<The birth of Brandenburg Gate: The symbol of victory>
Originally the Brandenburg Gate was built, around 1791, by the Prussian King Kaiser Wilhelms for the purpose of it being an entrance into the city of Berlin after the Prussian Army defeated the Greeks. Only the King was allowed to enter through the big opening in the center of the Gate, while the others were used by ordinary citizens in order to enter Berlin. In this era, the tower was built as a tool for entering the city, however, it affected the German society in this time because it is also seen as a new everlasting symbol of peace and victory for the German people.
<The symbol of division>
Throughout history, the Brandenburg Gate has been the very place of numerous marches and parades. For instance, at the start of World War I, German soldiers marched through the Brandenburg Gate. More importantly, on January 30th during 1933 (World War II), there was a significant historical march that has changed the course of world history: the leader of the Nazi Party, Adolf Hitler, used the Brandenburg Gate as a place to rally citizens to support the war and the belief that the Aryan race was superior to others. Once Hitler was elected as Chancellor of Germany, he walked through the Brandenburg Gate to the presidential palace in Berlin, Germany, as a way to celebrate his rise to power and also the start of a new era he is leading. Under this circumstance, the German society was apparently split by this action. Those in support of Hitler’s rise to power thought that the action was appropriate since the Gate was a sign of victory. However, the other part of society was disapproving of this action since they did not support Hitler’s motives and beliefs, so it was a dishonoring measure to take since the Gate also represents peace. The German society in this era was rather split in their opinions about Hitler so every propaganda message that was given at the Brandenburg Gate was rather important since it could either help or hurt people’s belief in the Nazi Party. For many others, it became a monument of destruction and turmoil, even though the Brandenburg Gate was created for peace at the first place.
Moreover, during the Cold War, as soon as the Berlin Wall was built up and Berlin was divided into two parts known as East Berlin and West Berlin, Brandenburg Gate automatically belonged to the east side. According to some historian studies, there exists much speculation as to precisely when a shift in the symbolism of Brandenburg Gate actually exists. It is commonly agreed that after 1945, and even after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Brandenburg Gate became a symbol of Germany’s separation. Apparently, it is very true that since the construction of Berlin Wall in 1961 August and also during the existence of Berlin Wall, the Brandenburg Gate became the sad symbol of a divided Berlin.
<The symbol of unity and peace>
Brandenburg Gate instantly remade itself into the New Berlin’s symbol of utility, as soon as the Berlin Wall came down and both West and East Berlin were reunified. In addition, the Brandenburg Gate was officially opened to traffic on December 22, 1989, and over 100,000 individuals all over the world came to celebrate the special occasion.
“Growing up in post-war Germany, the Gate was a symbol of peace and unity, yet was inaccessible to many until the fall of the Berlin Wall. Everyone deserves equal access to the ideas and artifacts of our history, regardless of geographic and economic barriers”, says Hans-Günter Börgmann.
In today’s society many people visit the Brandenburg Gate as a tourist destination when they are on vacation. This monument still represents the original message of victory and peace that it was intended for. The visitors that go to this historic piece of architecture will continue to be amazed by the beautiful architecture that was created over 200 years ago and was able to withstand time. This German monument continues to invite millions of people from around the world everyday to vast in its glory. Local businesses and citizens are also affected by the monument because of the amount of tourists that visit the Gate. The monument helps local businesses grow and prosper from the tourists, such as tours, restaurants, and local stores. The Brandenburg Gate has created a peaceful and celebratory environment that Berliners and people from all over the world can experience today. The Gate has truly withstood time and is able to signify all the struggles and all the victories that the Germans went through throughout time. When created the Brandenburg Gate was only a sign of strength for Berliners, but now it is an international sign for all.
Written by: Tower Zhou and Brittany Hegeman