Seen from the same space, merely by turning around, are two, no three, symbols of power and victory: The Brandenburg Gate, here only its columns providing the frame for the victory column, and the TV tower of former East-Berlin Alexanderplatz. Interesting and reassuring (or disturbing, depending on the point of view) is that none of these former powers in Europe have been able to maintain their importance – neither the Prussian Empire, nor Hitler’s 3rd Reich, which loved to abuse the Brandenburg Gate, nor the German Democratic Republic, which needed the TV Tower as a visible sign of them playing in the same league as then Western Germany. And now European values of human rights are required more than ever, even against a substantial group of the local population who would like to stay in 19th century-like states where you were well of when you belonged to the majority by nation, race or religion and could draw satisfaction from passively or even actively harassing minorities. But these times are irrevocably over. Simple Nationalism simply will not hold anymore, and it’s probably that knowledge that makes the ultra-conservatives raise their voices so much.
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