It was designed by sculptor Karl Hilgers and manufactured by Berlin-based company Schäffer und Walker.

[1] During World War II, the statues of the soldiers in the William I Monument were taken down to be melted for materials.

It was used to manufacture a replica of the Prince Józef Antoni Poniatowski Monument in Warsaw, which was destroyed during the war.

It included a bronze statue of the emperor William I on a horse, wearing a military uniform and a helmet with a war bonnet.

It was placed on a white stone Gothic Revivial pedestal, with depictions of historical scenes on its walls.