Days before
the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Germany's minister for
culture has said plans for Berlin's Einheitdenkmal can finally begin. The Unity
Monument is due to be completed by 2017.
Deutsche Welle, 5 Nov 2014
Federal
Minister for Culture Monika Grütters (CDU) gave the go-ahead on Wednesday for
Berlin's Unity Monument, which is due to be completed by 2017 - the year of
Germany's next general election.
The
monument, designed by Johannes Milla from Stuttgart and Sasha Waltz from
Berlin, will be built in memory of the civil movement that moved East German
politicians in November 1989 to allow citizens to cross into West Germany,
collectively known as the Fall of the Berlin Wall. Less than a year later, East
and West Germany were politically reunified.
"All
legal issues ... have been resolved," Grütters said in the Bundestag
Committee for Culture and Media, "so the unique and technically demanding
monument can now be realized."
Years of
delays
Plans for
the monument were originally decided upon in 2007 but have repeatedly faced
delays. In addition to technical difficulties, other setbacks have included the
discovery of mosaics buried under the site and the disturbance of bats.
Grütters
also said on Wednesday that she was particularly happy to be able to present
the design of the monument in timely fashion, just a few days before the 25th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall.
The
cornerstone for the basin-shaped construction will be laid in the coming year
in Schlossplatz, between the river Spree and Berlin's City Palace. Built like a
moveable scale, the monument will shift its weight when visitors stand in
different places.
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