The Marx-Engels Forum
The Marx-Engels Forum is statue dedicated to Carl Marx and Fredrich Engels. The forum, located in Alexanderplatz across the Spree river, was built to memorialize their leaders and to show the history of a regime that lost power and control. The GDR, the German Democratic Republic, wanted to be different from the FRG, the Federal Republic of Germany, to have their own Communist identity and not be associated with the Nazi Party. The forum would be larger than life with a relief showing scenes from the German socialistic movement.
Construction of the Forum
During World War II, the Berliner Stadtschloss was destroyed due to heavy bombing. The GDR government wanted to build the forum right in-front of the old resting place of the Palace and the new site of the Palace of the Republic. With the Marx-Engels forum in-front of the new Palace, it could serve as a reminder of the “Founding Fathers” of Scientific Socialism. Due to many arguments, the site of the forum was moved due to the reason of the palace needing a parking lot. The forum was placed in a small park with lush greenery. The new location would cause the forum to have their backs to the Spree River and the TV tower. The idea of building the forum formed in 1977, taking almost 6 years for the project to be complete.
Revel to the Public and Criticism
The Marx- Engels Forum was reveled to the public in 1983, Citizens of the GDR were delighted to have their heroes standing in-front of the new government building, memorializing the East’s history. But like everything with a good side, there was a bad side. A box was left for comments on the forum , allowing people to write their thoughts on the forum. The top three issues that people were concerned about were: 1.) The men were starting off into nothing, 2.) concerned about the meaning and what the West/tourists would think about it, and 3.) the lack of interaction. People disagreed to these three comments saying that the men were starting into the future of the GDR, the meaning was about the communist heroes, and that children could play on Marx’s lap since he sitting down.
The Forum today
After the fall of the wall in 1989, there was much debate on whether the forum should stay up or not. The bringing down of the Berlin wall was thought to represent the fall if the socialist party in East Berlin. In the end, the historical aspect of the forum was taken into consideration and is what kept it up till this day. The site is seen as a site of memory, where people can come and learn about the past of the Socialist GDR.
