Like many other cities in Europe aside from Berlin, 'Berlin Walls' were constructed to be torn down today, November 9th, on the 20th anniversary of the real wall's fall. In cooperation with the Goethe Institute here, German artist Frank Betler constructed a heavy cardboard 'brick' wall on Republic Square over two days' time. It was 40 meters long and three meters high. On this link you can see the artist at work, on a bright sunny day. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans for the wall, and right here you can see the result of strong winds and snow that hit the city on November 3rd. At that point, the wall was not completely damaged, and would have stood until the 9th when the rest would have been knocked down, but (and this is unofficial, but reasonably reliable), there were reports of late-night hooliganism that involved leaping over the wall and knocking it down.So here you see the wall all packed up. Under the plastic are the remaining flattened cardboard boxes, and the poster panels are lying beside them.
Addendum: I'm adding this after the 8th comment. This morning I saw that now instead of the collapsed wall will be a 'Berlin Museum' that will be opened this evening by the German Ambassador. In this small 'museum' will be photographs of the original Berlin Wall and other memorabilia. If you want to see it, go:here.
11 comments:
Damn hooligans! In the US some of them are known as "tea baggers" but that's only because they know nothing of the original Boston Tea Party.
I was going to rant on for awhile but I'd better shut up now.
It is a shame that wind and hooligans knocked down the wall before the official celebration.
At least this wall was for art and not political.
I remember seeing the Wall come down on television while I was teaching in Japan! I was in the Saitos' living room at that moment; that was incredible!
We were living in Switzerland when the wall came down. It's been a long time. The installation looked interesting.
That day was one where we say 'what were you doing on the day the wall came down.' I know I was in front of the television crying. Amazing day. I was fascinated to read your commentary. Didn't know any of that.
I bet The Belgrade Girls are respnsible for this. I like that statue and the building behind it too.
James, you can see more of the statue and the building at right here.
This is pretty darn amazing Bibister. Knocking down this politically charged work of art was horrendous but I wonder if they would have minded a bit of spray paint ed graffiti to make it more authentic!
I wish the wind was strong enough to knock down the 500km border wall between four states and Mexico...
Apart from the "wall", it looks like an interesting area.
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