Berlin's Klardorfer elementary school joins art initiative, cultivating a piece of earth as part of the project
In an extraordinary display of unity and symbolism, a unique art installation titled "The Population" has been gracing the Light Court of the German Reichstag for the past 25 years. This art project, which involves the distribution of soil from every German constituency within the Reichstag building, serves as a powerful reminder of the nation's democratic journey.
The Reichstag, a symbol of German history and democracy, has witnessed significant events throughout the years. In 1933, it was tragically burned down, an event exploited by the Nazi regime to justify emergency powers and the suppression of civil liberties. In the 1990s, the building was famously wrapped in fabric by artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude, symbolising openness, reconciliation, and a new democratic chapter after reunification.
"The Population" project, by integrating soil from every German constituency into the Reichstag, reinforces the idea that the building represents all the people of Germany—embodying federal unity, democracy, and the diversity of the nation’s population. Over the years, a total of 490 MPs have participated in the project, contributing soil from their constituencies since 2000.
Former SPD MP Marianne Schieder and MP Tina Winklmann (Alliance 90/The Greens) are among those who have taken part in the project. Recently, MP Winklmann collected soil from the primary school in Klardorf for the artwork. The soil collected is used to create a small green garden in the trough at the heart of the installation. Principal Marion Emerich will travel to Berlin in September to witness the distribution of soil from her school.
Neon letters spelling "The Population" are placed in the middle of the trough, while a camera photographs the current state of the garden twice daily and posts the images online. This tangible representation of the soil from constituencies serves as a symbolic integration of the voices and identities of the people into the heart of German democracy.
Meanwhile, good news for parents in Neunburg: the Kindergarten bus will not be more expensive. This information, while not directly related to the main topic of the article, is included for the benefit of our readers.
As we reflect on "The Population" project, it resonates with Germany's historical journey—from a fragmented empire and tumultuous 20th century through dictatorship and division, to its present-day democratic republic. The soil from constituencies represents the grassroots—the population on which the political system stands. This grounding symbolically integrates the voices and identities of the people into the heart of German democracy.
For those interested in learning more about the artist or initiative behind "The Population", specific cultural or parliamentary documentation sources on German contemporary art projects in the Reichstag might provide further details.
The Reichstag, a symbol of German democracy, has seen multiple transformations over the years, including the integration of soil from every German constituency through the "The Population" art project, which serves as a tangible representation of the voices and identities of the people within the heart of German democracy. This project, led by various MPs such as Marianne Schieder and Tina Winklmann, also integrates learning opportunities, as one might discover more about the artist or initiative behind "The Population" by seeking out cultural or parliamentary documentation sources on German contemporary art projects in the Reichstag, making it a unique intersection of home-and-garden, lifestyle, education-and-self-development, and learning.
