Art, culture, and views are perhaps the quickest summary of what awaits you at the newly opened Humboldt Forum in Berlin. But so much more awaits in this newly rebuilt palace.
A grand Baroque palace, Berlin Palace, now stands once again in the centre of Berlin. The palace, which was originally built during the Prussian era and was bombed to destruction during the Second World War, has now been rebuilt. The style is Baroque, the style the building had when it was destroyed. It is provocatively new, and classical aesthetics meet the modern. The price tag of 680 million euros also makes the project the most expensive cultural project ever in Germany. Accusations that both the construction and its contents are elitist have rained down.
Homeless in the castle
As soon as I step inside the doors, I feel provoked. It's polished, the ceilings are high, there are columns, statues, and gold, plaques showing which rich families helped sponsor specific parts of the castle hang in a row. In a closed-off section, our guide says that they welcomed homeless people during the winter. But they stopped coming… Pictures of them are on the walls, but I understand that they didn't feel at home here. The aim is to include, debate, and create a sense of belonging, but here is a clear example of where they failed.
But the Humboldt Forum is growing and imposing itself in a way I am not at all prepared for. A number of exhibitions, some permanent, some temporary, await discovery. Here, for example, is the Berlin Global exhibition, where the multifaceted city is showcased across 4,000 square metres. Interactivity and techno music are part of the concept, focusing on wars, fashion, and nightlife. This particular section is easy to engage with. The exhibition on death is a little more difficult. Which we will leave aside for today. But we have not yet reached the heart of the operation.
Racism and reaction
When communicating about the content here, there has been talk of putting the heart back into the city. And it is now that we arrive at the most high-profile and interesting part of the museum. Namely, where parts of the 20,000 artefacts from the former Ethnographic Museum and the Museum of Asian Art are exhibited. In an elitist context, artefacts from the colonial era are now being displayed. The obvious follow-up question is that of ownership and the right to exhibit these objects. One example is the Nigerian Benin bronzes. The museum director Lars-Christian Koch, among others, was involved in the discussion here, and a decision was made that these should be returned. This is, as mentioned, just the beginning. Further examples are objects from Namibia, acquired from the Herero and Nama peoples, two ethnic groups that the Germans tried to annihilate between 1904–1908. How does one pay for genocide? During Angela Merkel's time, it was decided that Germany would pay 940 million Euros to Namibia. Obviously, it is controversial to exhibit these objects.
One wants to include, debate and create context, but here is a clear example of failure.
The ownership process itself is now being brought into focus. And the exhibitions here gain a broader context. Open discussions meet with reactions. It is here that my interest is awakened, and it is here that the Humboldt Forum becomes more than just a luxuriously polished cultural palace; instead, it becomes a cultural meeting place – unique in its kind. Where the questions now asked become more interesting than the objects themselves.
Inequalities meet
It's now time for a bite to eat. We've booked a table at Baret, the rooftop restaurant here, which is surrounded by a perfectly magical terrace with a 360-degree view of the city. It's good and fresh. There's a bar with tasty cocktails, as well as good non-alcoholic options, including their own version of Coca-Cola spiced with plenty of cinnamon. It's really good, and also a great place to digest all the impressions and try to take in both the place and its contents. A walk around the rooftop is a must, and it's possible even if you don't visit the museum.
My visit was far too short, but when I look at the website, they describe themselves as a place for culture and science, diversity and polyphony. A place that unites differences and wants to encourage insights about yesterday, today, and tomorrow. In my opinion, they succeeded; I continue to think about the place, the discussions, and I am already longing to return.
Humboldt Forum Berlin Palace www.humboldtforum.org
The history of Berlin Palace is something I haven't really delved into, but it's one that many find fascinating. So, regardless of what the Humboldt Forum may offer you personally, it is currently perhaps the most interesting part of the European art scene.
