Napoleon marches through Berlin once again

On Saturday, Berlin once again saw Napoleon's triumphal march through the Brandenburg Gate, celebrating the 200th anniversary of his victory at Auerstedt and Jena on 27 October 1806.

Mark Schneider, a Napoleon doppelganger from the US whose identification with his famous idol goes so far as to his learning the Corsican language, rode his horse through the Gate, commemorating Napoleon Bonaparte's triumphal entrance in Berlin after annihilating the allied troups at the double battle of Auerstedt and Jena. He was accompanied by 200 other actors in authentic uniforms while the populace - once again - watched his progress across Western Europe. This year, however, the city council did not relinquish the keys to the city to the usurper.

Napoleon had the famous quadriga taken from the top of the Brandenburg Gate, leaving only its pedestal, and removed to Paris where it remained for eight years until after Napoleon's banishment to Elba. It returned, not in a triumphal march, but in eight freight crates and was reassembled to the great satisfaction of the Berlin inhabitants.

can we celebrate and reenact hitlers victory parade in paris as well. i have no idea why people constantly romanticise this butcher. "the first man who tried to create a united europe", was amongst other things i heard last week. like as if he is somehow the victim, and his humanitarian wish to create a brotherhood of man was somehow dashed by others with more evil plans. remember this guy first came to fame by stopping hungry protsesting women and children with point blank range cannon fire. his path of egoistic distruction left millions dead. we should not celebrate him nor his conquests.

I prefer saying that he changed the face of Europe while not stating if it was to Europe's advantage or not.

as i said so did a few other monsters. i just hope the waterloo celebrations will invole the same bunch of hobby soilders being chased off a field in belgium... but knowing how it is it will probably be portrayed as a romantic figure lost his dream destroyed and a missed chance for the eu.

as you may guess not to happy with the representation as this little twerp being portrayed as a hero or idol.

agree totally with el gid , u cannot celebrate one murderer and demonise another

and i also dont think cromwell should be celebrated to be honest. before i get lambasted for having victors perspective on history. he was a meglomanic too. and he banded christmas and mince pies! which would have been fine if he'd had left it at that without going on a jihad in ireland.

TBH you can't really celebrate any military "hero". The Union soldiers adored Sherman, and look what he did to Georgia. Same with Napoleon: His followers loved him, the opponents hated (and feared) him. But at least these actors are interested in history and want to share their passion with the general populace.

i think you very well can celebrate certain military leaders, but not those whose whole aim was an agressive expansionist invasion of countries through force. i have no problem with "historians" dressing up in order to show their passion. but its unbalanced and overly a romanticised viewpoint of a tyrant which i have a little bit of a problem with. it gives him the aura of honour and good deeds which is in his case very undeserved. it is sad that here in germany few people know who blücher is, yet they are will to mark napoleons victories. i have the same sort of worry about people dressing up as waffen ss and reenacting the battle of the bulge in order to share their passion. its all very odd to be honest.