia. Bismarck towers were also built in
Austria, in the
Czech Republic, and in
Chile. Every Bismarck tower was intended as a beacon, with their braziers lit on specified days in honour of the former chancellor to commemorate his achievement in
unifying Germany in 1871. Though most towers included firing installations, plans for a nationwide beaconing failed, and many local initiatives chose deviating designs. The architects of these towers included Wilhelm Kreis himself, who built 58 (47 to the
Götterdämmerung design), and
Bruno Schmitz. == Bismarck towers (selection) ==