Das endlose Geschaeft mit Berliner-Mauer-Souvenirs: Wie ein Familienunternehmen die Geschichte des Kalten Krieges am Leben haelt

Fast 37 Jahre nachdem jubelnde Menschenmengen die Berliner Mauer durchbrachen, generiert die Betonbarriere, die einst eine Stadt teilte und den Eisernen Vorhang symbolisierte, weiterhin Umsaetze. Tausende bemalte Fragmente werden jaehrlich am Checkpoint Charlie, in Souvenirlaeden und Hotels in der deutschen Hauptstadt verkauft — ein Angebot, das fuer ein bis Juni 1990 weitgehend abgerissenes Bauwerk unerschoepflich scheint Are the pieces of the Berlin Wall sold as souvenirs fake or the real deal?dw.com·SecondaryWhen the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, it sealed the fate of East Germany. People wasted no time and started hacking away at the monstrosity with hammers and chisels. Those people chipping away at the former border barricade were known as "Mauerspechte," or wall woodpeckers. By June 1990, most of the Berlin Wall had been taken care of by bulldozers. Only a few sections of it have survived to this day; at the official Berlin Wall Memorial or the East Side Gallery, for example..

Die Bestaendigkeit dieses Handels wirft eine unbequeme Frage auf: Sind die Betonbrocken, die Touristen mit nach Hause nehmen, echte Relikte der Unterdruckung im Kalten Krieg oder massenproduziierte Faelschungen, die historische Sentimentalitaet ausnutzen?

Laut Julian Sacha, dessen Familienunternehmen Urban Products Sacha Ltd. der Hauptlieferant authentischer Berliner-Mauer-Stuecke ist, sei der Grossteil der auf dem Markt befindlichen Fragmente echt Are the pieces of the Berlin Wall sold as souvenirs fake or the real deal?dw.com·SecondaryWhen the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, it sealed the fate of East Germany. People wasted no time and started hacking away at the monstrosity with hammers and chisels. Those people chipping away at the former border barricade were known as "Mauerspechte," or wall woodpeckers. By June 1990, most of the Berlin Wall had been taken care of by bulldozers. Only a few sections of it have survived to this day; at the official Berlin Wall Memorial or the East Side Gallery, for example.. Das Unternehmen mit Sitz im Berliner Bezirk Reinickendorf fuehrt seine Urspruenge auf das Jahr 1992 zurueck, als Sachas Schwiegervater einen grossen Bestand an Mauersegmenten sicherte und begann, diese fuer den Einzelhandel zu zerkleinern Fake Berlin Wall fragments on sale as souvenirs?dw.com·SecondaryWhen the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, it sealed the fate of East Germany. People wasted no time and started hacking away at the monstrosity with hammers and chisels. Those people chipping away at the former border barricade were known as "Mauerspechte," or wall woodpeckers. By June 1990, most of the Berlin Wall had been taken care of by bulldozers. Only a few sections of it have survived to this day; at the official Berlin Wall Memorial or the East Side Gallery, for example..

Ein globaler Markt fuer Kalter-Krieg-Beton

Urban Products beliefert eine grosse Berliner Souvenirkette und verschickt Stuecke weltweit ueber seinen Online-Shop, wobei die Vereinigten Staaten, das Vereinigte Koenigreich und China die Hauptmaerkte darstellen Are the pieces of the Berlin Wall sold as souvenirs fake or the real deal?dw.com·SecondaryWhen the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, it sealed the fate of East Germany. People wasted no time and started hacking away at the monstrosity with hammers and chisels. Those people chipping away at the former border barricade were known as "Mauerspechte," or wall woodpeckers. By June 1990, most of the Berlin Wall had been taken care of by bulldozers. Only a few sections of it have survived to this day; at the official Berlin Wall Memorial or the East Side Gallery, for example.. Das Unternehmen liefert auch Fragmente fuer die Wanderausstellung "The Berlin Wall. A World Divided", die seit 2024 durch Europa tourt und derzeit in Barcelona gastiert Fake Berlin Wall fragments on sale as souvenirs?dw.com·SecondaryWhen the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, it sealed the fate of East Germany. People wasted no time and started hacking away at the monstrosity with hammers and chisels. Those people chipping away at the former border barricade were known as "Mauerspechte," or wall woodpeckers. By June 1990, most of the Berlin Wall had been taken care of by bulldozers. Only a few sections of it have survived to this day; at the official Berlin Wall Memorial or the East Side Gallery, for example..

