A conversation between four colossal figures of the “virtues of the German people” about German identity as reflected through the history of the figures, their role in society and how these have changed over the past 100 years. Stimmen der Ruhmeshalle (Voices of the Hall of Fame) was an audio installation for the Völkerschlachtdenkmal (Battle of the Nations Monument) in Leipzig. I developed the script for the audio work from interviews and a survey I conducted with German citizens.
The monument was built in 1913 to commemorate the defeat of Napoleon’s army in 1813 by a coalition including newly united German (Prussian, Saxon and Württemberg) forces, an important event in Germany’s path to nationhood. The four 9.5 meter tall figures represent Volkskraft (Ethnic Strength), Glaubensstärke (Steadfast Belief), Tapferkeit (Bravery) and Opferbereitschaft (Willingness to Sacrifice).
The audio work lasts 20-minutes and ran once each hour during the celebrations of the monument’s centennial, in October 2013. The video at top is a short, English-subtitled excerpt. For the English version of the script, click here.