Report: Obama To Speak At Victory Column, Not Brandenburg Gate

According to German papers, Barack Obama will speak at Berlin's Victory Column instead of the Brandenburg Gate on his trip to Germany. Bloomberg reports on the Berliner Zeitung story:

A stage will be set up at the column, a 19th-century fluted structure that lies at the opposite end of a tree-lined boulevard from the Brandenburg Gate, the newspaper said. The campaign will announce the plans for July 24 today, it said.

An appearance at the Victory Column, capped by its trademark gilded angel, will still give the Illinois senator the Brandenburg Gate as a backdrop in the distance.

...

While the Brandenburg Gate has come to symbolize Germany's division and reunification, the Victory Column celebrates Prussia's victories over Denmark, Austria and France in the late 19th century. More recently, the column and its angel were was featured in Wim Wenders's 1987 film ``Wings of Desire.''

Ben Smith references another report from the Welt Online.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed skepticism about an Obama speech about the Brandenburg Gate.

Comments

[DaOne]

It will be nice to see large crowds attracted to an American politician who aren't protesting.

We can reestablish our street cred over the next eight years.

Obama 08

[bodo]

Another Love Parade at the Victory Column. This space was selected mainly because Obama wanted a wide open space. The background is of course immaterial, for with present-day TV technology any sort of background can easily be dubbed in.

[MarkieBee]

Merkel is doing everything she can to earn another back rub from Dubya.

[VOTER]

McCain is furious over the public attention to Senator Obama from the large crowds of people here at home and abroad wishing to see and hear him speak.

In his attempts to take some of this attention away from Obama, McCain is

is going to the Czech Republic. : - /

[CologneCitizen]

We all look forward to next Thursday when Barack will speak over here.

There are two reasons why he is so popular in Germany. He seems to be a very friendly and open minded person and brings across that good old "can do attitude" that neither Bush or McCain can deliver.

And most important:: He will end the intellectual desert Bush has brought upon the presidency of the USA. Many Germans speak and understand english. Always a pleasure to listen to Obama. He makes sense and is such a breath of fresh air compared to Bush's useless fight with words and meanings.

[Youth4Obama]

Merkel is Cheney's puppet.

[bellecloche]

Most of Germans here say she did it not to oppose the U.S. Democrats - she has no interest in ticking them off - but to oppose the German Social Democrats since it was their project to bring Obama here to Berlin. It's a tiff between her and the German Secretary of State, not Obama.

[txgal44]

Merkel is a stupid idiot!!

[openhand]

I always try to spend time with kids who use the word 'stupid' too freely, to try to get them to express more accurately their frustrations, as this word seems to have more of an affect on the user.

[Gma11]

We've got grandkids from a couple of different states visiting us right now. A six-year old ran in the house a few hours ago saying, "Mommy, L**** said the "S" word!" I thought, oh here we go.

Turns out the "S" word that is not allowed to be said in that household is "Stupid."

[roshni]

No more backrubs for Merkel! She doesn't deserve them.

[openhand]

The statue of the Golden Angel was the apt centre point of the Berlin Love Parade that followed unification. I will be arriving in Berlin from London on the 23rd!!!!

[rosal]

To be prud of our country again! A victory indeed.

[vippy]

Bush will be so jealous. All he got was a select audience and riots and beer cans thrown at him.

[EuroRant1]

Best of all ... to be able to hold our heads up high and not be ashamed. To have the world look at us with a bit of envy again ... oh happy day.

This has been a long dark tunnel (here in Europe for exPats living and working here).

Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. - John F Kennedy

[mhopgood123]

Ich bin eine berliner

[vippy]

Ich bin ein Berliner!

[openhand]

Um, guys please don't say this in Germany, it translates as 'I am a jelly doughnut!'

as for:

'I am a Hamburger'
'I am a Frankfurter'

[MsLiz]

Ich bein eine hamburger.

[bodo]

Ich bin ein Wiener.

[klimtone]

I hope someone tells Obama to say only, "Ich bin Berliner" as one doesn't need the "ein" in there. It will make his speech even better though I prefer the Brandenburg Tör as a backdrop.

[Hare]

hmmmmm "wings of Desire". It worked out even better

We desire for Obama to be our next president and to use the wings of of the WH for betterment of our country!!!!

[roshni]

An aptly photogenic backdrop for our very articulate future president. Can't wait to see the videos!

[AnotherMike]

Do we have any idea how large of a crowd they can accomodate?

We were pleasantly surprised at the 80,000 person turnout here in Portland, but for the amount of worldwide exposure and fanfare Sen. Obama is enjoying I would imagine his upcoming events could certainly outshine those numbers...

[openhand]

The Portland event was on the anniversary of the Mt St. Helens May 18th 1980 eruption.

The Berlin speech will take place in an area about 30 000sqm, so I would think it could cope with about 60 to 90 000 people.

[EuroRant1]

No one is saying it out loud ... but the message all over Europe here is crystal clear: They are so looking forward to a new form of leadership from America. Undoubtedly, German Chancellor Merkel had to save face after a few weeks ago giving 'W' the diplomatic "snub". Merkel announced a few days ago that she would leave the final decision to Berlin's Mayor Wowereit on where Senator Obama would be speaking.

His decision for the "Victory" column could not have been a better choice. What an appropriate venue. Vielen dank Bürgermeister Klaus Wowereit (Many thanks Mayor Klaus Wowereit).

[naschkatze]

He will have the same crowd at one end of the avenue as he would have had at the other. So, what's the difference? Republicans are going to be hopping mad. I love it.

[roshni]

I love it too. This location is even more conducive to great filming and more symbolic of what Obama is about to do.

[marymansour]

So reminiscent of JFK and his speech - I am a Berliner...these are glorious days. I never thought we would see this again in my life time.

GO OBAMA!

[SCG]

I hope there's a turn out that stuns the TV viewers. ; )

[txgal44]

I think we're about to be stunned!!!

[pupbayer]

How is it reminiscent of JFK? Different place, Different person. Different position (president vs. candidate). It IS in Germany. I guess that's it.

[conservativesoncrack]

Marymansour means that we have someone with charisma that is a communicator not possesed by big business that may actually move the ball forward for "the people". You know, not a faky communicator like Ronald Reagan. In Obama we have a true leader!

GO OBAMA!