As in many other places in Germany, Bad Berleburg followed the call of the student body in 1898 to erect Bismarck columns. The occasion was the 75th birthday of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. On the initiative of the Bad Berleburg gymnastics club, the idea was put into practice in 1911.
The then government architect Aust had the column built by the company Daniel Rompel according to a design by Wilhelm Kreis.
The fire column was made of Ruhr sandstone and basalt lava. The lettering on the back in the base "D. R. 1911" refers to the company that built it. On the front is a bronze relief of Bismarck with the inscription "September 24, 1911" (day of the inauguration ceremony).
The metal fire bowl was subsequently donated and installed by Baron von Wittgenstein.
In 1988, the column was entered in the list of monuments of the town of Bad Berleburg.
In 2008, the tourist and local history association had the monument renovated. The fire bowl was given a pyramid-shaped copper cover to protect it from the weather. The visual axis towards the town was also cleared so that the view over Bad Berleburg and to the castle is once again possible.