The Hatched Baby (affectionately called the Blue Baby) was given to La Crosse, Wisconsin in 2018 by our sister city in Friedberg, Germany by German artist Wolfgang Auer. 
The Blue Baby faced some backlash from the community, and in September 2021, the Blue Baby’s head was stolen. Although the head was recovered several days later, it was allegedly too damaged to repair and the sculpture was permanently removed. 

Upon reaching out to the artist, I have learned that he will likely be returning to La Crosse this year to repair the Blue Baby and offer to sell it to the City of La Crosse. For this reason, it is important to gather the citizens of La Crosse who support art, independent artists, and the Blue Baby itself, to encourage the City to give the baby another chance.
 
The Blue Baby was not only an iconic tourist attraction, but a symbol of our strong sister city relations. The Blue Baby brought smiles to faces and stirred a lot of productive discussion within the community, making it an effective piece of art. 
Without the Blue Baby, a piece of La Crosse is missing. 

Sign this petition and share to stand in solidarity with the Blue Baby. Together we can bring him back!!!