Make Love, Not Wall

Make Love, Not Wall: May 19th Field Question

Friends, families, a city, a nation totally separated; that is the significance that lies with the Berlin Wall. This idea of separation and the struggle to live with it or even overcome it is a central theme of the Berlin Wall museum. The second you set foot within the museum, you're struck by several things. In the back of the room, you can see picture stands with photographs of life within the Berlin wall, accompanied by descriptions of what the pictures are depicting. But these are not the first things that catch your eye, no, your attention is immediately focused on the exhibit directly in front of the entry way; a large spike panel that East German officials placed at the bottom of the wall to maim potential escapees, Berliners dubbed it "Stalin's Lawn". An icon of separation, and the extreme measures that the Soviet's employed to ensure that separation stayed in place. After looking at the grisly trap, the museum tells the tale of a changing Berlin; one that had to experience the construction of the wall, adapt to life with it, its population's attempt to escape over the wall, and the falling of the wall and the resulting re-unification of a broken nation.

In that sense, the museum was very moving. Perhaps I'm just reminded of the Karlshorst museum, and am already operating on nostalgia. However, the museum does tell a story, it has recordings from survivors of the wall, it tells the story of people who escaped the wall or assisted in escapes. Furthermore, it tells the story of the politics leading up to the creation, existence, and destruction of the wall. It gives the museum viewer a complete picture of the Berlin Wall, showing everything from the politics to the more personal human aspect of life behind the wall.

That's the strength of this museum, I feel. It focuses on every aspect of the wall, reinforcing this over-all central theme of separation and how devastating it can be not only to the country, but to her people.

Mini Task: Schönhausen

The statue depicts Carl von Ossietzky, who died in 4 May 1938 from tuberculosis and the after-effects of the concentration camps. Von Ossietzky was a pacifist who tried to warn people of the atrocities being committed by the Nazis. He was convicted of high treason and espionage for leaking details regarding the rebuilding of the Luftwaffe, a violation of the Treaty of Versailles.

Statue of Carl von Ossietzky

Works Cited

"Carl Von Ossietzky - Facts." Carl Von Ossietzky - Facts. May 22, 2015. Accessed May 21, 2015.

Field Question: Berlin Africa Conference 1884-85

Berlin Africa Conference 1884-85

Wilhelmstrasse in central Berlin was the home of the Chancellor of Germany, which during 1884-85, at the time of the Berlin Africa conference, was Otto von Bismarck. Bismarck along with multiple other political leaders from France, Italy, the United Kingdom as well as many others gathered on November 15th to discuss the colonization of Africa. This conference was held without a single political member from Africa. This resulted in dividing up Africa arbitrarily between the attending countries, with the mission of greater resource accessibility along with a free trade agreement among colonies, thereby furthering their economic wealth. These boundaries were somewhat confusing since they took very little consideration of ethnic or religious groups in these African states.

Stelios Michalopoulos and Elias Papaioannou with “The Long-Run Effects of Scramble for Africa” discuss the long term effects of the colonization of Africa. Such effects are still felt by the African people to this day, with a majority of these issues relating to civil conflict. Analyzing data from these conflicts data back to the Berlin conference clearly lead Michalopoulos and Papaioannou to believe there is a correlation. The data explains that of the 843 tribes, 608 suffered one or more civil wars, making it very difficult for the countries to develop at a sustainable rate. Ultimately the Berlin Conference held over 100 years prior has affected the economic well being of the African people, with the careless division of states resulting in a large number of civil incidence. These effects are still currently felt in Africa and will continue to be for years to come.

Field Question- Wall

May 19, 2015
 
        The Wall has a strong historical significance due to the fact it divided a nation as well as the capital city, Berlin. According to the documentation center, the Berlin Wall is a symbol of the Cold War and the communist dictatorship of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). The fall of the Wall symbolizes the end of the division of Germany and also the dictatorship that was peacefully overcome. The documentation center consists of text and pictures displayed on description boards, audio clips and video clips and a lookout tower.  Clearly depicted in the museum through the multiple exhibits is the division of the people including families, neighbours, friends, co-workers. Many pictures show the displeasure of the people with the construction of the Wall and division of Berlin. The documentation center and its surrounding area also depict the destruction that the wall caused, as evidenced through the demolition of the church on the eastern border. The documentation center and surrounding area also represent the individuals who became victims of the Wall. It was stated that 138 people died at the Berlin Wall. The documentation center includes stories of people who tried to flee and were consequently imprisoned and those who successfully fled to the west. An interactive part of the museum includes many recounted stories of Germans who were living in Berlin during the early 1960’s. A recurring theme was the lack of freedom the East Germans were permitted. The lookout tower provides a view of the part of the Berlin Wall that has been preserved. Around this wall are monuments in the sidewalk commemorating victims that were persecuted or killed while attempting to flee. What remains of the wall continues to be a somber symbol of the division, lack of freedom, pain and suffering, and it is clearly illustrated through the documentation center and the surrounding area. 
 

