Holocaust memorial opening in Berlin

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/0...reut/index.html

The Holocaust Memorial is set to open in Berlin next week. I've seen it under construction my last two trips to Berlin. I think it's important that this memorial exist and applaud the German government for having the guts to put it in their capital in a high profile area (even though it was argued against by many). But the question is is if this is an appropriate memorial.

I like the idea of the artist to create an air of isolation and chaos but I think this a memorial like this should be more concrete. It should do more than just create a feeling for the viewer, it should tell the story or at least be more concrete in what it attempts to convey. If you didn't know in advance what this memorial was for, I think you'd be left having no clue.

I don't know what would be a better memorial, but this one seems a bit abstract imo. Though having only seen it from the outside of a fence it's maybe hard to say exactly the feeling you get once in amongst the stones.

What do you think? Is it too abstract? Is it good or bad? Opinions?

the one thing I didn't like when I last saw it on telly was a couple of huge advertising hoardings behind it. Fortunately it didn't feature Heidi Klum in a bikini or (even worse) erdgas or similar but just in general I thought the whole concept of having a huge commercial advert hanging just behind it was somehow disrespectful

Heres my favorite quote from it:

Always wondered what a centimeter was, and here I was thinking it was only a centimetre long...

I'm not too concerned with the aesthetic value, as I have the artistic spirit of a brick.

As long as it is REALLY expensive, REALLY big and REALLY in every German's face then I think its a good idea.

Absolutely right,
What a brilliant site for a monument, great space, lots of scope for meaningful site specific artwork, something that makes you think, something that relates not only to the environment, but to the purpose of the artwork.

What have they done with it.

This piece of modern turd in the plaza art ( dumped without a thought to the surroundings ) is terrible,
OK lets try and say what we see. bit like catchphrase realy. Some concrete ( like we need more of that ) blocks that look a bit like sarcofogai, some of which are sinking into the ground to be buried and forgotten, sitting in the middle of some billboards and other buildings. This looks like the foundations of some new shopping mall. Since the idea is to remember the holocaust, I for one would rather something which would be a place of meditation and reflection rather than a field full of coffins which will probably be used as a scateboard park or an excercise park

Unfortunately that just seems to be the way that public art is going.

Rant over

Concrete tank obstacles from WWII.

Click to view attachment

Yuck! What is that artist trying to represent? Confusion? Blahness? I give it a minus 5 on a scale of 1-10.

this memorial is built to be interacted with and experienced and used on a personal level. it is an instalation to be felt not a statueto be looked at. i think its best judged from having visited it and been through it. the usage of different geometrics and sizes are there to confuse and unnerve people. the museum itselve is entered by going downstairs underground, wheather this is a satement of the journey taken by so many innocents into the gas chambers i dont know, but such an enterance will disturb many a visitor. all in all its provaocative, its disturbing, its sheer scale and uncomprehensable mix and play on expectations and reality are a fitting way to express such mass evil.

Well, at least one person seems to like it.

If it makes me queezy, as gideon suggests, then maybe it is doing the trick.

i havent been there yet so i reserve my yes vote.

im just trying to understand the design process and am asking people to think a little deeper than a stammtisch. i really dont think the words passive, meditative, nor peaceful were on the design brief. this is six million souls screaming a warning to mankind. it should scare me. the holocaust was industrial, its victims refered to as "cargo" which were given "special treatment". in contrast to other memorials which are concentrating on the personal (the new one in isreal and the one in new york), this tries to numb you into submition and apathy with its inorganic regimented forms, a fitting and brave representation i feel.

http://www.holocaust-mahnmal.de

Great! Another memorial. Why don't they just turn the whole of Germany into a memorial?

Was in Berlin on the weekend. Went by the memorial which is as yet not open to the public. I am not sure what to think of the design. Standing outside it looks very boring. I am not sure what effect it's supposed to have on the visitors walking amid these concrete blocks. Many tourists were observing the memorial as well from the outside, I overheard some Spanish blokes saying how pleased they are with it "but that it looks boring". Let's see what it's like once it's open to the public. I am glad that it's situated so closely to the Reichstag and that this project finally got realized.

it covers a huge area! and as other have said its meant to be an experience rather than just something to look at

I was also there at the weekend and also went past. I can only hope that it has a similar effect as the Jüdisches Museum in Berlin which looks confused and brutal from outside but is a very effective and powerful building inside.
Click to view attachment

That does look effective inside. At least the picture does.

BBC News: Berlin to repair Holocaust site

Let's dump more money into the eyesore!!!
This whole project has been doomed from the start. It isn't effective, and most people walk past without recognising it, as most Berliners thought was going to happen. It really is just an eyesore (which is now falling apart not even 6 months after opening) and an unnecessary one at that. The jewish museum's holocaust exhibition is so much better!!! That actually unnerves people and makes them think. The only thing I've seen people doing at the new memorial is sit on the stones, talk on their mobiles, jump from one to another and smoke. With all this activity, no one actually reflects on anything. That I've seen. Not saying everyone is misusing it, but the majority. Which was expected. Think Berlin has enough memorials now. Let's move on.

I don't know - I like it. I think the actual experience of walking into it, sensory deprivation and so on all work nicely for the intended purpose.

I will note that I think it needs better labeled somehow (and perhaps added on some of the maps - the ones I've seen don't have it marked yet) but otherwise, I think it's an appropriate monument that gives a feeling of loss. Oh, and did I mention it's FREE? Humm.. yeah. IMHO, not enough free things in Berlin.

I like it too. It is a great tourist attraction and a lot of tourists do visit it. It is a great for the Brandenburg gate, Bundestag, Holocaust meorial and then on to Potsdamer Platz type of trip.

It has been open a lot longer that 6 months since May 2005 to be precise, but yes it is a bit early for it to be falling into disrepair.

The desigener once said in an interview (cannot find it now, but it was on some German news program when it opened.) that it was designed for poeple to walk on , sit on etc...

The designer may have said that, and maybe that was the intention, but there are the rules posted at some places around the edges which state that you can't stand, jump or sit on any of the walls, and silence is meant to be obeyed during your visit to allow others to reflect. As to it's greatness, to each their own I guess.

I think it's an excellent memorial. As I spend time there, it has an impact. Makes me think - engages me.
It's very different from other memorials I have seen regarding the holocaust.

Does no one else have a problem with the fact that it's dedicated exclusively to the memory of the murdered jews and not to any other victims of the holocaust?

No worries. It's said to be the foundation of the new Reichskanzlei by some. Bad boys! I think I read it in my favorite newspaper titanic.

It already is!