Relevant to students of: Nazi propaganda, The Berlin Wall.
Constructed in the 18th Century in the Greek style, the Brandenburg Gate is Berlin’s most famous landmark. It is topped by a statute of the goddess of victory drawing a chariot pulled by four horses. It has become emblematic of Berlin, standing for both its division and unity.
When Hitler became Chancellor on January 30th 1933, a torchlit procession was held with SS and SA members moving through Berlin under the Brandenburg Gate towards Hitler in the presidential palace. The Gate was used in many Nazi propaganda events and marches.
It was severely damaged during World War II and in 1956, East and West Germany joined together to rebuild it. By 1961 however, with the Berlin Wall built by the Soviets, the Brandenburg gate was located in a restricted area and could not be accessed by West or East Germans. When the Wall fell in 1989, the Brandenburg Gate became a symbol of peace and unity in the newly restored Germany.