By Florian Blumann
A temporary memorial to 1848 was erected in front of the Humboldt Forum based on an idea by students and artists.
It will only be there for ten days, namely until March 27, 2023: the temporary monument to the revolutionary struggles of 1848.
It is located at the back of the Humboldt Forum, the rebuilt Berlin Palace. The Democracy Column was inaugurated at the place where the bloody street battle between royal soldiers and citizens once began.
The unveiling marks the start of the celebrations marking the 175th anniversary of the March Revolution in Berlin. Among the approximately 50 people present were many children from the Anna-Essinger community school in Zehlendorf and the artist collective “Selfmadecrew” – they were responsible for the monument.
Ana-Maria Trăsnea, State Secretary for Democracy Promotion, recalled the current war in Europe. Hartmut Dorgerloh, Director General of the Humboldt Forum, reported: “The memorial had been planned for a long time, but there were always disagreements in terms of financing and placement.”
The shell fell, revealing a rather inconspicuous mirror column. Cautious applause from the audience, something more spectacular was probably expected. According to the students, we should “perceive ourselves in the mirror and become aware of the not self-evident democracy.”
Drawings of a mother and child decorated with adhesive tape were affixed to the floor, next to soldiers. A nice gesture, even if the simple object will probably not become a tourist magnet.
Until March 27, 2023, Schlossplatz, opposite the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music