Mammoth Mosaic Critically Endangered

From mammoth to elephant: one of Berlin’s largest mosaics is now to be saved.

The 76 square meter work of art by the Berlin artist Ortraud Lerch (1939-2013) has always adorned the pachyderm house in the zoo. Name: “Development of Proboscidea”.

The house has been renovated since autumn 2020 (BZ reported) and parts of the roof removed. Since then, the mosaic has been outdoors, protected from the weather by a wooden scaffolding. But the storms of the past few weeks have swept away the shelter.

The mosaic has been outdoors since part of the roof of the pachyderm house was torn down (Photo: Büro Stefan Förster)
The mosaic has been outdoors since part of the roof of the pachyderm house was torn down (Photo: Büro Stefan Förster)

The mosaic is now to be secured and stored by April 1st. This emerges from the response of the financial administration to a request from the FDP MP Stefan Förster (41).

FDP man Stefan Förster (Photo: Büro Stefan Förster)
FDP man Stefan Förster (Photo: Büro Stefan Förster)

“Part of Ortraud Lerch’s artistic work was destroyed after 1989,” says Förster. “Therefore, her greatest and best-known work should be preserved and remain publicly visible in the future.”


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According to the financial administration, it was already checked in February how the mosaic could be implemented. So far, however, there has been a lack of offers from special monument preservation companies.

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