PrintPress Archive
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| Mike de Vries, Managing Director of FC Deutschland GmbH, Professor Jutta Limbach, President of the Goethe Institute, and Clemens-Peter Haase, Head of Department Literature and Translation Promotion (from left to right). |
2006/04/21
Presentation of the fourth major Walk of Ideas sculpture in Berlin: "Modern Book Printing" on Bebelplatz
Berlin, 21.04.2006 - With the unveiling of the twelve by three-and-a-half metre sculpture 'Modern Book Printing' on Bebelplatz in Berlin on 21 April 2006, the fourth of a total of six sculptures was added to the Walk of Ideas.
The sculpture is of a pile of books, symbolising the revolutionary invention of letterpress printing by Johannes Gutenberg at the cusp of the Middle Ages and the Modern Era.
In his welcoming speech, Mike de Vries, Managing Director of FC Deutschland GmbH, noted that the day of unveiling of the Modern Printing sculpture had been chosen with care, 23 April also being the date on which the World Day of the Book is celebrated: “The invention of modern letterpress printing was a milestone in the history of German ideas which had truly global implications”.
In her speech, President of the Goethe Institute Professor Jutta Limbach highlighted the fact that Gutenberg’s invention made human enlightenment and mass information possible for the first time: “One’s own language, the written word underpin the identity of people everywhere. That is why it is especially appropriate that the sculpture should be on display at a location where, more than 70 years ago, on 10 May 1933, the works of the greatest German authors were consigned to the flames. At this place the sculpture Modern Printing should be viewed as an admonishment to do everything possible to ensure that the German language and culture can never again be abused by those who hate humanity”.
After the unveiling of the sculpture the writers Ulrike Draesner, Georg Klein and Emine Sevgi Özdamar regaled the assembled crowd with readings from their works.
The Walk of Ideas invites the visitor to take a stroll through the heart of Berlin past six major sculptures symbolising Germany’s wealth of ideas. After the unveiling of the first four (‘The Modern Football Boot’, ‘Milestones of Medicine’, ‘The Automobile’ and ‘Modern Book Printing’), the final two sculptures, ‘Masterpieces of Music’ and ‘The Theory of Relativity’ will be presented by the end of May, thus completing the Walk of Ideas.
Ideas from Germany also made the production of the sculptures possible in the first place: they are all made of Neopor®, an innovative material developed by BASF, and coated with a new metallic paint from BASF Coatings.
Find more about the Walk of Ideas
The initiators
“Germany – Land of Ideas” is a joint national campaign by the Federal Government and German business, the latter represented by the National Federation of German Industry. The aim of the campaign is to present an image of Germany, at home and abroad, as an innovative, cosmopolitan and enthusiastic country. The patron of the campaign is the Federal President, Horst Köhler. FC Deutschland GmbH under its Managing Director Mike de Vries is co-ordinating the campaign. “Land of Ideas” is supported by numerous German companies and cooperation partners from the worlds of science, culture and society. The campaign is implementing five core projects: the “Walk of Ideas” sculpture park, the “365 Landmarks in the Land of Ideas” series of events, the “FanClub”, the International Media Service and the Welcome Project.
The partners
adidas-Salomon AG • Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG • Allianz AG • AUDI AG • AWD Holding AG • BASF AG • Bayer AG • Deutsche Bank AG • Deutsche Börse AG • Deutsche Lufthansa AG • DHL • Deutsche Telekom AG • EnBW AG E.ON AG • Fraport AG • Georgsmarienhütte Holding GmbH • HDI Versicherungen • Heitkamp & Thumann Group • IKB Deutsche Industriebank AG • Roland Berger Strategy Consultants • RWE AG • Voith AG • Wall AG
Contact:
Steffi Würzig
Public Relations Coordinator Germany
Deutschland - Land der Ideen
FC Deutschland GmbH
Unter den Linden 74
D-10117 Berlin
Tel.: +49 (0)-30-206-459-46
Fax: +49 (0)-30-206-459-37
wuerzig@land-der-ideen.de
www.land-of-ideas.org
In his welcoming speech, Mike de Vries, Managing Director of FC Deutschland GmbH, noted that the day of unveiling of the Modern Printing sculpture had been chosen with care, 23 April also being the date on which the World Day of the Book is celebrated: “The invention of modern letterpress printing was a milestone in the history of German ideas which had truly global implications”.
In her speech, President of the Goethe Institute Professor Jutta Limbach highlighted the fact that Gutenberg’s invention made human enlightenment and mass information possible for the first time: “One’s own language, the written word underpin the identity of people everywhere. That is why it is especially appropriate that the sculpture should be on display at a location where, more than 70 years ago, on 10 May 1933, the works of the greatest German authors were consigned to the flames. At this place the sculpture Modern Printing should be viewed as an admonishment to do everything possible to ensure that the German language and culture can never again be abused by those who hate humanity”.
After the unveiling of the sculpture the writers Ulrike Draesner, Georg Klein and Emine Sevgi Özdamar regaled the assembled crowd with readings from their works.
The Walk of Ideas invites the visitor to take a stroll through the heart of Berlin past six major sculptures symbolising Germany’s wealth of ideas. After the unveiling of the first four (‘The Modern Football Boot’, ‘Milestones of Medicine’, ‘The Automobile’ and ‘Modern Book Printing’), the final two sculptures, ‘Masterpieces of Music’ and ‘The Theory of Relativity’ will be presented by the end of May, thus completing the Walk of Ideas.
Ideas from Germany also made the production of the sculptures possible in the first place: they are all made of Neopor®, an innovative material developed by BASF, and coated with a new metallic paint from BASF Coatings.
Find more about the Walk of Ideas
The initiators
“Germany – Land of Ideas” is a joint national campaign by the Federal Government and German business, the latter represented by the National Federation of German Industry. The aim of the campaign is to present an image of Germany, at home and abroad, as an innovative, cosmopolitan and enthusiastic country. The patron of the campaign is the Federal President, Horst Köhler. FC Deutschland GmbH under its Managing Director Mike de Vries is co-ordinating the campaign. “Land of Ideas” is supported by numerous German companies and cooperation partners from the worlds of science, culture and society. The campaign is implementing five core projects: the “Walk of Ideas” sculpture park, the “365 Landmarks in the Land of Ideas” series of events, the “FanClub”, the International Media Service and the Welcome Project.
The partners
adidas-Salomon AG • Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG • Allianz AG • AUDI AG • AWD Holding AG • BASF AG • Bayer AG • Deutsche Bank AG • Deutsche Börse AG • Deutsche Lufthansa AG • DHL • Deutsche Telekom AG • EnBW AG E.ON AG • Fraport AG • Georgsmarienhütte Holding GmbH • HDI Versicherungen • Heitkamp & Thumann Group • IKB Deutsche Industriebank AG • Roland Berger Strategy Consultants • RWE AG • Voith AG • Wall AG
Contact:
Steffi Würzig
Public Relations Coordinator Germany
Deutschland - Land der Ideen
FC Deutschland GmbH
Unter den Linden 74
D-10117 Berlin
Tel.: +49 (0)-30-206-459-46
Fax: +49 (0)-30-206-459-37
wuerzig@land-der-ideen.de
www.land-of-ideas.org
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