Women on either side of the border on the day the Berlin Wall was first built.

A quote from the former Mayor of Berlin expressing his lack of support for the division.

A description of Günter Litfin, the first fugitive to be killed while attempting to flee.

An interactive portion of the Documentation Center where former residents share recounted stories from the times of the Wall.

A view from the lookout tower showing inner wall and the Berlin Wall, as well as the area in between, formerly known as the “death strip”.

Mini Task- Wedding

May 19, 2015

          Die Wiesenburg is a former homeless shelter in Berlin. Built in 1896, the shelter was privately funded due to the dire need for homeless shelters in the city during the early 1900’s. At the entrance of the living quarters hang two signs, one of which is a general entrance sign and the other lists the shelter’s former rules: no drunkenness or being loud, no playing cards for money, no smoking tobacco and no drinking cognac. Another stipulation was that the homeless people receive 12 hours of shelter before having to leave. The homeless shelter originally accepted only males until a female asylum was added in the year 1900. The Wiesenburg shelter could host 700 males and 400 females and provided not only a bed for the night but also washing and hygiene services. With many walls and almost the entire roof missing, it is evident that the asylum was heavily damaged during World War II. A very spooky feeling permeates the asylum. The roof is in pieces, walls are coming down, and there are old steel beams rusting away. There are also old busted beams, broken windows, and furniture present. One can easily see why this ruin has acted as a set for different movies and short films. Unfortunately, our tour was one of the last. The City of Berlin has taken over the land where the ruin now stands and has shut down the area due to safety hazards.  Included below are pictures of the ruins of the former homeless shelter, Die Wiesenburg. 

The Life of The Deutsch-Russisches Museum

The Museum Karlshorst was built in 1935 by the Nazis and was used as a military collage for engineers during the war. The dining hall in this building was where the document was signed that ended the war. This location was chosen because the building was in good condition and had electricity. After the war was over the building was occupied by the Russian army until 1994. This was a few years after the wall came down but this was because there was nowhere for them to live back in Russia yet. During the Russians time in this building they used it as a museum as well. After they left, the current museum (which is now German-Russian) kept some of the displays that the Russians had such as the dates and large star in the entrance to the main exhibits as well as the diorama of the storming of the Reischtag. What really impressed me about this museum is how the tour itself was given, even though we started from the end of the war it all still made sense.  The tour guide was very informative and it seemed as though he had a very emotional connection to some of the stories he told. It was also nice to see that the building is well taken care of as well as the grounds around the museum where the tanks on display are situated.

A View From the East

The historical significance of the Berlin Wall is that it divided a city for 28 years simply because of different political views. In the east there were the soviets and communism and in the west were the democrats. For the people of West Berlin they became trapped as the wall was built all around them. For people in the east they wanted to flee as they did not want to be under communist rule. Many families were separated by this wall as it was put in place over night by either barbed wire fences, soldiers with guns or actual walls. This also prompted people to get out of East Germany. The types of exhibits, such as videos and pictures, in this documentation centre show just what it was like for people during this time and how they tried to or got out of East Germany. There were also some exhibits about those who opposed the ideas of the soviet government and what happened to them. The themes expressed by the exhibits are mainly freedom and reuniting with family as well as everyday life and the government. All of these can be seen in the various exhibits housed within this building. Looking out on the observation tower one can get a sense of what the area would have been like when the wall was complete. It went through neighbourhoods and right through buildings. Beside the section of the wall that remains is an area that shows outlines of old apartment buildings as well as a church that once stood in the east. Iron rods stick out of the ground like the rebar of the wall keeping a vertical barrier visible. 

