In June 1987 the Berlin Wall came down and was the end of the separation between East and West Berlin. Eventually, most of the wall came down but a large section remains as a reminder of what it once was. Now, it's a tourist destination with 1.3 kilometers worth of colorful murals and graffiti that echoes on the political and historic time of the Cold War era. Artists from around the world have contributed to the wall.
The Guardian reported that the remnants of the wall could be in danger due to a development group called Living Bauhaus that has plans to create an office and residential tower that will be located near the East Side Gallery. To make room for the construction, parts of the wall would have to be demolished and protesters came out to fight against the potential demolition.
"All the paintings have become a symbol of freedom in Berlin and Europe," said French artist Thierry Noir, to The Guardian. "This is a unique opportunity to preserve a large section of what was once a death strip. If you remove the sections, you're destroying the authenticity of this place."
Noir is an artist that has contributed to the wall and his art is sanctioned to be removed if the construction occurs. The CBC reported that thousands of people came out on Sunday to protest the removal of the wall and more than 56,000 people have signed a petition at www.change.org/eastsidegallery.
"t's a paradox, yes. Before we were fighting to tear down the wall, now we are fighting to keep the wall" added Noir to the CBC "I can't believe it, the project is to build a big tower on the death strip, this place where 10 people had been killed, so it's like making a supermarket on a church yard. I can't believe it, people want to live here."
Johannes Westerkampe a tour guide said that the wall is the second most popular tourist attraction in Berlin after the Brandenburg Gate.
"It's important. Everyone wants to see the East Side Gallery. I think the responsible politicians of Berlin didn't understand that so far and maybe because of the protest, they will get to understand it now. I hope so," he said to the CBC.
A spokesperson for Living Bauhaus, Volker Thoms said that the construction will continue in the "coming days." He added that sections that are being removed will be reconstructed in the riverside park behind the East Side Gallery.
"The artists aren't very happy about this, but in the end their paintings and their art will not disappear, it will just not be in the wall but behind it," he said to The Associated Press.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
