Standing stones as a Jewish memorial

摘要

Berlin's new Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, south of the Brandenburg Gate, is an undulating field of concrete stelae, designed by Eisenman Architects and Buro Happold. Stelae have long been put to commemorative and memorial purposes. The Ancient Persians, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all erected monolithic stone blocks, from the minute to the massive, to record battles, mark graves, celebrate victories and commemorate significant events. But nowhere has a field of stelae been created on such a colossal scale, or to such powerful effect, as at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. Opened on 10 May, it is dedicated to the Jewish victims of the National Socialist reign of terror. Its location in the heart of Berlin's newly created Parliament and government district signifies a declaration of historical responsibility, underlined by the memorial's open form, which allows for personalised remembrance, commemoration and mourning.