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Obama's Speech Location in Germany

Posted by Onelove12 • 7/21/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: Barack Obama, brandenburg gate, Germany, siegessäule

According to Spiegel Online it seems as though the location of the speech Obama will give in Berlin is raising some eyebrows because of the association with a Nazi past. Take a look at a part of the article I wrote on my blog:

Barack Obama is set to arrive in Berlin on July 24th and will give his speech at the Siegessäule monument in the heart of the city. In his speech, he will speak about the "historic US-German partnership" and about the importance of strengthening trans-Atlantic relations, according to his campaign team. There is one problem..... It seems as though the exact location has become a matter of intense speculation after his campaign originally suggest an appearance at the Brandenburg Gate, which Chancellor Angela Merkel had a big problem with.

The Siegessäule is located about a kilometer down the Strasse des 17. Juni from the Brandenburg Gate. His speech is set to begin at 7 p.m. and Berlin is expecting a massive number of Obama fans to show up -- between 10,000 and a million according to one city official quoted in the Berlin daily Tagesspiegel.

According to Spiegel Online International, a number of politicians in Berlin are still dissatisfied with the site. The Siegessäule, or Victory Column, was erected in memory of Prussia's victories over Denmark (1864), Austria (1866) and France (1870/71). The column originally stood in front of the Reichstag, Germany's parliament building, but was moved by Adolf Hitler to its current location in 1939 to make way for his planned transformation of Berlin into the Nazi capital "Germania."

"The Siegessäule in Berlin was moved to where it is now by Adolf Hitler. He saw it as a symbol of German superiority and of the victorious wars against Denmark, Austria and France," the deputy leader of the Free Democrats, Rainer Brüderle, told Bild am Sonntag. He raised the question as to "whether Barack Obama was advised correctly in his choice of the Siegessäule as the site to hold a speech on his vision for a more cooperative world."

Since it seems to be somewhat problematic, do you think Obama should give his speech there and are there any implications?

User Comments

7/21/08

clioandme

I haven't read the article, but the complaints as you quote them seem pretty lame: tempest in a teapot. A symbol celebrating Prussian-German victories and German national unity got moved by Hitler to a once less prominent location and is therefore suspect? Come on. If the SIegesäule was so problematic, it wouldn't still enjoy its currently prominent location or excellent condition. Besides, it's got plenty of open space for crowds, which will look good to his intended audience: Americans who won't care much about this rather arcane objection. Sounds like a sad case of someone in the FDP wishing he was relevant.

[reply]
7/21/08

satijournal

The entire country of Germany has an association with a Nazi past. This is kind of a silly issue.

[reply]
1. 7/21/08
  
  Wisco
  
  That's a good point.
2. 7/22/08
  
  clioandme
  
  I take your point, but obviously some landmarks are more closely associated with the Nazis than others. That said, the Siegessäule isn't one of them.
8/06/08

jnvscnln

I understand Der Spiegel also said Angela Merkel only had a problem with Obama speaking at the Brandenburg Gate after a call from the White House. What the hell, they set up Obama at the military hospital too.

[reply]
1. 8/06/08
  
  clioandme
  
  I think Merkel really did have a problem with the location. It's not her decision to make, but the Berlin mayor's. Still, Obama was right to honor her wishes.