ENGLISH
The relief image is crumbling apart and shows several dirt smudges and fissures. Without nose and with many craters, the supposed human head looks rather like an abstract and imaginative representation of the moon, which would actually fit better with the swings and monkey bars in the background. But in fact it is Lenin, who is standing here at the entrance to the huge park Bürgerheide in the small city of Finsterwalde and keeps watch over the playground. Weiterlesen
ENGLISH
It’s quite impressive to see Lenin’s head on the Peetscher Höhe in Fürstenberg, staying alone behind a bush in middle of a wild growing meadow. Surrounded by shrubberies and trees he seems to have camouflaged himself in this remote hiding place. And actually that makes sense: After the German reunification most of the remains of the Soviet military forces in Fürstenberg have been removed or destroyed, including several monuments dedicated to Lenin. But here, seeking shelter in no man’s land, forgotten by supporters and detractors, he seems to have found a safe place to be. Weiterlesen
ENGLISH
If you go for a walk in the Steinförder Straße in Fürstenberg, you can enjoy the fresh air, the view over the big lake Röblinsee and the bucolic calmness. Most of the houses were recently rehabilitated and next to the garage for the station wagon, you also have a parking lot for the boat – what a noble idyll! But just after the cross with the Waldweg you can see a spot with wild growing trees and bushes. If you take a look behind this picturesque setting, you will find the dusky shadow of a past, that doesn’t want to let go. The main trace of these agitated memories is the ruin of the Officer’s House with the inevitable statue of comrade Lenin. The flaking figure stands here like a ghost as a discomposing witness of past turbulences… Weiterlesen
ENGLISH
Constructed during the Third Reich, taken over by the Red Army after the war, abandoned in the early 90s. This chronological sequence, typical for many Soviet military areas in East Germany, also applies to the old airport in Brand. This complex is out of use since 1992 and if you walk along its paths it feels like being in a horror movie… Everywhere you look, you find ruins and empty buildings, camouflaged behind the trees that are growing wildly around this area. The soundscape, which accompanies this desolating scenario is specially scaring: windows crunch, squealing panels balance from the ceilings, you hear doors slamming – the little ghost town just can’t find a rest! In the middle of this spooky atmosphere the mosaic of Lenin is like an oasis of vivacity: The strong colors, the harmonic blue and yellow combination and the friendly facial expression of the communist leader form a clear contrast to the dusky surrounding. Weiterlesen
LENIN IS STILL AROUND 