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All Germany Berlin Marx and Engels Forum

Marx and Engels Forum

One of downtown Berlin's last reminders of its Communist past.

Berlin, Germany

Added By
Lara Maree
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  lostlara / Atlas Obscura User
  lostlara / Atlas Obscura User
Sunset on Communism  
  IgFan / Atlas Obscura User
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  houseofballs / Atlas Obscura User
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Kneeling before Marx and Engels   lindybcn / Atlas Obscura User
  lindybcn / Atlas Obscura User
Marx-Engels-Forum in Berlin, GDR, summer of 1986.   Håkan Henriksson/CC BY 3.0
Marx and Engels with some fresh flowers   Jaszmina Szendrey / Atlas Obscura User
Statue of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in Berlin (Germany).   Michael Barera / Atlas Obscura User
30 Apr 2025. Klassic Marx & Engels   Ragnar of Ballard / Atlas Obscura User
Berlin Fernsehturm behind the statue   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
30 Apr 2025. Berlin Dom in the background   Ragnar of Ballard / Atlas Obscura User
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About

In socialist countries, statues of the fathers of the Communist idea, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, were commonplace in most cities. Berlin was no exception, though unlike many former Communist cities, the pair are still standing (or in Marx's case, sitting) downtown today.

The larger-than-life statues of Marx and Engels, co-authors of The Communist Manifesto, were unveiled in 1986. Behind the statues is a relief wall showing scenes from the history of the German socialist movement. 

Before World War II, the area now occupied by the statue was a densely populated Old Town quarter between the river and the Alexanderplatz public central square. Allied bombing razed the area, and when the ruins were cleared after the war nothing was built to replace them for years until the statue was erected.

Since German reunification in 1990, however, the statue has been the subject of public controversy. Some feel it is an unwanted relic of a regime they oppose, whereas others believe the site has artistic and cultural significance. For now, the latter has prevailed. 

The Marx and Engels Forum was once set against the backdrop of the (now demolished) Palast der Republik, the former seat of parliament for the German Democratic Republic (GDR), or East Germany. However, construction for an extension of the U5 U-Bahn line meant that the monument was moved to a shady corner a few hundred meters away, rather than right in the centre of the square.

During this relocation, the statue was also turned (symbolically?) by 180 degrees, now set facing away from Alexanderplatz and towards the former West Berlin. It is located just across the street from the city's GDR Museum.

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Communist Monuments Communism Statues History World War Ii Military

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lostlara

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lindybcn, houseofballs, Jaszmina Szendrey, Meg...

  • lindybcn
  • houseofballs
  • Jaszmina Szendrey
  • Meg
  • Ragnar of Ballard
  • katielou106
  • Michael Barera
  • IgFan
  • evilolive

Published

October 23, 2017

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Marx and Engels Forum
Karl-Liebknecht St
Berlin
Germany
52.518802, 13.403454
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