3. Holocaust Memorial

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To the other side of the Brandenburg Tor is the Holocaust Memorial ... which, unless someone had told me that I probably would have passed by wondering what it was, or putting it to modern art.

Em explained that there was some controversy over constructing this memorial. For one thing it's only dedicated to the Jews that died and were persecuted, rather than to everyone. The point was also raised that it would be better to have a free bus that would take people to the concentration camp that's just outside Berlin so that people could really have a better understanding of what took place.

The memorial, however, was constructed. There are other memorials in Berlin dedicated to other groups that suffered during this time period, and the point was made that those who would go to see a concentration camp will go there regardless of free transportation, however this memorial is to remind those that perhaps wouldn't remember or think about the holocaust otherwise.

The placement of the memorial is also strategic. It's right between the busiest spot in Berlin, Potsdamer Platz, and the Parliament building. Government officials walking by the memorial will be reminded daily that nothing like that should ever happen again. It stands as a silent warning.

The memorial was constructed between 2003 and 2005, designed by a Jewish American architect. The memorial is extremely interesting because there's no outright "symbolism". There are simply 2,711 concrete columns of varying height laid out in a grid. The designer has purposefully not given any reason as to what they represent or what symbolism is to be drawn from it. Rather it is up to the individual, wandering through the maze-like-feeling memorial, to contemplate what exactly all of it means. It almost forces one to think about the why behind the memorial and to make it personal.

Walking through the memorial was sobering. It was actually a lot bigger than one would think. At the outlying corners the large blocks are short, or waist high, but as you walk further in, the columns begin to rise until they're towering above your head. And even though you can see straight through to the other side, it's a lot farther away that you'd think. And each time you turn you're faced with the same blank, cold, concrete pillars. It's hard to describe. Sobering. Unnerving. Massive.

On the far side of the memorial is an underground information museum. Beth and I came back later that day, after the tour, to see it. It gives the historical information and time-line to the holocaust, photos of prisoners and concentration camps, excerpts from letters, diaries and post cards (not only of the victims themselves, but also from some soldiers), stories of several Jewish families and their lives before, during and after. There was a room with a projector that displayed one name at a time of a Jewish person that was killed during the holocaust as well as the year of his or her birth and death. Along with this was a short biography of the person, read in both German and English. The informational pamphlet says that "reading out the names and biographies of all the victims would take approximately six year, seven months and 27 days."

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