Sketch for the upcoming renovation and international peace action on September 23, 2004 at 11.00 a.m. at the Berlin Wall - East Side Gallery. Mühlenstrasse 6, 10243 Berlin-Friedrichshain.

On the same day at 10.00 a.m. a press conference for the event with all persons involved takes place in the East Side Hotel right across the street. Mühlenstrasse, 10243 Berlin-Friedrichshain. Near to the bridge Oberbaumbrücke.

The action is supported by Cornelia Reinauer, mayor of the district Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg and patroness of the East Side Gallery as well as the district’s culture Department.

„Vaterland / Fatherland 2004”. Sketch for the international peace action on September 23th,

A peace action that G. Schaefer will carry out at the East Side Gallery together with the Israeli artist Varda Carmeli under the patronage of the Culture Department of the district Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. The sketch will be converted in a joint action by the artists. The text left and right from the painting will likewise be modified in accordance with the events of the day. Before the last reconstruction, the painting had been the target for four attacks (see below), the first of it being related to the terrorist attacks on September 11 in New York. The three following destructions stand in close connection with the political events of the past few months in the Middle East. For the first time a concrete change of the main motive is carried out taking into account the political situation in the world. And also in order to create a public symbol for peace with the means of art, in a time when the political and diplomatic possibilities for international understanding are at dreadful crossroads.

Guenther Schaefer and Varda Carmeli are thankful for any

kind of help and solidarity that supports with this surely not easy task, that, at the same time, is one of the greatest

challenges of their previous career.

The painting in its original version and in restored condition.

2004. The condition of the painting before the reconstruction on March 18, 2004, four attacks (see below),

countless scribbles and an impeding telephone distributor are overlying it.

The last attacks in detail

Sketch for the action using the proportions at the East Side Gallery.

The original accompanying text of the painting will remain

and completely be integrated into the text field on the right.

Open space for the statements of the artists.

The original accompanying text of the painting since March 18, 1990. (In the course of the action it will completely be shifted to the right.)

Left side:

This flag symbolizes the uniting and mutual approaching. It is a memorial against any kind of fascist tendencies.

Crystal night: 1938 November 9 ! Opening of the Wall: 1989 November 9 !

Right side:

This flag is based on the basic humanstist ideas of peace and uinity of all people. It critically examines the heritage

of all German generations after World War II.

Note: The future result of this action, as can be seen in the sketch above, can only remain at this place for a limited

amount of time because the original Vaterland-painting is liable to the protection of historical monuments. The artist

is obliged to restore the original condition of the painting after a while.

But as it is well known, the art initiative East Side Gallery e. V. in cooperation with the investor who is going to lay out

a park between the Wall and the river Spree strives for a complete redevelopment of the Wall-Gallery. This means that

the backside of the East Side Gallery will be turned into an additional 1,3 km long space that can be used for artistic work.

Here the new painting could find its permanent location in the future.

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