German radio station Oldie95 is attempting to raise around £68,000 to create a memorial sculpture of The Beatles for the city of Hamburg to commemorate the time the band spent there. The tribute, which will be located on the Reeperbahn in Hamburg's St Pauli district where the group performed, will depict all the band members, including fifth Beatle Stuart Sutcliffe. The statue will be cast in bullet proof glass, to be illuminated after dark, and Beatles lyrics will be etched into the grooves of the record.
It's hoped that the sculpture will be ready by May next year, coinciding with World Cup Finals being held in Germany at that time. Oldie95 also hope that the surviving Beatles or Yoko Ono will be able to attend the unveiling. Around £14k has been raised so far, with organisers creating 5,000 certificates worth 10 euros each to persuade fans to invest, as well as seeking larger investors to make up the difference. Oldie95's Martina Mueller said "Hamburg was the musical birthplace of the Beatles, but we don't have anything here to mark this. Everyone thinks it is good for Hamburg, good for tourism and good for local people as well."