Germany loves David Hasselhoff. Apparently, he sang about “Looking for Freedom” as the Berlin Wall fell. It became an anthem of sorts, surprisingly. He was recently in Berlin again helping in the fight against developers knocking down the longest remaining stretch of the Wall so that they can build luxury apartments.
The gentrification of Berlin has become a hot button issue over the last number of years, and this move in particular has people in the streets protesting, and for good reason. For better or worse, the Berlin Wall is a major part of modern Western history that should be preserved. It is a reminder of the way things once were so that we can remember into the future. It is part of the history of the city and the people within it. These people are saying they want it preserved. Will they win? Or will the developers?