The sculpture was erected in 1590 after the construction of the Neustädter Rathaus. The founder is Countess Margaret von Mansfeld - Hinterort, who also had the Neustadt Town Hall built.
The figure, referred to as "Comrade Martin" figure shows a kneeling miner or Bergbeamten on a pedestal with the leather as a profession-specific garment of miners and shouldered wedge, holding in his left hand, the Mansfeld-Hinterorter coat of arms.
The colorful sculpture is neither a mountain judge nor a Bergmannsroland, nor does she have something to do with Martin Luther because of the name Martin. Rather, she is the symbol of the miner's settlement "Neustadt Eisleben", which once also led a miner in her coat of arms.
With this "monument", the Mansfeld Mining and the Eisleber Neustadt set a unique symbol in the German monuments landscape: It is the oldest in Germany mundane monument, which shows a worker on a pedestal. No other industry in the 16th century dared to present itself in such a way and to demonstrate its self-confidence.
The original figure stood until 1927 on the long time used as a street market Breiten Weg. It was made of sandstone that was badly weathered. The Hallesche sculptor Chr. Schmid created his new comrade Martin from more resistant shell limestone. The figure was restored in 1995 again. His predecessor found his way into the regional museum behind the Renaissance house Andreaskirchplatz 11 in the Lutherstadt Eisleben.