Die Preise beginnen bei 9,90 Euro, und jedes Stueck wird mit einem Echtheitszertifikat geliefert Are the pieces of the Berlin Wall sold as souvenirs fake or the real deal?dw.com·SecondaryWhen the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, it sealed the fate of East Germany. People wasted no time and started hacking away at the monstrosity with hammers and chisels. Those people chipping away at the former border barricade were known as "Mauerspechte," or wall woodpeckers. By June 1990, most of the Berlin Wall had been taken care of by bulldozers. Only a few sections of it have survived to this day; at the official Berlin Wall Memorial or the East Side Gallery, for example.. Zu den Kunden des Unternehmens zaehlt auch der Deutsche Bundestag — ein Detail, das den quasi-offiziellen Status dieser Souvenirs unterstreicht Fake Berlin Wall fragments on sale as souvenirs?dw.com·SecondaryWhen the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, it sealed the fate of East Germany. People wasted no time and started hacking away at the monstrosity with hammers and chisels. Those people chipping away at the former border barricade were known as "Mauerspechte," or wall woodpeckers. By June 1990, most of the Berlin Wall had been taken care of by bulldozers. Only a few sections of it have survived to this day; at the official Berlin Wall Memorial or the East Side Gallery, for example..

Die Frage der Faelschungen

Sacha raeume ein, dass nicht alles, was als Berliner Mauer verkauft werde, echt sei. Einige auf dem Markt befindliche Stuecke seien Gipsimitationen, so Sacha gegenueber DW Are the pieces of the Berlin Wall sold as souvenirs fake or the real deal?dw.com·SecondaryWhen the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, it sealed the fate of East Germany. People wasted no time and started hacking away at the monstrosity with hammers and chisels. Those people chipping away at the former border barricade were known as "Mauerspechte," or wall woodpeckers. By June 1990, most of the Berlin Wall had been taken care of by bulldozers. Only a few sections of it have survived to this day; at the official Berlin Wall Memorial or the East Side Gallery, for example.. Sein Unternehmen mache keinen Hehl daraus, die Fragmente nach der Entnahme in kraeftigen Farben zu besprühen — eine Praxis, die an die Graffiti erinnern soll, die die Westseite der urspruenglichen Mauer bedeckten Fake Berlin Wall fragments on sale as souvenirs?dw.com·SecondaryWhen the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, it sealed the fate of East Germany. People wasted no time and started hacking away at the monstrosity with hammers and chisels. Those people chipping away at the former border barricade were known as "Mauerspechte," or wall woodpeckers. By June 1990, most of the Berlin Wall had been taken care of by bulldozers. Only a few sections of it have survived to this day; at the official Berlin Wall Memorial or the East Side Gallery, for example.. Kritiker des Souvenirhandels stellen seit langem infrage, ob Echtheitszertifikate eine aussagekraeftige Verifizierung bieten, da es nach dem Abriss kein zentrales Erfassungssystem fuer Mauerfragmente gab.

Die Herausforderung der Authentifizierung wird durch das schiere Ausmass der Mauer verstaerkt. Die urspruengliche Barriere erstreckte sich ueber 155 Kilometer um West-Berlin und bestand aus Betonplatten von 3,6 Metern Hoehe und 1,2 Metern Breite Are the pieces of the Berlin Wall sold as souvenirs fake or the real deal?dw.com·SecondaryWhen the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, it sealed the fate of East Germany. People wasted no time and started hacking away at the monstrosity with hammers and chisels. Those people chipping away at the former border barricade were known as "Mauerspechte," or wall woodpeckers. By June 1990, most of the Berlin Wall had been taken care of by bulldozers. Only a few sections of it have survived to this day; at the official Berlin Wall Memorial or the East Side Gallery, for example.. Im Laufe der Jahrzehnte wurden zahlreiche komplette Segmente an Museen, Botschaften und oeffentliche Plaetze weltweit verschickt, wobei der Verbleib vieler Abschnitte unbekannt bleibt Fake Berlin Wall fragments on sale as souvenirs?dw.com·SecondaryWhen the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, it sealed the fate of East Germany. People wasted no time and started hacking away at the monstrosity with hammers and chisels. Those people chipping away at the former border barricade were known as "Mauerspechte," or wall woodpeckers. By June 1990, most of the Berlin Wall had been taken care of by bulldozers. Only a few sections of it have survived to this day; at the official Berlin Wall Memorial or the East Side Gallery, for example..

