[PDF] The Ghosts of Berlin: Confronting German History in the Urban Landscape by Brian Ladd in Arts-Photography

Review

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. A Good History. Though Dated.By Greg PolanskyIn this dated history of Berlin. the author posits the idea that buildings. statues. ruins. and architecture in general matter. Yes. they do. Places like the Berlin Wall. the Reichstag. Hitlers chancellery. Prussian palaces and street names reveal a lot of about the citizens of Berlin. Especially in how these places history and present and future are debated. I am reminded of the phrase that nothing is as dated as yesterdays vision of the future. So while this book excels in recapping the history of particular sites. especially the debates about reconstruction. the book itself is hopelessly out of date. A lot has happened in Berlin in the past twenty years. And some of the debates of the book are settled. This book needs a serious update to reflect the landscape of Berlin in the 21st century.The author does a good job of injecting the voices of the debate into his story at the beginning of each of the chapters through the use of quotes. But he also has a tone and a pessimism that is a bit off-putting. especially when he states "Politicians and architects who want to put to rest the ghosts of Berlin are probably doomed to failure." I disagree. Vehemently. The author should go to Berlin today in 2016 and see if still agrees with that statement of his.Still. there was a lot of good material and the author captured a snapshot of a time now long past. Thankfully. I am quite happy that the Berlin of the 21st century is a dynamic city that is once again capturing the imagination of the world.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Good InsightBy SarahProvides a great insight into the history of Germany and its architecture. Was required to buy it for my foreign study abroad class and ended up greatly enjoying it. Lots of great insights and extremely in depth view on the significance of Nazi architecture and its current impacts. Additionally my Host mom loved the perspective it provided and enjoyed reading it. Not to long of a read and excellent chapter divisions. You get a lot of information for a fair price.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Looking to the Future With an Eye on the PastBy Richard C. GeschkeBrian Ladd brings forth a wonderful treatise of just how Berlin is transforming itself after its reunification after the Cold War. I can think of no other city in the world carrying as much baggage as Berlin. Ladds approach in dealing with the ghosts of Berlin is to give a history lesson as to the specific areas and neighborhoods within the city limits. In doing this the author deals with the architecture of the city. He explains how certain areas developed and how the architecture of those areas came to be. The historical significance of structures is explained by Ladd. He explains structures that had political and historical significance even they no longer exist. Such was explained at the beginning in explaining the Berlin Wall. From that point on. Ladd delves into Old Berlin with its palaces and Medieval Berlin with The Nikolai Quarter. He goes onto explaining the significance of The Brandenburg Gate with its rich history and how the structure has changed and been rebuilt several times. Such famous structures dominant in late 19th century and early 20th century from The Reichstag. The Mietskaserne and the development of Potsdamer Platz bring forth arguments in Berlin as to rebuild these areas as they were or not to do so. Hence the Berliners are at a quandary as what to do about their history. Should Berlin rebuild as of old or wipe the slate clean with a new and different Berlin. The arguments become more intense especially with such structures brought forth during the twelve year rule of Nazi Germany. Many Berliners want all presence of old Nazi structures to be gone forever. However there is an argument that Berliners must never forget the misdeeds of their heritage. These are difficult arguments which must be eventually brought to a head. Ladd explains the ruins of post WWII Berlin and what was destroyed and how East Berlin differed in its architectural development from how West Berlin dealt with rebuilding. When I was stationed in Germany in 1970/71 I went to Berlin three times. Not only was I in West Berlin but as a soldier I had access to go to East Berlin. What I saw startled me. In West Berlin you saw new infrastructure everywhere. New roads. new buildings with current technology were prevalent throughout West Berlin. West Berlin was a ray of sunshine amid the darkness of surrounding East Germany and East Berlin. Once you crossed over at Checkpoint Charlie into East Berlin. you saw the drabness of the color gray. There was no sunshine! Buildings were scarred with shrapnel indentations and the roads resembled the Ho Chi Minh trail on all side streets. Ladd explains some of the attempts such as Stalinallee which was developed to impress the West. However in all reality most of East Berlin resembled ghetto areas of slums which were barely adequate and was in stark contrast to West Berlin. Ladd also deals with the monuments so prevalent both in East Berlin and West Berlin. Arguments are detailed as to what should be retained and what should be destroyed. Heavy and meaningful arguments come from both sides. This shows to us the quandary when dealing with the ghosts and the history of this city. Ladd shows a city in transition. which truly shows to one and all just how flexible and forward looking are the people who call Berlin their home. This is a haunting book which deals with a city trying to move onto the future with a careful eye on the past. Great read!!