Over a period of four years, the
Square of the European Promise
is being created in the city of Bochum
in Germany. It is an invitation to the
inhabitants of Bochum and the Ruhr area
as well as the citizens of the Europe
to be the authors of a new square.
All participants contribute their names,
and each name – which will be inscribed on the square - will stand for a promise.
The inspiration for this artwork by Jochen Gerz is the “Heroes Memorial Hall“ dating back to 1931, which is situated in the restored ruin of the tower of the Christ Church in Bochum (Christuskirche). It features a list of the names of citizens of Bochum who died in World War I, as well as a surprising second list: the “enemy states of Germany“. Today all of them are Germany’s neighbours and friends. However
not only France, England, Italy, Portugal
and the former Czechoslovakia are listed here, but also many other states such as the United States of America and Russia. This prophetic list anticipates World War II and the destruction of Europe.
The Square of the European Promise
contrasts both these lists with a new
one: The names of the living. Their
promises stand for a shared future for all
European people.
Each person makes a private, unrestricted
and unpublished promise, thus contributing
to an invisible manifesto of many voices
and cultures -the Europe of today.
The Square of the European Promise has
been commissioned by the city of Bochum.
It will be handed over to the public probably in 2011, after the year of the
European Capital of Culture of the Ruhr metropolis.
invitation
“Europe is not to speak with one voice, but many. Tolerance has many voices. Like the stars that give their light to the night, the people give their word to the future.“ (Jochen Gerz).
My contribution to the Square of the European Promise is the inscription of my name onto the new square and a promise that I give to Europe, which will not be published. My contribution is free of charge.
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First name, Last name – please use block letters
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Postal code, city, Address
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Phone, Email
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Place and Date
The Square of the European Promise by Jochen Gerz is created as a contribution to the European Capital of Culture Ruhr 2010.
Platz des europäischen Versprechens
An der Christuskirche 1
D-44787 Bochum
Germany
Phone: 0049 (0)234 506 27 94
Email: info@pev2010.eu
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© Sabitha Saul
Square of the European PromiseThe "enemy states of Germany", 1931 |
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| © Sabitha Saul |
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