Ein Geschaeftsmodell im Wandel

Obwohl das Unternehmen noch 40 bis 45 Segmente lagert — 30 davon intakt — orientiert sich Urban Products allmaehlich weg vom Mauerfragment-Handel Are the pieces of the Berlin Wall sold as souvenirs fake or the real deal?dw.com·SecondaryWhen the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, it sealed the fate of East Germany. People wasted no time and started hacking away at the monstrosity with hammers and chisels. Those people chipping away at the former border barricade were known as "Mauerspechte," or wall woodpeckers. By June 1990, most of the Berlin Wall had been taken care of by bulldozers. Only a few sections of it have survived to this day; at the official Berlin Wall Memorial or the East Side Gallery, for example.. Die Nachfrage sei in den vergangenen Jahren zurueckgegangen, weshalb das Unternehmen auf nostalgische Blechschilder, Berlin-Schluesselanhaenger und andere Erinnerungsstuecke diversifiziere Fake Berlin Wall fragments on sale as souvenirs?dw.com·SecondaryWhen the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, it sealed the fate of East Germany. People wasted no time and started hacking away at the monstrosity with hammers and chisels. Those people chipping away at the former border barricade were known as "Mauerspechte," or wall woodpeckers. By June 1990, most of the Berlin Wall had been taken care of by bulldozers. Only a few sections of it have survived to this day; at the official Berlin Wall Memorial or the East Side Gallery, for example..

Dieser Wandel spiegelt eine breitere Spannung in Deutschlands Umgang mit seiner geteilten Vergangenheit wider. Die urspruenglichen Mauerspechte — so der Spitzname der Buerger, die mit Haemmern und Meisseln als Erste auf die Barriere einschlugen — handelten aus einer Mischung von Euphorie, Trotz und Opportunismus Are the pieces of the Berlin Wall sold as souvenirs fake or the real deal?dw.com·SecondaryWhen the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, it sealed the fate of East Germany. People wasted no time and started hacking away at the monstrosity with hammers and chisels. Those people chipping away at the former border barricade were known as "Mauerspechte," or wall woodpeckers. By June 1990, most of the Berlin Wall had been taken care of by bulldozers. Only a few sections of it have survived to this day; at the official Berlin Wall Memorial or the East Side Gallery, for example.. Heute fuegt sich die Kommerzialisierung dieser Fragmente nur schwer neben offizielle Gedenkstaetten wie die Gedenkstaette Berliner Mauer an der Bernauer Strasse und die East Side Gallery, die die Mauer als feierliche Mahnung und nicht als kommerzielles Produkt bewahren.

Bewahrung gegen Kommerz

Historiker und Denkmalschuetzer haben Bedenken ueber die Auswirkungen des Souvenirhandels auf das kollektive Gedaechtnis geaeussert. Wenn ein Stueck der Mauer zum Kuehlschrankmagneten oder zur Postkartendekoration wird, drohe sein historisches Gewicht zum Kitsch reduziert zu werden Fake Berlin Wall fragments on sale as souvenirs?dw.com·SecondaryWhen the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, it sealed the fate of East Germany. People wasted no time and started hacking away at the monstrosity with hammers and chisels. Those people chipping away at the former border barricade were known as "Mauerspechte," or wall woodpeckers. By June 1990, most of the Berlin Wall had been taken care of by bulldozers. Only a few sections of it have survived to this day; at the official Berlin Wall Memorial or the East Side Gallery, for example.. Die Kulturverwaltung des Berliner Senats habe wiederholt eine strengere Regulierung des Handels gefordert, ohne dass ein umfassendes Regelwerk umgesetzt worden sei.

Gleichzeitig argumentieren Befuerworter des Geschaefts, dass breit gestreute Fragmente die Erinnerung an die Teilung auf eine Weise wachhalten, die statische Denkmaeler nicht leisten koennen. Ein Stueck der Mauer auf einem Schreibtisch in Shanghai oder in einem Wohnzimmer in Texas diene als greifbare Verbindung zu einem Schluesselmoment der Geschichte des 20. Jahrhunderts Are the pieces of the Berlin Wall sold as souvenirs fake or the real deal?dw.com·SecondaryWhen the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, it sealed the fate of East Germany. People wasted no time and started hacking away at the monstrosity with hammers and chisels. Those people chipping away at the former border barricade were known as "Mauerspechte," or wall woodpeckers. By June 1990, most of the Berlin Wall had been taken care of by bulldozers. Only a few sections of it have survived to this day; at the official Berlin Wall Memorial or the East Side Gallery, for example..

Mit dem nahenden 40. Jahrestag des Mauerfalls im Jahr 2029 zeichnet sich keine Loesung der Debatte ab, wie erinnert werden soll — und wer vom Erinnern profitiert. Vorerst fliesst der Beton weiter aus einem Lagerhaus in Reinickendorf, ein bemalter Splitter nach dem anderen Fake Berlin Wall fragments on sale as souvenirs?dw.com·SecondaryWhen the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, it sealed the fate of East Germany. People wasted no time and started hacking away at the monstrosity with hammers and chisels. Those people chipping away at the former border barricade were known as "Mauerspechte," or wall woodpeckers. By June 1990, most of the Berlin Wall had been taken care of by bulldozers. Only a few sections of it have survived to this day; at the official Berlin Wall Memorial or the East Side Gallery, for example..