Tuesday, 12 February 2008

2005_06_01_archive



Europe is a construction site

Pariser Platz

Originally uploaded by amsterboy.

I just got back from Berlin. I l-o-v-e it. I was there for a seminar

by the IJP which is an exchange programme for German journalists who

want to work abroad and for foreign journalists who want to work in

Germany. Excellent work. Met some absolutely fab people.

When we were having lunch and watching the view you see in the

picture, I remembered an essay by G�nter Grass about Berlin that I

read as a part of my studies on German culture at the university. In

the essay Grass stated that if you want to know what Europe of today

is about, look at Berlin. I think it is an excellent statement. Just

watch the picture:

- evidence of division still exists (Brandenburger Tor)

- capitalism is present with full power (Potsdamer Platz in the

background)

- difficult history is looming in the back (Holocaust Memorial) or

carnevalised (the U-shape pictures of Berlin after the war, a popular

place for posing)


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