Berlin/Parting Shots

Neues Museum Colonnade — © Brian Rose

Neues Museum colonnade, 1987 (4×5 film) — © Brian Rose

Having run out of 4×5 film I took it easy on Friday. I hoped to see the Neues Museum, which has been restored with modern insertions by David Chipperfield, but the lines to purchase timed tickets for later in the afternoon were too long for me. Walking past the colonnade I photographed back in 1987, when this was East Berlin, I saw that the columns looked more or less as they did 22 years ago. Restoration was still taking place, and a part of the colonnade was under construction and would re-open soon. A black and white photograph set in the frame of the colonnade showed what lay behind it.

I was pleased to see that The Lost Border was on the shelf of the nearby Walter König bookstore, and later, I found it in Bücher Bogen as well. The latter is one of the best art/architecture/photograhy bookstores anywhere. The salesman said that they had sold seven of my books–not a lot of books–but better than average for a photography book.

Anhalter Bahnhof ruin — © Brian Rose

Heading back to my hotel I passed the nearby ruins of the Anhalter Bahnhof, one of the stations employed in deporting Jews to concentration camps during the war years. The station facade once sat in vacant bombed out space, but new buildings and sports facilities have grown up around it, as well as in the open swath of former railroad tracks.

Stresemannstrasse — © Brian Rose

Between the station and my hotel there are still vacant lots–it’s surprising after all the rebuilding of Berlin how much empty space remains in the center of the city. A constant through all my travels here are small tent circuses set up in one vacant spot or another. In Wim Wender’s film Himmel über Berlin (Wings of Desire), one of the angels watching over the city falls in love with a trapeze artist from just such a circus located near the former Wall.

Next to my hotel was yet another circus standing in a muddy lot full of scruffy bushes and trees. I placed my point-and-shoot camera on the top of a gate, and used the self-timer to take the long exposure above. Music and crowd noises wafted from the tent off in the darkness.

Berlin/East Side Gallery

East Side Gallery — © Brian Rose

The East Side Gallery is the longest stretch of Berlin Wall still standing–its survival due to the murals that were done on it just after the Wall was opened. Over the years the paintings deteriorated, and there was talk of removing the whole thing. Fortunately, the murals are being restored, in many cases by the original artists.

On Thursday, the sun actually came out in Berlin, and I did a number of photographs of the East Side Gallery. Not the murals themselves–they’ve been documented adequately–but the scene in general. The mural side of the Wall faces northeast, and as a result, does not get much sunlight. A few painters were working on their segments of the Wall as seen above. There’s a gap in the Wall to the right because of a club/restaurant situated in an old building that stood in the former death strip between the inner and outer walls.

East Side Gallery — © Brian Rose

This was a pretty desolate industrial area before the Wall came down, and now there is a huge new music hall called O2 located nearby looking like an alien space ship. A number of large video screens like the one above advertising an upcoming André Rieu concert dot the landscape. To the right are the towers of the Oberbaumbrücke, which once stood within East Berlin.

East Side Gallery — © Brian Rose

It may seem strange to see such a clean white Berlin Wall, but this is what it looked like on the east side where people could not approach the Wall, much less paint on it. The last photograph I took–my last sheet of 4×5 film–was at the north end of the East Side Gallery across from the Ost Bahnhof where there is a messy collection of ad hoc graffiti and paintings including a depiction of Mstislav Rostropovich performing at the Berlin Wall just a few days after its opening.

Berlin/Topography of Terror

Topography of Terror — © Brian Rose

The raw provisional quality of the Topography of Terror exhibition remains after a seemingly endless effort to construct a documentation center, and a find a proper way to present and stabilize the foundation walls of the former SS/Gestapo headquarters. The new building is almost finished, a more utilitarian structure than the earlier Peter Zumthor design, which was abandoned half-built due to lack of funding.

Invalidenfriedhof and wall remains — © Brian Rose

Later in the afternoon I walked along the Spandauer Schifffahrtskanal and through the Invalidenfriedhof, a park that forms a memorial to Günter Litfin, “the first victim of shots fired at the border between East and West Berlin after the Wall went up on 13 August 1961.”

