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'Ich bin ein Berliner' 4. July 2005
Installation to
express support for preserving Checkpoint Charlie
BERLIN, July 1, 2005 - On Sunday July 3, a temporary photomontage will be erected at Checkpoint Charlie to demonstrate
international support and solidarity
for preserving this monument to the struggle for freedom. The installation will consist of a montage of approximately five photos illustrating the history of Checkpoint
Charlie and the division
of Berlin. Under the theme "Ich bin ein Berliner - I support
preserving Checkpoint Charlie as a monument to the struggle for freedom." visitors to the site will have the opportunity
to sign their name and provide their country of origin on the installation.
The installation will consist 8 sections of material measuring 2 meters wide and 8 meters long. Five sections will include enlarged photos by Guenther
Schaefer illustrating the
fall of the Berlin Wall. The
installation designed by Anselm Bonies is sponsored by Calumet Photographic, Best
Berliner Stoffdruckerei/Fahnenfabrik and print works berlin gmbh. Three sections
are designated for visitors to provide their name and country of origin. The installation
will be draped over and fastened to the sections of the Berlin Wall Memorial located
on both sides of
Friedrichstrasse, facing Zimmerstrasse.
"The installation is an opportunity to demonstrate broad international
support for preserving this icon of history. Bulldozing this site as Independence Day fireworks
explode in New York and across
the United States simply seems the worst of all possible resolutions to the current situation.
I appeal to the parties taking this action to reconsider, there are better means
to a solution." stated
Henry Nickel, Chairman of the Republicans
Abroad in Germany. "We
simply won't let this pass without expressing our hope that
the memory of communist brutality, struggle for freedom and legacy of
international solidarity against
oppression never be bulldozed."
Volunteers will be mobilized across the city on Sunday morning July 3 at 11 a.m. to invite visitors to visit Checkpoint
Charlie and sign their name on the installation.
An Independence Day BBQ will follow in Berlin-Mitte
from 17:00 to 21:00. The goal is to maximize
public turnout on the site from
Sunday until the scheduled demolition on July 5 and provide as many signatures and expressions of support as possible
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