Searching for the soul of the city
Walls of Incompetence
By Hans Karssenberg
29-08-2006 /views: 27414 in past 12 months.
Padua, 2006. No need for urban regeneration. Just build a wall!
They are the city’s ugly face: the walls of fear, walls of shame, walls of incompetence. What started in Berlin, went on in Belfast and Jerusalem. Very recently, it has taken the next step in Padua, Italy. Will this one too – like its predecessors – first become a protest wall for artists, and then proceed to become a major tourist attraction of times passed?
The Padua Via Anelli Wall
The Padua Via Anelli Wall
Walls of Incompetence
Throughout history many cities have had walls to keep others out. Fortifications around cities started as early as society. The Celts, the Romans, they all had defensive walls around their cities. In medieval times, perhaps the essence of a city was to have walls. When the weapons became better, walls became higher, defensive canals around them became wider, and in the end, lost their function. Some of the walls were restored purely for the architectural and historic value, such as the walls of Carcassonne. Once a part of the cities’ defence, now a tourist attraction.
Carcassonne Wall, photo by logicalrealist
Carcassonne Wall, photo by logicalrealist
The enemy within?
So far so good.
But then came the walls within cities. They show the city’s ugly face. Walls of Shame, they are called. But they could just as well be called Walls of Fear, for this is why they were built; or Walls of Incompetence, for this is what they show: the incompetence to provide real solutions. Not officially, though. In perfect New Speak, the East Germans called their Berlin Wall the ‘Anti Fascist Wall’. The Belfast Wall is officially named the ‘Peace Lines’.
Berlin
The Berlin Wall probably was the first city wall within the city. Its construction started in 1961. Remember how optimistic everyone was when its destruction began in 1989. People spoke of a warless period to come. We all witnessed the Mauerspechte (Wall Woodpeckers) cutting away at the wall to sell pieces off as souvenirs. So just like its medieval predecessors, this one too was to become a tourist attraction.
Berlin Wall, photo by Kiki J.
Berlin Wall, photo by Alias65
Belfast
After the 1961 start of the Berlin Wall, construction began in another troubled city. In the early 70s, building started on the 'Peace Lines', most of all in Belfast, but also in Londonderry/Derry and elsewhere in Northern Island. Just like its Berlin example, this wall became a podium for many murals in support of both sides. There are more than 40 barriers today, more than twenty having been built in the last ten years. Sadly, no Wall Woodpeckers here yet.
Belfast Wall, photo by Nznomad
Belfast Murals, photo by Nznomad. These murals painted on houses in central Belfast represent the ongoing conflict, and the IRA's commitment to that conflict. However, since the ceasefire the people of Belfast have begun to clean up this image of the city.
Jerusalem
Did these walls inspire the Israeli Gaza Strip Barrier, built in 1994 and the more recent Israeli West Bank Barrier, of which construction began in 2005? Again this is a barrier with many names. Most Israeli call it the Security Fence, the Antiterrorist Fence or the Seperation Fence. Most Palestinians call it the Racist Segregation Wall. Opponents abroad call it the Apartheid Wall. On July 9, 2004, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion that it is a violation of international law. However, building started in 2005, and by 2006, one third has been built, the rest is underway. Also this wall inspired artists to provide protest murals, such as the renowned British graffiti artist Banksy.
West Bank Jerusalem Wall, photo by Gabork
West Bank Jerusalem Wall, photo by Amerune; mural by artist Banksy
Gated communities
In the mean time, a new Citywall phenomenon has rooted in the US and Europe: gated communities. These too provide walls, a fortification within the city, built out of fear, out of incompetence, and to the rest of the city’s shame. The more people retreat from public life, the more they will fear it. Formal policy in many European cities says it does not allow more gated communities, but in practice they continue to be built, and there is an apparent demand. In Dublin, they became so much of a status symbol that now complexes of social housing are demanding their gates.
Gated community in Plano, Texas near Dallas; photo by Dean Terry
Gated community in Los Angeles, photo by Jazamarripae
Padua
And now, the city walls have come to a very sad next step. Padua in the North of Italy, receives many new non EU immigrants. The average in Italy is 5%, the average in the wealthy industrial and economically booming cities in the North is 10%. and in Padua, it is growing with one percent each year. Cheaper neighbourhoods are full with newcomers. At the same time, there is a lot of new drugs related crime from these neighbourhoods. And in stead of regenerating the urban areas, starting social, economic and education plans, the (socialist) mayor looked and learned from Berlin, Belfast and Jerusalem.
He decided to build a wall, the Via Anelli Wall, that separates the wealthy neighbourhoods from the less wealthy ones. A whole area with 1,500 residents is being cut off. According to the mayor, this is the way to prevent ‘French situations’. As far as he is concerned, the wall will be much longer. And again, we need an artist to start a protest by painting murals. One passage was left open in the wall around what is called the ‘African ghetto’. It has barbed wire and it is continuously under surveillance by police officers. Much like the infamous Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin during the Cold War.
The Padua Wall
We can only hope that soon the Belfast, Jerusalem and Padua walls will join the Berlin Wall to become tourist attractions, something which people fight to preserve, in order to understand the past; something which is then part of the collections of museums. Something we will then still be ashamed of, but which will not show our incompetence anymore.
I want to react!
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Reactions
Sunspot, Belfast, March 25, 2009:
"I just saw your article about walls within cities.
It was very interesting but contained some errors, specifically about the Belfast wall.
The first picture is of the wall, but it is not a 'peace wall' and has never been known as such. However, the second picture is not part of that wall, it is a mural painted on the side of a house. These murals painted on houses in central belfast have nothing to do with peace, they represent the ongoing conflict, and the IRA's commitment to that conflict. However, since the ceasefire we have begun to clean up this image of belfast. As a belfast native i would appreciate if you would reflect this in your article.
I am unsure where you got your photographs and information, but hope you will accept this well-meant correction from a belfast native."
Hans, Inspiring Cities:
It was very interesting but contained some errors, specifically about the Belfast wall.
The first picture is of the wall, but it is not a 'peace wall' and has never been known as such. However, the second picture is not part of that wall, it is a mural painted on the side of a house. These murals painted on houses in central belfast have nothing to do with peace, they represent the ongoing conflict, and the IRA's commitment to that conflict. However, since the ceasefire we have begun to clean up this image of belfast. As a belfast native i would appreciate if you would reflect this in your article.
I am unsure where you got your photographs and information, but hope you will accept this well-meant correction from a belfast native."
Hans, Inspiring Cities:
"Thank you for helping us out Sunspot! We appreciate your contribution a lot. I have updated the article with your information."
Shane Fistel, Canada, March 19, 2009:
Shane Fistel, Canada, March 19, 2009:
" Thank you for having posted the haunting image gallery of walls. I have long recognized that our civilization has erected invisible walls that divide people. The walls that for centuries has kept women under domination,that has kept black people in ghettos and unemployment,for example. There are the many other walls built,brick by brick,of religious violence and hatred,too. These are the walls that must fall one day;there is no hammer that can smash these walls. People must unite to destroy these walls before it's too late."
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