(Community Matters) Dinner last night at Max & Moritz with our friend Alexer Taganas, a UT architecture grad student interning in Berlin since February. He arrived during the economic downturn and is seeing improvement as evidenced by more work and hiring at the firm.
Alexer talked about the heightened importance of sustainability in German architecture design – the use of materials, energy efficiency & environmental compatibility.
I hadn’t thought about how Berlin is a relatively, economically poor city within the German Republic (twice the national unemployment). Though, not surprising since West Berlin was an island connected by a thread to West Germany and the integration of the two Germanys was undertaken in full knowledge of the unprecedented challenge.
Artists, students, state workers and others are able to enjoy a higher standard of living here. For decades, Berlin has been a rich cultural center. It’s a creative class center so far too dependent on service industry jobs (nearly 80%) – though it is well poised to become one of the richest metropolitan areas in the world. The technology & science sectors are growing.
The German Republic appears intent on maintaining this history – investment in public infrastructure and architecture is astounding. I hardly recognize much of the city since last here Feb 4, 1990.
It is interesting to read today of the initial border opening at the Invalidenstrasse/ Sandkrugbrucke crossing on Nov 9 ’89. Opening of the border between east and west was rumored but unexpected – happened immediately upon announcement. Of course it became a stampede as so many East Germans had died trying to cross the Wall, even peek across. The situation quickly approached chaos and risked an armed response by the East Germans. I remember television images of West Berliners on the Wall, near the Brandenburg Gate – especially between Christmas and New Years.
In January/ February, Alan Waite and I were celebrating my 29th birthday in London. I woke up on Feb 4 to instructions to pack an overnight bag and was whisked to the airport not knowing where we were headed. We arrived in West Berlin for a 36 hour excursion. By that time, the borders were still enforced but border crossings open. We passed through Checkpoint Charlie – despite pleading, I wasn’t able to convince the US or GDR military men to stamp my passport damnit. I did chisel off a large bag full of pieces of the Wall – which I subsequently distributed among friends. And despite protests and admonitions from West German police, I joined one other Westerner on top of the Wall across from the Brandenburg Gate – long enough for a quick photo by Alan – quickly climbing down when so instructed by GDR border guards backed up with machine guns.
Indescribable what it means to return with the man I love and am spending the rest of my life with, after being introduced to the city by the first man I loved and who gave me the unwavering confidence to be who I was born as. I don’t think it is just coincidence that they were both born on Oct 25th. There must be something about alignment there. Being posted from my Blackberry (tiny little keys and all that) while on a train to Mannheim.
Community Matters 