The Holocaust Memorial is one of the Berlin’s most interesting and historical sites to visit. With the Reichstag and Brandenburg Gate monument’s nearby, a trip here is sure to be memorable. A collection of 2,711 concrete slabs fills an area spanning over 200,000 square feet. Uniformly created in width and height, the slabs are arranged at staggered levels. May 2005 marked the official opening of the monument, following delays and struggles over the site’s design and layout.
German journalist Lea Rosh helped bring the project to fruition by lobbying since 1988 for the memorial’s creation. Lea Rosh together with Eberhard Jäckel, a historian, formed the Association for the Promotion of the Establishment of a Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in 1989. The Bundestag gave legislative support to the memorial. Architects and other designers competed in a contest creating a memorial in 1994. An American architect, Peter Eisenman won the contest and building began on the memorial April 2003.
The memorial’s creators chose to build near Brandenburg Gate to serve as a historical reminder of the importance of the memorial. The slabs correspond closely to Eisenhower’s design. A special chemical covers the surfaces of all of the concrete slabs, protecting them from potential graffiti. The German government covered the memorial’s construction budget of 27.6 million Euros.
Despite the purpose of the memorial, several detractors exist. The memorial’s design has been criticized as being overly abstract. Others cite the lack of any markers that identify the monument as a memorial commemorating the Jewish Holocaust victims. Still others are angered by Berlin’s seemingly late desire and effort to honor Holocaust victims. Lastly some oppose memorials of any type shouldn’t focus on Germany’s dark and tragic past.
Visitors to the memorial can go to the information center for facts about the memorial’s significance. The lobby displays the words of Italian Holocaust survivor Primo Levi, “It happened, therefore it can happen again: this is the core of what we have to say.”
The memorial is situated on Cora-Berliner-Strasse 1. Information Center hours are from 10 a.m. Until 8:00 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday during the months of April to September. Between October and March, the center opens at 10 am. And closes at 7:00 pm. Guided tours happen on Saturday and Sunday. English language tours are scheduled at 4:00 pm. Sundays. Group tours cost 45 euros per group and audio guided tours are available for an additional 4 Euros. Within walking distance of both the Reichstag and the Brandenburg Gate, the memorial also lies on the bus line.
