25 years ago, on November 9th, the Berlin Wall – a literal and figurative symbol of division between the East and West – came down.
Erected as a barbed wire fence overnight in 1961, the concrete, landmines, checkpoints and watch towers that soon divided the German capital into two cities became an emblem of the Cold War. 27 years later, and the fall of the wall, known to Germans as the Mauerfall, helped reunite the country for the first time since the end of the WWII.
To mark the 25th anniversary of the Mauerfall, Berlin is once again erecting the boundary between its eastern and western halves. But this time it’s neither barbed wire nor bricks and mortar – rather balloons full of light.
The Lichtgrenze, the border of light, was designed by light artist Christopher Bauder and filmmaker Marc Baunder, and consists of 8,000 radiant orbs following the exact path taken by the wall through Berlin.
Along the path at six locations, the Lichtgrenze will also display archive footage of what life was like on either side of the wall, with anecdotes and memories shared by 100 Berliners who lived during the Cold War era.
On November 9th at 19.00, 8,000 volunteers will each attach personal messages to the balloons and then disconnect the strings tying them to the ground, releasing the white glowing orbs into the sky. The balloons have been designed to biodegrade without causing any harm to the environment.
Anyone can apply to become one of the Lichtgrenze volunteers, and if you are heading to Berlin around that time, the application can be completed here.
(H/T: CreatorsProject)
