The capital city of Germany is an artistic, historical, political and cultural haven. Gothic influence sculptures intermingling with powerful new-age street art is only one of its delicious cross-cultural ingenuities. Unfortunately, its impression around the world rarely reflects its rich heritage and society. The historical context that comes to the minds of most people at the mention of Berlin starts in the 1930s. As horrific and colossally brutal this past is, it doesn't paint the whole picture. Berlin, the street art Mecca of the urban alternative world and the birth city of electronic music, existed long before 1930.
If you were to close your eyes and think of the capital city of Germany, the image that pops into your head might be of a hardened flag painted in red, white, black and hatred. The image is never of the exquisite Renaissance water colour landscapes of Dürer and the harmonisation of detail in his portrayals of Hercules, nor of the classic manifestation of the Baroque era in the form of the grand Charlottenburg Palace. The refined sculptures, the unrefined, raw art, the delicate architecture — these are only the tip of Berlin's historically and culturally rich iceberg.
Berlin's historical belt might have a black notch, but it has gleaming ones as well. A shining illustration of its bright, rich history is its French Cathedral decorating the Eastern side of the Gendarmenmarkt square. This magnificent square is unarguably the most beautiful Berlin has to offer. Although destroyed in WWII and rebuilt as it stands today, the original French Cathedral was built between 1701 and 1705 for the Huguenots. The Huguenots were a branch of Protestants from France.
In 1685, King Louis XIV in France issued the Edict of Fountainbleu that revoked the right of Huguenots to practice their religion. This led to State persecution of these Protestants in the form of destruction of their churches, shutting down of their schools, and so forth. Following this, 6,000 French Protestants fled France in fear of intolerance and persecution, and were given asylum in Berlin by the Great Elector Friedrich III.
Berlin opened its arms to a wealth of French artists, poets, writers, philosophers — great men and women fleeing their homeland. This magnificent Cathedral stands testament to the warm and welcoming past of Berlin, who not only welcomed those in need, but built a Cathedral to give them a safe and beautiful place of worship.
The glowing history of Berlin may not be able to outshine the last 75 cloudy years. However, Berlin doesn't want that to happen. Berlin isn't looking for an escape route, a scapegoat or a quick-fix way to erase its mistakes and wipe the slate clean. No, Berlin as a city accepts its dark past, bows its head humbly, closes its eyes and delivers a heartfelt apology.