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Translation Assessment

Background and general data

The "Boulevard of sculptures“ was a central component of the “Initiative Deutschland – Land der Ideen” (en: Initiative for Germany – Land of Ideas). The initiative, under patronage between the then German President, Horst Köhler, was a collaboration of the German government and the German business sector, (represented by the Federal association of German industry), whose purpose was to nationally and internationally communicate a positive image of Germany.

The campaign’s corporate design, as well as the design of the sculptures was developed and realized by the Berlin design agency Scholz & Friends Identify. The agency has since received multiple awards for this campaign (such as the reknown German EVA Award in 2006). The sculptures were placed on central squares (Bebelplatz and Gendarmenmarkt among others) in Berlin’s city center. Many politicians, members of the initiative or representatives of the companies involved held speeches at the small opening ceremonies accompanying the unveiling of the sculptures. The first sculpture to be unveiled was “Der modern Fußballschuh” (en: the modern soccer shoe), at Spreebogenpark on 10 March, 2006. The final sculpture “Relativitätstheorie” (en: theory of relativity) was unveiled and handed over on May 19, 2006 to the Berlin park Lustgarten. In autumn of 2006, the sculptures were removed again. One sculpture, “Das Automobil”, was transported to Munich – the use and utilization of the other works remains unclear.

From planning to the finished pieces, the total cost per sculpture lay between 300,000 and 350,000 euros. The sculptures were all built using the modern synthetic material Neopor®, and coated with a special brilliant white varnish. The production time of each sculpture was roughly two months, with the final assembly on site spanning 2-3 days.

At every object that was part of the “Wanderweg durch die deutsche Forschungslandschaft und Kulturgeschichte” (en: hiking trail through the German landscape of research and cultural history), information signs in German and English explained the symbolism of the sculptures in detail.

ASSESSMENT 2

Frankfurt was one of the centers of the revolutionary movement of the pre-March era in Germany. With his satirical writings, Ludwig Börne, a publicist who had been born in the Jewish Ghetto “Judengasse” that existed in Frankfurt in the time between 1462 and 1796, became one of the key figures of the literary movement “Young Germany”. The Bundestag and the city’s authorities, who feared a loss of reputation, tried all measures to ban political clubs and the distribution of liberal pamphlets. But since the French Revolution of 1830 all oppositional clubs were filled with revolutionary spirit. However, the step from the idealistic wave of enthusiasm to a decisive action, failed miserably. […] The event had been mostly without consequence, but it did have a chilling effect for the bourgeois elite: the city’s sovereignty was challenged by a garrison of 2500 Austrian and Prussian soldiers, which, in turn, led to the princely diplomats denigrating the Free City as a "liberal nest".

At the beginning of March 1848, the revolutionary fervor from France rapidly swept over Germany. Like everywhere else, demands for freedom of press, freedom of assembly, civil equality of all citizens, amnesty for political prisoners, and a general right to bear arms followed. On March 3, the Senate yielded to all demands and granted all but the complete emancipation of Jews. The reformists meeting in their Monday clubs demanded constitutional reform for Frankfurt, too. A Constituent Assembly, elected by all citizens, was to develop an entirely new constitutional document that would replace the “Konstitutionsergänzungsakte”, the new amendment to the constitution.

On March 9, the black-red-and-golden flag was hissed over the Palais Thurn und Taxis in Frankfurt. The preliminary parliament assembled in the hastily redecorated Paulskirche on March 31. The walls and windows had been adorned with black-red-and-golden flags, the pulpit had been covered with a drape. The curtain that covered church organ showed a fresco by Philipp Veit, depicting Germania with flag and sword, framed by two laurel wreaths bearing patriotic verses. The altar was used as the President’s table.