Monument to Freedom and Unity

On 9 November 2007, the German Bundestag decided to erect a monument to Freedom and Unity. In addition to the memory of the Peaceful Revolution and German reunification, it should also remind us of liberal movements and aspirations unit of past centuries. As the site of the base of the former Kaiser Wilhelm National Memorial on the Berlin Palace freedom has been set. Fueled the idea of the monument of the German Society. The initiators of mouse Florian Bach, Günter Nooke, Jürgen Engert and Lothar de Maizière received the 2008 German National Prize. Construction of the memorial was planned for 2013 [ deprecated] and with completion expected by 2015.

First competition

To this end, in early 2009 an open, two-stage competition was announced. From the work anonymously submitted a jury should select 20 participants to take part in the second stage. Until then 532 works from home and abroad were received, among other things, by Jonathan Borofsky, Gottfried Böhm, Axel Schultes, Rob Krier, Waldemar Otto and graft Society of Architects. A 19 - member jury met on 27 April 2009 in a jury session in which no work desired by the jury received an absolute majority, whereupon they broke off the competition. In the press afterwards derogatory remarks made by members of the jury were to hear, " a quarter of the designs ... [ was ] complete scrap " and " the naivety of many designs [ was ] devastating 'and' shameful '."

Criticism of the method of the first competition

Press, chambers and associations, as well as jury members were of the view that among the works submitted in the first competition were excellent, elaboration worthy proposals thoroughly. Thomas Brussig, member of the jury, which had responsibility for the failure of the jury. This had taken about 30 seconds per work too little time for careful study of the concepts. Other critics were of the opinion that is not prescribed by the competition law decision to admit in the first round works only with an absolute majority for the second round, along with the size of the jury would have led to failure. Even with twice as much time and other work, it would probably come to no absolute majority due to the composition of the jury. Furthermore, the proven competitive nature as a whole is damaged by the wanton demolition. There are fears that open competitions that offer a possibility to participate for unknown artists to be rejected in the future with reference to the case described here, as unworkable.

The participants were disappointed by the competition abort and about them breaking in Häme and urged a re-examination of the quality of your work.

Second competition

In the 82nd meeting of assisted with the implementation of the Monument Committee for Culture and Media was decided on 1 July 2009, to organize a second competition. A committee should select in addition to some work of the first competition about ten architects and artists who should participate in a second stage of the competition. In the new competition should dispense with the originally planned Information Centre and the contents are reduced to the events of the peaceful revolution of 1989.

The new procedure consisted of an international open round candidates, followed by a limited competition. To open application procedure 386 designs were submitted. An independent expert panel then selected the participants for the subsequent limited competition. 28 artists participated in it.

3 October 2010 presented Culture Minister Bernd Neumann in Berlin the results. Three equal prices and two recognitions were awarded. The three peer awards went to Stephan Balkenhol, Andreas Meck and Milla & Partner together with Sasha Waltz. The two recognitions received Xavier Veilhan in collaboration with BP architectures, Paris and realities: united (Jan and Tim Edler in a joint venture with Bjarke Ingels Group, Copenhagen).

The jury recommended to let work on the three winning entries. Subsequently, the decision should fall for the realization of one of the three works. From 4 to 31 October 2010 all 28 competition entries in the Martin- Gropius-Bau were issued with free admission. On 13 April 2011 it was announced that the jury has decided after the revisions for the monument " citizens movement" of the agency Milla & Partner and the choreographer Sasha Waltz in the form of a large walk- shell.

Criticism of the content

On the Content to celebrating ideas further criticism was voiced. While the Committee for Culture and Media of the German Parliament considers that it has simplified the task by eliminating the historical liberation movements, some observers think that it is mainly the amalgamation of the concepts of freedom and unity, prepared the problems. To support the reform forces from the fall of 1989, not unanimously, the demand for a unification of the two German states.