Physical traces of past events are not neutral, but interspersed with politics, economic interests and values. Material traces of the past, such as monuments, architecture, and cities itself, are politicized by the purpose to which it's put and the motivation of those doing the shaping. Those who manipulate the past are having influence over the future. Two contextually different historical monuments of Berlin - Soviet War Memorial in Treptower Park and Humboldt Forum/Berlin Palace - are sources of similar tactics of reshaping and/or manipulation of material parts of history.
Narrative of liberation of the world and Europe from the fascism in WWII is deeply rooted in russian imperialism. War monuments and commemorative practices around it are used by russia as a tool for justifying a right to "fight fascism and save the world from it". Not only presence but untouchability and protection, those memorials in Germany are beneficial for narratives which russia spreading around. There is a direct link between those monuments and the invasion of Ukraine.
Demolishing the Palace of the Republic and rebuilding the Palace of the German royal dynasty in the middle of Berlin is just one part of the massive politics of invention of a new history in Germany. In the last decade from German public and political figures it has been sounding more and more like there is a need to recover from the “cult of guilt” and focus “on the positive sides of German history”. Rebuilding the Palace of the former Royal family not only with state money, but also with big private investments from people who had a Nazi past or currently related with right-wing organizations and parties, is showing who are interested in reshaping "the negative German past".
Narbe//Scar is showing a need in rethinking our relationship with built heritage, questions the authority of the gatekeepers and argues that material representation of violent sides of history should be an image of shame not a pride.