Spandauer Schifffahrtskanal — © Brian Rose

Berlin/Currywurst

Curry 36, Berlin — © Brian Rose

Not much time for haute cuisine on this trip to Berlin. Mostly I’ve been picking up food on the fly. The two classic Berlin fast foods are currywurst and dönner kebab. I’ve had great dönner in the past, but this time I’ve been sampling currywurst–basically, grilled sausage drenched in ketchup and sprinkled with curry powder. Often served with fries.

Berliners (and tourists) argue about where you can get the best currywurst, but it’s like New Yorkers arguing about the best pizza by the slice (Ray’s on Prince Street). When it good, it’s perfect. Nothing more to do to it or take away from it. It is what it is. When in Berlin, go to Curry 36.

Berlin/Wilhelmstrasse

Formerly, Nazi air force ministry, now, German finance ministry
© Brian Rose

I made a shorter day of it confining my photos to a two or three block area between Checkpoint Charlie and Wilhelmstrasse. Many of the Nazi era government buildings were located along this street. The Berlin Wall ran just a short distance to the left of the photograph above.

Wilhelmstrasse, Berlin — © Brian Rose

Directly across the street from the severe, but imposing, Air Force Ministry, one of the many still vacant lots in this heavily bombed out area is occupied by a tethered balloon ride and the Trabi Safari, where you can rent a 20 year old East German Trabant to drive around the city–and hopefully your fiberglass body doesn’t end up shattered like an egg by a much more substantial Mercedes or Audi.

Berlin/Unter der Linden

Palace site on Unter der Linden — © Brian Rose

Walking from Alexanderplatz, I headed down Unter den Linden, the grand boulevard of the city, passing by the now vacant site of the Palast der Republik, the former East German government and cultural building. Many hated it for its tacky architecture and what it symbolized–and the fact that it replaced the war damaged historic palace dating back to the 18th century. Many wanted it saved, however, as a piece of history on its own terms.

Palace and Berliner Dom — © Brian Rose

It was not saved, of course, and a re-creation of the original palace–at least several facades of it–will eventually be built. Meanwhile, large photo montages of the projected building are hung from the steel frame of a viewing platform.

DDR Museum — © Brian Rose

Many such ephemeral buildings can be seen around the city, proposed structures, or hoped for construction, that await better times, printed on fabric and afixed to scaffolding. Directly next to the palace images, is another temporary structure with facades formed by a photo representation of the former Palast der Republik–in black rather than the bronze color of the original glass. It houses the DDR Museum.

The Brandenburg Gate on TV — © Brian Rose

Eventually I made my way to the Brandenburg Gate where the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall was to take place. I took up a position next to the Holocaust Memorial in sight of one of a number of giant TV screens, and adjacent to the painted domino stones that were lined up between Potsdamer Platz and the Brandenburg Gate. Instead of showing live views of the scene around the Brandenburg Gate, or even time-killing commentary, we got to see commercials played over and over, leading one to wonder whether the fall of the Berlin Wall was worth it. OK, I exaggerate.

It began raining harder, and the program was, apparently, well behind schedule. Finally, having been out in the street all day in the rain with my view camera, I bailed out and ended up watching the speeches and falling dominos on a laptop connected to live TV. It was a curious event. Sort of a celebration, sort of a serious reflection on the meaning of freedom, with lots of hokey elements thrown in. Ther were speeches by Sarkozy, Brown, Merkel , and Hilary Clinton, as well as a taped White House address from Obama. Some have criticized Obama for not attending the anniversary event, but having witnessed the semi-chaos of the evening, the crush of people–it would have been a security and logistical nightmare. After the speeches, a German TV game show presenter interviewed Lech Walesa and Mikhail Gorbachev, and then Bon Jovi performed We Weren’t Born to Follow.

We weren’t born to follow
You gotta stand up for what you believe
Let me hear you say
Yea, Yea, Yea, ooooohhh, Yea

Update: As I returned home on the train from the airport, I saw a poster for Bon Jovi promoting their new book and new album featuring the song We Weren’t Born to Follow. It was then I realized how nakedly commercial the 20th anniversary event of the Mauerfall actually was.

Berlin/Alexanderplatz

Exhibition, Alexanderplatz — © Brian Rose

I took the S-Bahn to Alexanderplatz to see the exhibit there about the events leading up to and surrounding the fall of the Wall. It is a large, comprehensive, exhibition that deserves some time digesting. I plan to go back for a less camera-centric visit.