Reflecting on the Berlin Wall

When one thinks of Berlin, it's likely that the Berlin Wall comes to mind among the Brandenburg Gate and Reichstag.  This is because it has had a huge cultural impact on Berlin, even in its relatively short existence.  The Berlin Wall was a symbol of division, a barrier on freedom, and arguably one of the biggest personifications of communism and the Soviet government.  The Wall was built in essence in one day, with the complete segregation of the Western sector of Berlin through fences, walls and even barbed wire.  This meant that any persons who just lived life and happened to be in the wrong area were suddenly cut off from everything they had.  Over the next 28 years, this wall and the ideological reasons behind it caused many East Berliners to leave behind their lives to try to escape to the West, through any means.  The documentation centre of the Berlin Wall details the lives of these people and struggle for freedom that they faced.  From the video exhibits, with interviews from those who managed to escape or live their days out in the East, to small biographies of important individuals and their role relating to the wall, this museum clearly had two major themes: Life and Freedom.

The Ruin Discord of the Neues Museum

The Ruin Discord of the Neues Museum: May 14th Field Question

In the Kerstin Barndt's article, the idea of ruin discourse is associated heavily with museums. The concept of ruin discourse is a building or location that has aspects of both the past and the present; naturally, the Neues museum is a prime example of this. In the article, Kerstin Barndt claims that there are three crucial moments that connect the building with ruin discourse. Firstly, the museum's creation in mid-nineteenth century Prussia. Built by Friedrich Stuler, a student of Schinkel, the building quickly became a world-class museum, outgrowing even the older Altes museum next to it. The architectural design of this building would not persist, however, as the second crucial moment changed the museum entirely. Secondly, it's reconstruction and re-opening in post wall Berlin. The second world war had been hard on the Neues Museum, leaving it nearly completely destroyed. However, despite the odds the building survived, and was reconstructed and re-opened. This is the most prevalent example of the Neues' ruin discourse; despite the reconstruction, the damage of the second world war can still be found on the museum with bullet holes in the pillars and other general signs of damage that were left un-fixed for symbolic reasons. Third and finally, the Neues Museum has an ongoing special exhibition in the building's Greek courtyard showcasing the accidental find of twelve modern sculptures found in 2010; recovering pieces that had been confiscated by the Nazi's or had been lost in the war.

The Frozen Ruin of Neues

The Frozen Ruin of Neues: May 14th Mini-Task

The Neues Museum in Berlin is a relic trapped in time. Included above are three pictures, one of the building's perimeter, one of the building's interior pre-reconstruction, and one post-reconstruction. At first appearance, the Neues museum is fairly standard; it's a multiple-floor museum housing relics from the age of the ancient Egyptians, the bronze age, the iron age, as well as from the time of the Romans and vikings. However, despite being a memorial to countless historical artifacts, the building itself is a relic as well in a very unique sense; as previously mentioned, it is a "frozen ruin". the Present day Neues museum features a combination of pre-war and post-war architecture. The pillars and walls at the exterior of the building still show the scars of the second world war, bullet holes, scorch marks, and general 'battle-wounds'. The interior of the building is equally as polarized in appearance; the two pictures of the interior stair-well show this. Initially, the interior had a much more colourful, 'medieval-esque' appearance. However, the war and the destruction it caused to the museum changed this. It was reconstructed in a way that showed both the previous designs that survived the war, and gave off a more modern feel. This is why the Neues museum is described as a "frozen ruin"; it is quite simply frozen in time, showing off pre-war design, the scars of the war, and the post-war reconstructive design in a unique aesthetic combination. It is quite literally, a destroyed ruin that still blends in with the modern day.

The Message of the Reichstag

The Message of the Reichstag: May 15th Field Question

There are several historical references within the Reichstag. The most glaringly obvious is the segments of pre-war wall within the building. These walls are covered in burns, bullet holes, general battle damage, and most importantly, Soviet graffiti. Naturally, this was not out of laziness; it serves a symbolic purpose, displaying the history of the building, the city, and the country. The Reichstag also houses a collection of art. Like the decision to keep the soviet graffiti, the art is also symbolic. The most notable of the pieces within the building is the re-painted segments of the Berlin wall by Ben Wagin. Like the pre-war walls, it shows the troubled past of the country, however, despite the strife, the country still managed to overcome and thrive. Embracing their history, but becoming one of the most modern, powerful, and beautiful countries in the world.

The Story of Karlshorst

The Story of Karlshorst: May 20th Field Question

I would like to talk briefly about Karlshorst, as it was one of the most interesting museums I've seen thus far since our arrival in Berlin.

A historical location, the Karlshorst museum was the building in which the unconditional surrender of the German forces to the Allies took place. From there, it served several purposes for the Soviets during their occupation of Berlin until 1967, at which point it became a surrender museum until 1994. From then on until this day, it serves as a joint German/Russian museum of the Second World War up until the German's surrender.

