Cold War of Zoos: Berlin's animal duel in the shadow of the wall

Cold War of Zoos: Berlin's animal duel in the shadow of the wall

The 44-minute documentary "Berlin-Kalter War of the Zoos" offers an exciting review of a time when Berlin was divided and the two zoos of the city were in a peculiar race for fame and view. This film, which will be broadcast on Arte on Thursday, August 1, at 8:15 p.m., not only illuminates the animal competitions, but also shows how this rivalry was deeply rooted in the political landscape of the divided city.

a symbol of division

The creation of two competing zoos in Berlin reflects the self -perception of the two halves of the city. After the Second World War, the zoological garden in the west, once a renowned shelter, was badly destroyed. While animal keepers worked tirelessly on the reconstruction in West Berlin, the zoo was launched in the east of the zoo as an answer and competition project. The creation of this facility was the expression of the desire to assert the dominance on the wall of the wall.

animals as a political ambassador

The zoo director Heinrich Dathe in the east used the favor of the hour when he received animals from various institutions and politicians to quickly popularize his zoo. In the meantime, zoo director Heinz-Georg Klös found in the west that the zoo in the west also had to upgrade in order not to fall behind. The pursuit of the larger and better zoo quickly became a key topic of the political propaganda of both sides.

The role of the media

An important feature of this rivalry was the role of the media, especially television. Both zoos tried to catapult themselves into public awareness through regular reporting and spectacular tier irrigation. The start of construction of a new monkey house in the west, for example, was staged in the media, as was the arrival of a panda bear in the east. This public relations work was not only an attempt to attract more visitors, but also served to present the respective system in the best light.

the wall and its effects

With the construction of the Berlin Wall, the competition between the two zoos changed. It was no longer just about the number of visitors, but also about the favor of politics and international relationships. The zoos became anything but ordinary animal shelters; They became locations where political interests and public perception met directly. The exchange of animals across national borders was a kind of intercultural dialogue, even if it was strongly shaped by the political tensions of time.

FAZIT

Overall, the documentation illustrates that the “Cold War of the Zoos” was not only a harmless duel for the best animals, but also a deeper metaphor for the race that took place between the ideologies of the two Germany. Spectators of the Arte documentary can look forward to learning more about the power games, the love of animals and human destinies in these two Berlin institutions.

- Nag