The great German-American sculptor Albert Jaegers has only one example of his work in Washington, DC. The Baron Von Steuben memorial in Lafayette Park.
According to his obituary in the New York Times Jaegers was an accomplished sculptor whose work included statuary at the Buffalo and St. Louis World Expositions. His most controversial work was his statue at the U.S. Customs House in New York. He was commissioned to create a sculpture representing "Germany" for the main entrance to the Customs House. Before the building could be completed World War I began and the powers that be requested Jaegers to change the bronze to represent America's new ally in the war "Belgium." I'm sure the demand that his work which he'd designed and completed be defaced to represent a completely different country insulted Jaeger's cultural heritage. He also later remarked that it was a "dubious honor for pluckly little Belgium." Belgium was clearly a lesser-power and Jaegers didn't feel like submitting to ridiculous anti-German hysteria.
The Von Steuben statue honors the Revolutionary War hero General Baron Friedrich Wilhelm Von Steuben, a Prussian nobleman who was credited with bringing order to the rag-tag revolutionary Army. Von Steuben's memorial, which consists of three statues on a marble base, also stands as one of the most, if not the most, homoerotic statuary in Washington, DC. Fitting as Von Steuben had a bit of a colorful past -- he was accused of homosexuality and thrown out of the Prussian Army for his relationships with his junior officers. This led to his traveling throughout Europe searching for employ. Good thing for the United States that he was available as he assured the American victory over the British by bringing discipline to the troops. It's a lavender page in our Revolutionary War history that is not known well enough. For more information visit the Human Rights Website.
The center statue is of Von Steuben and stands 11 feet tall from spurred boots to cocked hat as the general wears the Continental uniform. On one side is a figurative pairing re presenting "Commemoration." America is represented as a seated nude female teaching a kneeling child the history of the country. The most beautiful section, and haunting in ways, is the "Military Instruction" side, which features an older soldier reaching for a younger soldier's sword. It's a beautiful piece of work.
The statues in Lafayette Park are interesting as they serve as ethnic pride statues of a sort. Von Steuben for the Germans, Kosciusko for the Polish, Lafayette and Rochambeau for the French, etcetera. The corner statues were all executed around the same time and according to accounts their dedications made up ENORMOUS celebrations for the ethnic communities being "honored." Sculpture dedications were BIG DEALS back then. President Taft gave government employees the day off and Taft's daughter Helen unveiled the statues and there were artillery salutes to the dedication. The Washington Post wrote about how all the hotels in town were so full that they had people sleeping in the lobbies. 
Crazy stuff!
The same kind of anti-German animus that dashed Jaegers Customs House statue later dogged the Von Steuben but it was more difficult to do anything about it once it was erected.
Von Steuben is remembered through this memorial and also statues in the Valley Forge and Monmouth military historical sites. Steubenville, Ohio is also named after him.
