Cross on Berlin City Palace causes criticism

BERLIN. Despite harsh criticism, a Christian cross now crowns the dome of the reconstructed Berlin City Palace. The so-called lantern and cross, which was donated by the widow of the Otto mail order company, was lifted onto the dome with a crane on Friday.

Somewhat below there is also a blue banner with the inscription: “There is no other salvation … except in the name of Jesus, for the glory of God the Father. That in the name of Jesus all those knees who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth should bow.”

Cross and inscription now cause criticism. Jens Bisky called the reconstruction of the cross in the Süddeutsche Zeitung a "mistake" and wrote of an "impossible inscription".

FAZ: cross poisoned atmosphere around world culture museum
In the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), Andreas Klib criticized the alleged “absolute Christian claim to rule,” symbolized by the cross and inscription. Both "poisoned the already ideologically charged atmosphere around the World Culture Museum of the Confederation", which is to be housed in the reconstructed city palace in the future.

Those responsible for the reconstruction hurried to refute the criticism of the project in a press release. The general director of the Humboldt Forum, Hartmut Dorgerloh, emphasized that it goes without saying that "we distance ourselves from any claims to power, sole validity or even rule that can be derived from these signs or inscriptions".

The Berlin castle goes back to Elector Friedrich II, who had the foundation stone laid in 1443. Under Elector Friedrich III. it was expanded into a royal residence in the 17th century. Badly damaged at the end of the Second World War, the GDR leadership had the ruins blown up in 1950.

The foundation stone for the reconstruction was laid in 2013. The Humboldt Forum was scheduled to open in September this year, but had to be postponed due to the corona pandemic.

Source:

Junge Freiheit