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Jahrhunderthalle / Centennial park

First impressions - continued

HF 17.1.2011

Adam Chwielewski and Roland came to pick me up from the hotel to give a first tour of the city. A first destination was the Centennial centre: Jahrhunderthalle. Once we had driven out of the old part of town and taken the road beside the river to continue through various urban areas, there was something curious at every traffic light when we had to stop. I had just asked Adam how many students the university has and I could not believe my ears: 100 000. That showed itself at every juncture since numerous students would cross in front of the car the street. While waiting for the lights to change, this young population on the move were like still vague contours on the horizon. Some were on bicycles, others moved in groups of four or five, while their various subjects they were studying could be deciphered as to what they were carrying.

The centennial hall with the monument reaching into the sky to manifest the departure of the Germans with the Polish residents moving into the city. The monument reminds of the recent erection of a Jesus statue of equal height into the sky as if this is the only limit.

Former film studio

Something reminds about Babelsberg. Questions go through the mind, for example, can such a former film production site be revived? Naturally film was often too close to call not art but propaganda. Since on the premise of the centennial hall build in 1913 like the 'Völkerschlachtdenkmal' (people's monument) in Leipzig to celebrate the victory over Napolean, such monumental buildings evoke uneasy associations with power games being played through rank and file till all believe in the same impossibility, namely that they could escape the vindictive spirit of war. So they join voluntarily and even convince themselves as if they were doing not only the right but the heroic thing. This question about the vanity of destruction will become a constant theme when reflecting what happened in this city until 1945. When walking through these grounds Adam Chmielewski it can be noticed the relief that here took place the International Peace Conference in 1949 with Picasso being present. It set off another understanding of how to live together without waging war. Europe followed the flight of Picasso's peace dove which he drew on a napkin while attending this conference in now Wroclaw. History does not repeat itself but has a way of showing the way on to the next stage.

The lay out of the park surrounding the centennial hall

Neutrality is not the word; rather the surrounding has become a place frequented during the summer months by countless people. There is a huge park with a water fountain just behind it. In the winter there is an ice skating rink but this year the weather has been rather crazy: two weeks snow followed by rain and then sunshine driving up the temperatures during the day to melt the ice. It was impossible to say if it had to do with climate change or weather just gone off a tangent to become completely unpredictable. At the same time, space is covered like a mantra with layers upon layers of thoughts made while crossing these grounds.

Entry to the park

Roland Zarzycki and Adam Chmielewski

Conference hall

A possible venue for the May 2011 conference "culture of small things" shall be in this large auditorium holding nearly 900 people.

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