WW2 Memorial

Response to “Public Figures” by Jena Osman

The World War II Memorial

To: 7/7/2015

Alexander Niebler

The Second World War, started by Nazi Germany in Poland in 1939, caused the death of over 60 million people, the collapse of political systems, the destructions of cities and towns and traumata for the survivors not only in Germany but world-wide. Each country has it’s own way of  remembering the victims and casualties of the worst period of human history. The United States of America have built for that purpose the official World War II memorial in the heart of it’s capital Washington founded by President Clinton on May 25, 1993. Being build between the Lincoln and the Washington memorial it should both demonstrate the importance of the Second World War for today and pointing out America’s role in the war in which the democratic ideals won by George Washington and upheld by Abraham Lincoln were the key factor for victory over Nazi Germany.

The memorial itself is build in an oval form with a Rainbow Pool in the middle surrounded by 50 columns which represent the 50 U.S. states. On both sides there are small towers representing Americas two fighting fronts - in the Atlantic and the Pacific. On the opposite site of the entrance there is a wall covering 4048 golden stars representing the 405399 American casualties in the war.

The designer, Friedrich St. Florian, used a lot of symbolism to transmit the seriousness of the memorial to the visitors. This does not only stay within the form of construction. Florian made use of quotes, names and objects to transmit his message.  

As the visitor approaches to the site, he is at first confronted with quotes from American politicians and militarists. Personally, the quote of President Harry Struman showed me the importance of the monument. By using the past, Struman points out that what has happened in the 1940s can never be forgotten and will affect every following generation. 

Moreover, as he continues his walk, he sees cartoons made out of stone included in the walls showing everyday life situations of american soldiers pointing out how life has been during then war.

A hidden, however important detail is that each column is connected with the two beside him by a strong rope which represents the American unity. 

The fact that the monument itself is wide-ranging, however not of a high altitude, points indirectly out that the victory of the USA in the war is not the achievement of single person but of the co-operation of many individuals united by common democratic ideas.

Florian uses all of these symbols to create an universal m monument which confronts every visitor with his or her own history and in the same way pointing out the glorious role of the U.S. in the Second World War.