Obama Camp Chooses Site for Berlin Speech
Sen. Barack Obama's campaign said today that his speech in Berlin on the future of trans-Atlantic relations will be delivered in front of a Prussian war monument, rather than the Brandenburg Gate.
The announcement triggered criticism in Germany that the Victory Column, or Siegessaeule, was an inappropriate landmark for the Thursday speech, since the 226-foot column honors Prussian triumphs over Denmark, Austria and France.
Here's a close-up of Victoria (aka Nike), the Roman war goddess who stands atop this obelisk, which is 66.89 meters high. Note the Templar cross in her spear and the Apollonian laurel wreath. Again, we had a big controversy, since it was alleged Bush conveniently intervened to prevent Obama from speaking at Brandenburg, but this new site is so much more powerful symbolically, and perhaps in other ways as well.Bonus factoid: Nice, France - where the latest members of the Jolie-Pitt army were born - is named in honor of Victory/Nike.
This site claims Victoria was one of the last goddesses to succumb to Christianity. Looks like they were a little premature.
