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War scars in Berlin's rivers: Art as a voice of remembrance
In the article “Oder-Spree” discover the traces of war and environmental pollution on rivers that offer opportunities for ecological regeneration.
War scars in Berlin's rivers: Art as a voice of remembrance
The echoes of the past are often closer than we think. This is made clear once again by the discovery of a bomb in the Spree in Berlin. This discovery is a solid sign that the scars that war leaves on the landscape run deep. As the Sunny Side reports, rivers not only show the physical traces of conflict in the form of contaminated sites, but the affected ecosystems are also a constant reminder of the horrors of war.
As part of a recent interview, artists and researchers such as Claudia van Hasselt, Oleksandra Shumilova, Nicolas Wiese and Christian Wolter presented their views on this topic. Wiese emphasizes that the dangers of bombs remain in the air even decades after they have been dropped. This gave rise to the “PEACES so far” project, which examines how rivers can function as mirror images of wars.
Rivers as a mirror of the past
Claudia van Hasselt has placed the long-term consequences of conflicts at the center of her considerations. These are expressed not only in the destruction of nature, but also in the everyday lives of the people affected. Christian Wolter describes that leftover ammunition, such as on the Oder, has become a sad reality. In order to eliminate these dangers, comprehensive clearance operations are necessary.
Another example is the Kakhovka reservoir in Ukraine, which is emptying after a dam burst. The consequences are serious: The local ecosystem is showing signs of regeneration, but sediments containing heavy metals are polluting the surrounding area. This shows how complex the aftereffects of war on the environment are.
Risks and opportunities
The toxic pollution caused by the military use of rivers not only creates environmental problems, but also health risks for the population. Wolter warns of the accumulation of pollutants in the food chain. But not everything is lost: the destruction can also offer opportunities for ecological regeneration. In many cases, nature can reclaim “lost” areas, as stated by van Hasselt.
The art project, whose theme is “damaged rivers,” illuminates this complex connection between destruction and healing using images, sound and vibration. The large amount of data collected visually shows the differences between healthy and polluted rivers and thus sensitizes society to this issue. The Berlin Science Week has already shown the first excerpts from this project, and it is clear how important the rivers are for the climate and biodiversity goals. They must be placed at the center of protection efforts.
Going back even further, rivers are not only part of landscapes, but also of conflicts. In wars they have served as front lines. Dams were often used as weapons. This illustrates how the “PEACES so far” project plays with the question of how rivers can be seen as victims and at the same time as places of regeneration.
The debates about the ecological and psychosocial traces that wars leave behind are far-reaching. The insights and results of the artists and scientists concerned show that the role of nature cannot be ignored when considering war and peace.