Berlin is a haunted city, and this statement is indeed true in some way. Berlin is a city in which dozens of key events in world history took place. There, important political decisions were made, and deadly battles were fought during the war. Thus, buildings, streets, and even some of Berlin’s long-livers keep memories of these times. They can be called the ghosts that inhabit this city. They stay with us in modern times, recalling past events and helping to preserve history.
Memories tend to cleave to the physical settings of events. This happens even in everyday trifles: for example, looking at a certain object, we remember the person who gave it to us. In larger objects, this phenomenon can also be observed (Ladd 108). For example, on old Berlin buildings, one can find traces of weapons that reflect the past’s fighting. On the one hand, it allows people to remember the mistakes of their ancestors and respect history. On the other hand, it slows down people’s development, regularly reminding them of something that is long gone.
Many Berliners reacted negatively to the demolition of the GDR Palace of the Republic and the reconstruction of the former palace. This is because the Palace of the Republic is one of the important pages of their history. It hosted many cultural and social events, not just political activities. Undoubtedly, it was not easy for them to part with something that is one of Berlin’s most important components, so this issue has become controversial.
Work Cited
Ladd, Brian. The Ghosts of Berlin: Confronting German History in the urban Landscape. University of Chicago Press, 2018.