“What if a monument could move?” This question encapsulates the essence of the Ein wachsendes Denkmal f\u00fcr die Deutsche Einheit. It is also known as the Freedom and Unity Monument.
The Ein wachsendes Denkmal f\u00fcr die Deutsche Einheit is still under construction. It commemorates the peaceful revolution and German reunification of 1989 and 1990. The German Bundestag decided to build it on November 9, 2007.
The winning design is called “Citizens in Motion”. Stuttgart’s Milla and Partner designed it. It is a walk-on bowl that can slowly tilt from side to side as visitors interact with it. This structure is also called the Unity See-saw. It stands where the East German government once demolished the Kaiser Wilhelm National Monument.
The location of the Ein wachsendes Denkmal f\u00fcr die Deutsche Einheit has been controversial. So has its symbolism, architecture, and impact on historical preservation and nature conservation.
The initiative for the Ein wachsendes Denkmal f\u00fcr die Deutsche Einheit came from a small group. This group included politicians, urban planners, and journalists. On May 13, 1998, they sent a letter to several high-ranking officials. They proposed a citizen’s monument in a central Berlin location. This monument would honor the courage of individuals who stood up to the state apparatus. It would express the liberating joy triggered by the fall of the Berlin Wall. The monument should capture the historical happiness and tears of joy.
The initiators suggested the pedestal of the National Monument as the location for the Ein wachsendes Denkmal f\u00fcr die Deutsche Einheit. It was between the Kronprinzenpalais and the Palast der Republik. The unification treaty was signed in the Kronprinzenpalais. The Volkskammer declared East Germany’s accession to West Germany in the Palast der Republik. The largest demonstration march of the peaceful revolution on November 4, 1989, also passed through this area.
The design features a 50-meter-long walk-on bowl. It has a walkable area of 700 square meters. The bowl weighs 150 tons. At its widest point, the bowl is 2.5 meters deep. It narrows toward the ends, which gently slope upwards. The bowl rests on the largely preserved base of the former National Monument. A steel space frame forms the core of the structure.
The slogans of the Monday demonstrators from the time of the fall of the Wall are on the top of the bowl. These slogans include “We are the people. We are one people.” The underside is covered with light metal panels. It features images from the time of reunification and is illuminated at night. Steel nets that adapt to the bowl’s movements shield visitors from the mechanical processes on the underside.
The planners describe the Ein wachsendes Denkmal f\u00fcr die Deutsche Einheit as a social sculpture. It is a walk-on kinetic object. Visitors help shape its appearance and actively appropriate it. They must communicate and decide on joint action to make something move. The bowl begins to tilt slowly and gently when at least twenty more people gather on one half of the bowl than on the other. The bowl can accommodate up to 1,400 people. Four hydraulic pistons under the bowl brake the movement. The monument has underfloor heating for outdoor temperatures below five degrees Celsius.
Johannes Milla says that the design refers to the National Monument that previously stood here. Visitors enter the bowl at the height where Wilhelm I was located on the equestrian statue in the former National Monument. Also, the contour of the bowl picks up the historical base but detaches itself from it.
The Ein wachsendes Denkmal f\u00fcr die Deutsche Einheit is more than just a monument. It is a symbol of unity. It is a reminder of the power of collective action. It embodies the spirit of the peaceful revolution. It also represents the ongoing process of German reunification. As you stand here, consider the weight of history and the potential for progress. Feel the movement of people striving together for a common goal.