Now allow me to speak briefly about the Karlshorst museum; it was unique, it had a story to tell. At first glance from the outside, that would not seem the case, it's a fairly small establishment with several soviet tanks lined up outside of the building. That perspective all changes when you step foot inside the museum. It's not a standard museum, it isn't a confusing maze of exhibits that tell isolated bits of information. Instead, it tells a complex, flowing tale of the second world war through photographs. Beyond that, the photographic aesthetic of their museum was so important to the story they were trying to tell (Beginning, middle, and end of the war) that they placed a special emphasis on it within the exhibit. Explaining the importance of the photos, and the historical bias that comes from the photographer himself.

In an effort to keep this concise, I'll finish with this. I loved the Karlshorst museum. Unlike other museums, it didn't throw a complex torrent of isolated information through unconnected exhibits at you. Instead, it begins with a clear goal, with a clear, very emotional moving story, and through that story it teaches you about the war and emotionally moves you in ways that most other museums can't.

The Karlshorst Museum: An Engaging Story

Today we visited the Karlshorst Museum, a joint German-Russian museum dedicated to the end of the war.  However, as we soon learned this building had a busy history used for multiple purposes over the course since it was built.  It was originally built by the Nazis in 1935 as part of a military college for engineers.  The building was used as offices and as a dining hall for officers.  After the war, it was hardly touched and was used for the signing of the German surrender in 1945.  Afterwards, this site was used by the Russian military and this building served as the headquarters of the Soviet Military Administration.  Once the headquarters was moved, the building still served some use to the Soviets, and was later turned into a museum by the Soviets.  When they pulled out in 1994, the museum changed hands and was refreshed to the state we see it today.  When we began our tour, our tour guide described it as different; it had a story.  The story was certainly present throughout the rooms, beginning with the signing of the surrender and culminating on a Soviet stained glass painting signifying the victory over Nazi Germany.  However, we experienced this story in reverse and I personally felt that the story was just as strong or even stronger than how it was designed to be experienced.  This impressive feat I feel was due to some prior knowledge of the events, and the dedication of our tour guide.

The Last Days of Die Weisenburg

Die Weisenburg, located at 55 Wiesenstrasse in the district of Wedding, was once an asylum for the homeless built in 1896.  Visitors were allowed to stay for 12 hours at a time, four times every month provided they followed a set of house rules.  These rules included no gambling with cards, no outside alcohol and no tobacco.  Anonymity was very important, and as such they did not require names, only the visitor's job and where they were from.  At the beginning of one's stay, they were allowed to go to the bathroom before they bathed and were given clean clothes to wear.  If someone was believed to carry lice or other parasites, they were given a thorough cleanse in a bath tub.  Once bathed and clothed, visitors would be given a bed in one of Die Weisenburg's ten sleeping halls for the night, gender segregated to avoid any incidents. At its peak, each sleeping hall could hold 90 beds.

Through World War 2, Die Weisenburg was damaged significantly and as such no longer served its purpose and was abandoned.  It continued to be cared for by some residents, until as recently as this last year the location was taken by the city and is in the slow process of redevelopment.  In the same time, Die Weisenburg found a new purpose as the location of many independent films, and also hosts a small band of artists and filmmakers on its premises.  However, in the next year or so the old buildings of Die Weisenburg will be removed (and these artists displaced), due to concerns of safety and aesthetics.

Bullet holes on the door to the sleeping hall 

Sunday Afternoon in the Park

On Sunday Alyssa, Robert B and myself went on a trek to look at different gardens throughout the city. We went to the flea market at Tiergarten which was near the Charlottenburg Gate. From here we headed towards the Victory Column, along the way we also stopped to see the Emperor-Friedrich Memorial Church and the Bismark Monument. My goal for this trip was to see an allotment garden and some community gardens so we made our way to the Bellevue U-bahn station. We got to see the Bellevue Palace on the way. When we got to an allotment garden near Tempelhof (there was no name for it that I saw) we walked around this area for a bit and talked with a gardener with some difficulty about how long he had his garden and where he lived. Once at Tempelhof we walked the longest runway from one end to the other. At the one end was a dog park and a community garden. This community garden was very interesting as they tried to re purpose anything they could, this includes old shoes, purses and pants. From Tempelhof we went to Prinzessinnengarten which is also a community garden. This is the one that I briefly mentioned in class that has the cafe within. It was very different from the community garden at Tempelhof.