If you know anything about history, you’ve probably heard about the Berlin Wall.
In the post-World War II era, the country that we know now as Germany was divided into two parts, each with a distinct government and political ideology.
Tensions between the two nations became so tense in the period between 1961 and 1989, a wall was built in the center of the German capital of Berlin to divide the two countries and dissuade people from crossing the border.
While the Berlin Wall has historically been a symbol of repression and political division, the East Side Gallery in Berlin gives a new dimension to our understanding of the wall.
The East Side Gallery, located on Muhlenstrasse southeast of the city center, is the longest remaining stretch of the Berlin Wall that still stands. Instead of being a barrier, however, it has been converted into a public art installation full of murals extolling liberty and freedom.
The artwork present on the wall in the East Side Gallery, 105 murals in total, tells the story of the struggle for freedom in Berlin and worldwide.
You can see famous artwork representing moments such as the famous kiss between Leonid Brezhnev and Erich Honeker that came to define the absurdity of the German division.
Visit the East Side Gallery to be inspired by a symbol of repression that has been totally reimagined into a celebration of freedom.
