Victoria,
the personification of the Roman Goddess of Victory,
which
sits atop Berlin's Victory Column: Some Germans say
it's
a fitting omen for a man in the midst of an election battle,
while
others complain that the statue commemorates victories
over
nations that today are fellow E.U. members. Still other
Germans
snipe that Hitler tainted it by putting it where it is.
Frankfurter Rundschau, Germany
Obama at the
Victory Column: After All, Isn't That What He's After? ...
"The Column represents victory
- and that's not a bad omen for someone in the midst of an election battle. To
be precise, it's a reminder of three victories, albeit military ones. If he
goes into this in his speech, he can mention Afghanistan and Iraq - and he'll
still have one victory left."
Berlin's Victory Column:
A very symbolic and perhaps fitting place for Barack Obama's much-awaited
speech on translatlantic relations - although not all would agree. .
Barack Obama will
come to Berlin on Thursday and deliver an important speech. That's already a beautiful
thing. So many insignificant speeches are heard in Berlin that this will be
nice for a change. But it's perfectly clear that Obama's interest in his
performance consists not only in enriching citizens on holiday in Berlin, but
above all for election advertising at home. Which is also why the
"location" is so important.
Actually, Obama
wanted to speak in front of the Brandenburg Gate. That hasn't worked out. But
the Gate isn't reserved, as has been claimed, for visiting heads of state. In
fact there is a regular stream of promotional events there, and besides, it
stands right next to the American Embassy. However, George W. Bush shot a furious
glance at our chancellor during the G8 summit in Japan, so it won't be held
there.
This may have
left the candidate momentarily annoyed, but it can be seen in another light:
The raised eyebrow of a U.S. President often creates widespread disruptions
among Germany's leading politicians. If this is already true in Bush's case and
judging by the recent conduct of the Europeans, the chances for a President
Obama to mimic his success are excellent.
OBAMA
SPEAKS BEFORE 200,000 AT VICTORY COLUMN
Now with the
Victory Column, another good place has been found for his appearance. Obama need
only characterize this in the proper light. First - the column represents
victory - and that's not a bad omen for someone in the midst of an election
battle. To be precise, it's a reminder of three victories, albeit military
ones. If he goes into this in his speech, he can mention Afghanistan and Iraq -
and he'll still have one victory left.
[Editor's
Note: Conceived in 1864 to commemorate the Prussian victory in the
Danish-Prussian war, by the time the Victory Column was inaugurated in 1873,
Prussia had also defeated Austria in the Austro-Prussian War (1866) and France
in the Franco-Prussian War (1870/1871), giving the statue a new purpose. These
later victories in the so-called Unification Wars, inspired the addition of the
8.3 meter-high bronze sculpture of Victoria .]
About
200,000 Berliners gather to hear Barack Obama.
Atop the Column,
Victoria is enthroned . She weights
35 tons - which includes the Iron Cross [held in her left hand ].
Ultimately, American viewers will want to see something they have in common
with Germans. On Victoria's helmet sits the animal on America's coat of arms,
the eagle, which will allow the transatlantic relationship to unobtrusively
enter the picture. Victoria is lovingly named Goldelse [Golden Lizzy],
after the title of a German novel [by Eugenie John ]
which was serialized in the German newspaper Die Gartenlaube [in
1866]. Here, Obama can bring the solidarity of our two peoples into play.
Incidentally, Victoria's face startlingly recalls the daughter of the column's
sculptor, Fredrich Drake , which is a
good example of how one can leave a long-standing mark on history.
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
And there's
plenty of room for an audience around the Victory Column, for it stands in the
midst of the Tiergarten [the park in the center of Berlin]. Obama should be somewhat grateful to Adolf Hitler for this. He had the Victory Column brought
there in the context of his plans to rearrange Berlin as the world capital of
Germania . To be
precise, the monument stood in front of the Reich building [the Reichstag - or
parliament building]. If it were there, the American candidate would have had to battle the central
district's Urban Green Space Planning Office, which is even more stubborn than
Angela Merkel.
BRIAN WILLIAMS WITH OBAMA AT END OF HIS VISIT
The Victory
Column also represents tolerance, as she is the patron saint of a gay magazine
in Berlin. This reference ought to attract American voters to Obama in droves.
All in all, the Victory Column is a location full of symbolism. This will
surely stir the Democratic hope-bearer to meditate on where to permit his
German guests to give their speeches - if only he can become president. For this,
Angela Merkel can already be pleased.
*Eckart D. Stratenschulte
is head of the European Academy in Berlin
