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Section of the Berlin Wall

1961/1989

Mucem

Mucem
Marseilles, France

Berlin, which was occupied by the Allied Forces in 1945, was divided in two, then separated by a long, tall wall from 15 August 1961 to 9 November 1989. Many East Berliners lost their lives as they attempted to flee to West Berlin. The wall remains the symbolic mark left by that period. Although the wall was demolished, Berlin preserved a part of it as the East Side Gallery.

This section, given to the MuCEM by the Senate of Berlin, must belong to the third phase of the wall’s construction, Grenzmauer 75 (Border Wall 75), which was defined in 1974 and built of prefabricated blocks measuring 3.6 metres high and fitted with an integrated base that was 1.2 metres wide. Artists in West Berlin added their work to the wall as a sign of protest against this attack on their freedom of movement, a basic human right.

For street artists, the wall is part of Europe’s graffiti history. The MuCEM’s section is covered with several signatures: the date of 1996 appears, and the central signature is part of a “flop” (bubble style lettering typically created in a single motion). The massive block was collected as part of the “Graff” acquisition campaign in Europe and the Mediterranean, which took place from 2001 to 2006.

Details

  • Title: Section of the Berlin Wall
  • Date Created: 1961/1989
  • Location: Berlin, Germany
  • Physical Dimensions: 3,60 x 1,20 x 2,00 m
  • Provenance: Donated by the Senate of Berlin
  • Type: Concrete and spray paint

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