Exhibition, Alexanderplatz — © Brian Rose

A steady drizzle through the afternoon made it slow going for me and my view camera. Fortunately, it was not as cold as the day before. I found the exhibition at Alexanderplatz visually compelling, and it was an opportunity to bring this historic location into my project at the same time. This was one of the most important centers of Berlin before the war, and became the heart of DDR Berlin when the city was divided. In most respects it looks like it did before the Wall came down. People still meet at the clock located in the square, an artifact of the East German era, as a young photographer who I spoke to was doing.

Exhibition pavilion, Alexanderplatz — © Brian Rose

The exhibit includes extensive documentation on the people and events leading up to November 9, 1989. The American view tends to favor the global political game–and American military power in particular–as the ultimate factor in the demise of communism. But this exhibit focuses on the many people behind the Iron Curtain–dissidents, labor leaders, artists, musicians–who struggled at huge personal risk to undermine the system from within. The film being shown above, however, does not leave out the big stage political events like Ronald Reagan’s “tear down this wall” speech before the Brandenburg Gate.

Berlin/1989

Berlin Wall, 1989 — © Brian Rose

20th anniversary of the opening and subsequent fall of the Berlin Wall.

Berlin/Berlin Wall

The Brandenburg Gate, Berlin — © Brian Rose

Tomorrow will be the 20th anniversary of the fall–or opening–of the Berlin Wall. I am here in Berlin to do a last round of photographs of the subject I’ve come back to over and over since 1985. There are thousands of people milling the streets along the trace of the Wall in the center of the city, most there to see the 1000+ painted dominos that will fall symbolically tomorrow evening.

The crush of people makes it difficult for me with my 4×5 camera, but I jumped into the crowd today with some good results, I think. Tomorrow, I don’t expect to get anywhere near the main event, and will work the periphery of the crowd.

The Brandenburg Gate, Berlin — © Brian Rose

The anniversary celebration is turning into a mega media event dominated by German TV, which will follow the fall of the dominos from moving cameras running along wires above the street. There will be celebrities galore, music performances, and various side events that I am just beginning to find out about. I believe Hilary Clinton is in town for a speech.

It is also an orgy of German kitsch and commercialism. Giant screens are mounted along the route of the dominos, and during the afternoon I viewed, among other things, an extended tribute to the carmaker Audi, and a video performance of an incredibly sappy ballad “One World, One Heart,” sung by Eleni. The last time I was in Berlin was during the run up to the World Cup soccer tournament, and there was a similar “we have arrived” vibe to things. I don’t begrudge Germans the opportunity to celebrate–but in so many ways this celebration goes beyond the reunification of Germany. The fall of the Wall signaled the end of communism, and was ultimately a triumph of freedom over tyranny. You may insert cynical comment here ___.

Stalin domino — © Brian Rose

Potsdamer Platz — © Brian Rose

Imagine, if you can, what it’s like using a 4×5 view camera in the midst of literally thousands of hand held digital cameras. I stand out. Lots of people make comments or stop to chat–always friendly of course. I butcher some German, they butcher some English, and it’s all great fun. It could be intimidating, so many cameras, and so many serious expensive ones. But I’ve been at this game for a long time now, and I trust my instincts.

Wall marker — © Brian Rose

Some tourists listen to audio commentary coming from the pylon marking a point along the path of the former Wall. Until a short time ago there was little help provided if you wanted to trace the Wall’s path. Now, the 20 year old vanished Wall seems more real than ever, an integral part of the historical palimpsest that draws visitors to the city.

New York/LES

Delancey Street near the Bowery — © Brian Rose

Bikes have become more popular in New York, which is mostly a good thing. But these white bike memorials do give one pause.

I’m off to Berlin tomorrow. November 9 is the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Berlin Wall. I’ll be taking pictures throughout the week, retracing my steps along the path of the former border zone. I’ll be shooting 4×5 film, but will bring my digital camera and laptop, and hope to post to my blog at least a couple of times.

New York/Bensonhurst

Went back to Bensonhurst to photograph a new cafeteria wing for New Utrecht High School. The building, from the 1920s, is somewhat battered like many New York City schools. The entrance with imposing pediment and columns has blank green doors with one small barely visible handle. Above, etched in stone are the words of William Pitt: Where Law Ends, Tyranny Begins. Directly below, in case one does not get the message: No Deliveries Allowed At Main Entrance.

