The Berlin Wall Comes To Madrid In Unique Exhibition

November 13, 2023 Madrid Metropolitan living in madrid, madrid news, What's on Madrid

34 years after its dramtatic fall, the Berlin Wall has come to Madrid for a unique exhibition which is part of global city tour covering more than 20 international museums and institutions.

Opening the exhibition, the Madrid regional premier, Isabel Diaz Ayuso, said the exhibition represents “proof of the abyss to which the fanatical political decisions of a few can lead us.”

The tour which has been organised by the Stiftung Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall Foundation) is entitled: “The Berlin Wall. Living in a Divided World” and explores the reason for its construction amid the escalation of the Cold War and how the people of Berlin “came to take sides, fight, escape, adjust, and ultimately overcome divisions.”

The exhibition brings together around 300 original objects, coming from 20 international institutions and includes original objects including a 20-metre segment of the actual Wall.

It also explores its impact and evolution over time and everyday items that Berlin citizens ingeniously repurposed for smuggling, provision of basic goods, and communication between civilians on both sides.

Opening the exhibition: Madrid regional premier, Isabel Diaz Ayuso

Luis Ferreiro, Director of the Berlin Museum, said that the exhibition will allow to build bridges and reflect upon issues concerning our society.

Visitors “will have the opportunity to learn how and why this border regime was constructed, but above all, they will have the chance to understand the different experiences that its existence brought to the Berliners on both sides of the Wall. Its history, along with the Cold War, serves as a unique platform to explore essential aspects of our own society.”

It also highlights how ideological differences created a physical and symbolic barrier, separating families, friends, and a city in two but also “ a reminder of what happened in Europe not so long ago. We want to raise awareness for the power of the people: Their courage led to the Revolution of 1989 which changed the world.”

The Madrid exhibition is being hosted by the Canal Foundation (Paseo de la Castellana 214) until January 7th 2024.