Die Mauer / The Wall
Gloria ponders.
The Berlin Wall was nowhere near as scary as I thought it would be. It stands perhaps 12 feet high, one foot wide and the surface is decorated with brightly painted artwork accented by a diverse range of graffiti. The messages are largely political, but address every issue from sexism to racism to the past World Wars.
Coming from Eugene, Oregon, I have been subjected to an extremely stale version of “activism.” After being steeped in a laid back, pseudo-hippie atmosphere for two years, it is refreshing to experience a city so busy and diverse. I love that you don’t have to wear a peace sign shirt to care about something and that a difference of five blocks can place you in a park with fifty men all offering to sell you “some really sweet herb” or an appropriately snooty Prada store on a busy corner.
There is so much graffiti everywhere that is has become part of the city’s culture. There is a weak effort to paint over it every once in a while, but illegal art remains the primary vehicle for political messages. I am fascinated by the rich culture of activism alive and well in Berlin.
Johanna, our host and tour guide for the day, pointed out building after building that she identified as “gentrification” and showed us the paint spatters left by protestors.
Johanna also showed us where the words “Nazis and the state go hand in hand” had once adorned the side of a building, only to be removed by the police. A new sign had been erected over the old words, this one protesting censorship.
We passed by the abandoned Syrian refugee camp—a small neighborhood park—which had been cleared out by the police a few weeks before. It will now serve as the starting point for the Gay Pride Parade this Saturday, as the celebration will attempt to encompass many issues beyond gay rights.
From my perspective, the Berlin Wall cannot simply be viewed as a relic of oppression. It has evolved into a piece of artwork, a political message board, representing the continued fight for justice supported by a thick layer of history. It is a testament to both great success and horrific failure—and by embracing both we are able to move forward.