The Pillar of Shame memorial stands in front of the Axel Springer campus. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Hannes P Albert
From BZ/dpa
In memory of the violent suppression of the Chinese protest movement on Tiananmen in Beijing on June 4, 1989, a “pillar of shame” was installed in Berlin.
The “Pillar of Shame” presented on Monday is a copy of the memorial erected in Hong Kong by Danish artist Jens Galschiøt.
In Hong Kong, “Pillar of Shame” has been on view at various locations for more than two decades, most recently on the university campus. The approximately eight-meter high plastic was disassembled and stored there at the end of 2021. According to the Axel Springer Freedom Foundation, which is responsible in Berlin, “Pillar of Shame” was recently confiscated.
A Chinese man positions himself on Changan Blvd. met a convoy of tanks at Tiananmen, Tiananmen Square. Nothing on Tiananmen Square in Beijing reminds us of the bloody military operation of June 4, 1989 that left hundreds dead. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/AP | Jeff Widener
“Pillar of Shame” is a project by Galschiøt spread across several locations around the world. The sculptures made of metal or concrete show a group of interwoven bodies that stand for the oppression of individuals in their thirst for freedom. Galschiøt wants to point out events that should not be repeated.
In Brazil, an example commemorates the struggle of the landless farm workers, in Rome global malnutrition is discussed, and a column in Mexico stands for 54 victims of the 1997 massacre in the state of Chiapas, in which paramilitaries attacked an indigenous community.
Galschiøt originally planned a “Pillar of Shame” for Berlin in memory of the victims of the Shoah. However, the project has so far failed due to a lack of support.