Even while the new Lichtenstein was being built, this monument had been erected. The Allgemeine Zeitung reported on October 11, 1839 from Reutlingen: "A close rock already bears the simple monument of the early deceased poet W. Hauff, who through his novel Lichtenstein has refreshed the public's attention to this, in many respects strange point." ( Pfäfflin, p. 82)
Dittscheid suspects that the idea for this monument in the immediate vicinity of the castle goes back to Heideloff, who thus wanted to honor the poet "as the actual inventor of the castle". "The Hauff monument designed by Heideloff integrates the literary genius into the natural backdrop. Hauff becomes a permanent observer of the scene, which he has designed in words. The poet's stele rises as a solitaire close to the abyss. She transfers the location of the castle to the sculpture. The monument is intended to legitimize the castle and its surroundings as authentically as possible in the sense of the author Hauff. "(Dittscheid, p. 279)
The viewer can, past Hauff, let his eyes down into the Echaztal, in the distance to the Achalm and over to the Traifelberg rock and the Alb plateau, while Hauff 'looks' to the castle. However, his gaze is now obscured by the tall trees. Hauff sees his' Lichtenstein at best in winter.