The founder of the cemetery, Wilhelm Cordes himself, had planned this statue of Jesus Christ being a central component of the 'cemetery of honour'. Statues of Martin Luther and Moses should follow - as well as additional sculptures that were supposed to symbolize virtues like mental and physical work, gratitude, truthfulness, temperance and courage.

In the end, only the statue of Jesus Christ was implemented. This sculpture should express wisdom, eternal love, beauty and poetry, which, according to the comprehension of that time, were represented by Christianity.
The sculpture is a donation of the shipowner Friedrich Wencke and was built following the design of Wilhelm Cordes.