A Memorial in our Midst

Berlin commemorated the fifth anniversary of the Holocaust Memorial this past week, honoring initiator Lea Rosh and architect Peter Eisenman, who had flown in from NewYork for the occasion. The Holocaust Memorial is now one of the most visited sites in Berlin: over the past five years, visitors have numbered about two and a half million for the underground museum alone, and at least eight million for Eisenman's Stelenfeld (Field of Steles).

photo: copyright, Mike Wolff

Eisenman's design for the memorial consists of 2711 slabs of grey concrete that become a dynamic labyrinth because of their varying heights, and axes that run both horizontally and vertically. Covering almost 20.000 square meters, the long, narrow passages between the slabs are claustrophobic spaces one moment, and entranceways to a widening vista the next.

The memorial's location -- in the heart of the city, near the former site of Hitler's Chancellery -- was the subject of a long, heated debate. Planners struggled with the question whether it was appropriate to place a holocaust memorial in a central open space without any enclosures, open to the public all 24 hours, and amid the banalities of urban life -- including a stand selling bratwurst on its periphery.

Five years on, even its once harshest critics recognize that the concept has been extraordinarily successful. Eisenman's Stelenfeld is impressive exactly because it is both a memorial to a haunting past and an integral part of Berlin's daily life -- exactly as the architect had envisioned.

photo: copyright, Mike Wolff

Walking through the stone labyrinth can be an emotional experience. This is a somber landscape that prompts reflection, and, deep in the labyrinth, you can suddenly feel alone in the midst of a large city. And yet this is not a museum to a fossilized past, nor is it a graveyard. Just when you feel the concrete slabs closing in on you, a child skips through a gap in the stones or a pedestrian stretches out briefly on one of the the sun-warmed flat surfaces.

In a city of memorials, this is perhaps the one that best reflects the character of Berlin. It is a memorial in our midst. You may find a school class working busily on a project. The person who lays a rose on one of the slabs may be a tourist or a holocaust survivor. There is no denying the depth of memory here, or the quiet dignity of the site. But there is no forced solemnity; people can be themselves. They can pose for a photograph, steal a kiss or risk a leap from stone to stone. Even the bratwurst stand has the right to remain.

'Kulturstadt' with a Heart

On April 26 a remarkable new initiative in Berlin called Kulturloge kicked off. Brainchild of Angela Meyenburg, Kulturloge opens doors to cultural performances for those who cannot afford an evening at the theater, opera or concert hall.


The idea is a simple one. On the one hand, theaters and concert houses often have unsold tickets on performance night. On the other, those tickets represent the answer to a great need felt by Berliners on social welfare or in dire economic straits. Brief excursions into the city's cultural life can help lift them out of their isolation, stimulate their imagination and renew faith in themselves.

The Berlin Pass
Berlin is already very open to the idea of making culture available to all. The Berlin Pass, issued by the Senate, allows social welfare recipients to purchase available tickets for no more than three Euros -- a fantastic opportunity afforded to the weakest economic groups.

Tickets, please
But Kulturloge betters this deal because their members (or "guests") are assured of anonymity when they claim tickets at the box office. Once on the list of Kulturloge members, they receive a telephone call by volunteers when tickets for their preferred cultural events become available. If they confirm that they will attend, Kulturloge arranges everything else. While a Berlin Pass marks the owner as a "charity case," Kulturloge guests can maintain their dignity by simply picking up their reserved ticket at the box office. The others waiting in line -- even the salespersons -- have no clue they are "different."

Everybody Wins
The Grips Theater, Admiralspalast, Literaturhaus Berlin and the current exhibition at the Schloss Charlottenburg are among the 15 cultural partners who have already pledged support as partners. Meyenburg's team is optimistic that the next partner acquisitions will include the Berliner Ensemble, Friedrichstadtpalast and the Deutsche Oper.

photo: Jan Oberländer

Everybody wins, says Meyenburg: the cultural establishments, which run to full houses and win audiences from a broad cross-section of the population; the guests, who regain a sense of dignity and perspective by focusing on creativity rather than on mere survival; the city of Berlin; and, of course, the Kulturloge concept -- which shows every indication of being rapidly replicated in other cities.

Gallery Weekend
As I write, Berlin's Gallery Weekend is on: a three-day art marathon, with 40 galleries and 40 openings between Friday, April 30 and Sunday, May 2.  At least 700 art collectors from around the world are expected, and participating galleries -- some featuring the work of art celebs such as Damien Hirst and Elizabeth Peyton -- pay eye-popping fees of several thousand Euros.


But the Kulturloge, for me, is the bigger story. Because Berlin is not just another world cultural city -- it is the Kulturstadt with a heart.

"Loge" means a box at a theater. The first Kulturloge initiative started last year in Marburg and has got off to a flying start. Hamburg is slated to follow next. More information is at www.kulturloge-berlin.de