The rows of columns |
The controversial memorial was designed by Jewish-American architect, Peter Eisenman. It took about two years to construct and was officially opened in May 2005. If you take a close look at it’s abstract design, you’ll see that the columns are slightly skewed and irregular. I heard a theory that the columns represent crooked gravestones and you may get a feeling of oppression or entrapment as you walk down the narrow maze of paths. I don’t think that the architect has ever publicly disclosed the exact significance of the design but part of its simplistic elegance, for me, is the fact that it makes you stand back and think.
Captured by the sun |
When I was standing there observing the monument I got the impression that the columns could represent individuality, as each column is slightly different to the next. What do you think they could represent?
Within the complex there is a very interesting underground museum that contains photographs, biographies of some of the victims and general information about the holocaust. You can pick up an optional audio guide in English for a few euros and it takes about 75 minutes to listen as you walk round.
There is one room in particular within the center that drew my attention. This low-lit room holds some snippets of letters, postcards and some prose that victims wrote to their loved ones at the time of their capture, their transport away from their homes or whilst in the concentration camps themselves. While reading I was reminded that they were all just normal people who must have gone through hell at the hands of the Nazis. It is incredible to believe that this actually happened at all.
"It happened, therefore it can happen again: this is the core of what we have to say."
~Primo Levi
Potsdamer Platz overlooks the memorial |
The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is free to walk around any day of the week and the free museum is open year round between 10:00 and 20:00 in the summer and until 19:00 in the winter.
For more information visit their website.
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