Posting this for Aidan, who is having trouble getting to the blog ....

So far while in Berlin, few monuments and memorials have had quiet the impact and omnipotence as the Berlin Wall, most likely because of its proximity in time. The city is functioning as a post wall society, and it can be seen in all aspects of the culture and personality of the citizens. This week, we had the chance to visit the east-side gallery and nowhere else in the city could such a 'strong' personality exist. Immediately upon coming within view of the lengthy slab of concrete, the mood of the area seemed different. What was small cafes and restaurants turned into a mile long display of art depicting a wide range of emotions. 

Starting from the beginning sector of the wall, the intricacies of the paintings are most evident. Vivid picture one after another begin to explain some of the strong emotions that people may have had to repress during the time the wall was operational. One word statements such as 'freedom' and 'liberty' to 'rock music' and more western ideals become more apparent. As we proceeded down the wall, we noticed the wall art becoming less vivid and thematic as the earlier parts, suggesting that the better artists were used for the beginning parts of the wall. Adding to our experience, we picked a perfect grey and rainy day to appreciate the wall which made the viewing all the more surreal. It's hard to put into words the impact the wall had on our brief viewing compared to how it would have been had we actually been living through it in East Berlin. What I personally found most fascinating about the East wall was that it seemed to almost memorialize and commemorate the wall, which I would assume to be contradictory to how people want to remember it. It's a stark reminder of the hardships Berlin had yet to go through even following the deprivations faced in World War II. Yet for all the wall represents to those who lived through it, the East side gallery now serves a different purpose because of its message: appreciation. The wall has been stripped of its intimidating bare concrete walls and given new meaning through the works of art labored over its bare body. Despite the mood altering weather we faced while visiting, I couldn't help but feel as if the wall were being treated less seriously than it actually is or was. It's interesting to notice an artistic vibe being used on an object that was used to strike fear and oppression into its inhabitants. It makes the 'new' meaning of the wall seem more cryptic, can an appreciation for art mask a horror that was rampant just 25 years ago? Only the art and viewer will ever be able to tell.

As an American, the whole concept of a wall dividing a city based on ideology seems fairly foreign. My only appreciation for the walls significance lies in the sympathy I hold for those whose lives were ruined by it. Upon reflection, I found myself unable to let the art distract me long enough from the true personality of the wall. It's the quintessential symbol of Eastern oppression, the term "Iron Curtain" couldn't have described it better. Learning to appreciate foreign concepts and history is one of the chief goals I've had while in Berlin, seeing the wall heightened these senses yet at the same further complicated the never ending question in my head; does Berlin want to remember or forget its past? I believe in a third option that the East Side Gallery presents, remembering the past in a new light. Perhaps the best way to view an old wound is to beautify it.