Drifting through Cityscapes Drifting through Cityscapes MTL final copy | Page 33

karla krey
„Platz Da» Dresden „Roter Turm / Red Tower» 1968.
I went to school in a village like part of Karlsruhe, Ger-
many. In my last year I had a history teacher who
mentioned he had been part in the local students
protests in the district (he had stayed his whole life in
that part of the city where he was now teaching).
Taking part in this seminar, I had to think back to that,
because I never understood how this man had come
from protesting to openly advertising the conserva-
tive party in his lectures. He told us about the siege –
like situation the students faced in one of the old
towers of the city wall. There they had initially come
together to discuss politics (opposing neo – Nazis)
and form theater groups. When I read more about the history of the tower community I had to think of a
neigborhood café in Dresden (where I study now). In
front of this place it happend now and then that
people with suspiciously shaved heads gathered
provocatively. I chose a Google Street View picture
to emphasize the ordinarity of the place. Thoughts
and ideas can be everywhere, they do not need
special places. I believe, the spirit of ´68 lives on as
long as there are people willing to discuss their visions
and are never to comfortable with a solution pre-
sented from above.