Portraits of U.S. presidents in the main lobby of the school. American history stops at Clinton.

New York/Chelsea

Quite the weekend and New York between Halloween and the marathon. Brendan trick or treated in Chelsea with friends for the third year in a row. He started out as a scarecrow, but ended up looking more like a farmer. The Sigma DP1, which I use for this blog, isn’t much of a low light camera, but what the hell. Go for it.

New York/East New York

Walking to the subway station at Broadway Junction in East New York. Stop. Toy Story poster and red wall. Walk forward. Stop. Bus shelter with seated people and figures high above.

New York/East New York

Without comment.

New York/East New York

On the job in East New York shooting a building. More to come.

New York/East 4th Street

When I first arrived in New York in the summer of 1977–the day of the blackout–I got off the train early, picked up a copy of the Village Voice, perused the classifieds for available apartments, and by noon, had scored a sublet in a rundown tenement on East 4th Street between Second and Third Avenues.

I lived there for about 15 years before moving to Stanton Street, five blocks south, and before my back and forth life between Amsterdam and New York. Working out of that tiny apartment on 4th Street with bathtub in the kitchen and toilet in the hall, I did photographs of the Lower East Side, New York City parks, began my long-term documentation of the Iron Curtain and Berlin, and wrote many of my best songs. Suzanne Vega crashed on my couch a number of times, and one day came by to audition her new song “The Queen of the Soldier” for me. The first Fast Folk magazine inserts were pasted up in my apartment and typed out on a borrowed IBM Selectric.

I met my wife, Renée Schoonbeek, on the block as well. She and her friend Josja van der Veer came from the Netherlands as students to do research on New York housing, and they interned with the Cooper Square Committee, a housing advocacy group that I served on the steering committe of, and briefly chaired. We met in front of Cooper Square’s office just to the left of the photograph above. Together we helped establish the Cooper Square MHA, which continues to maintain affordable housing in more than two dozen buildings in the neighborhood.

Last night, Cooper Square celebrated its 50th anniversary and honored Frances Goldin, co-founder of the organization, literary agent, and a Lower East Side treasure. At times fiery and uncompromising, but at critical moments practical and savvy, she inspired us to fight for low income housing in the face of overwhelming odds. Although most people know her primarily as a firebrand, she led one of the most effective community planning efforts in the city, perhaps in the United States–one that scholars will study for years.

The tenements of 4th Street were renovated one by one, shuffling residents around but displacing no one, and the many theaters and other cultural institutions have formed a cultural district called Fourth Arts Block. The historic streetscape was preserved, and the people–a glorious crazy melting pot of folks–remain here to stay. This week the Village Voice named it the Best City Block, ” a veritable People’s Republic of East 4th Street–right here in Bloomberg Town!”

New York/Washington, D.C.

Continuing the unintentional vintage automobile theme from below. I’ve been a bit busy lately with photo shoots and a quick trip down to Washington, D.C. Took the picture above while parking my rental car.

Hope to report on the Robert Frank show at the Metropolitan soon. Will be traveling to Berlin in a few weeks to do more photographs for my book proposal, and I’m looking forward to being there on the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Wall.

New York/Greenpoint

And Jesus! Wit dat, he pulls it out of his pocket, an’ so help me, but he’s got it – he’s tellin’ duh troot – a big map of duh whole f______ place with all duh different pahts mahked out. You know – Canarsie an’ East Noo Yawk an’ Flatbush, Bensonhoist, Sout’ Brooklyn, duh Heights, Bay Ridge, Greenpernt – duh whole goddam layout, he’s got it right deh on duh map.
“You been to any of dose places?” I says.
“Sure,” he says. “I been to most of ’em. I was down in Red Hook just last night,” he says.
“Jesus! Red Hook!” I says. “Whatcha do down deh?”
“Oh,” he says, “nuttin’ much. I just walked aroun’. I went into a coupla places an’ had a drink,” he says, “but most of the time I just walked aroun’.”
“Just walked aroun’?” I says.
“Sure,” he says, “just lookin’ at t’ings, y’know.”

Thomas Wolfe, Only the Dead Know Brooklyn, 1935