Brecht and Foley

The original "The Solution" was Brecht's sarky response to attitude of the government and its lackeys after the uprisings in East Berlin in June 1953, led by workers building the huge Stalinallee project (agent provocateurs from the West were allegedly also involved), which had demanded free elections:
After the uprising of the 17th June
The Secretary of the Writers Union
Had leaflets distributed in the Stalinallee
Stating that the people
Had forfeited the confidence of the government
And could win it back only
By redoubled efforts. Would it not be easier
In that case for the government
To dissolve the people
And elect another?

The demonstrations were finally ended by the intervention of the Soviet army.

Interestingly the demos were centered around the old Luftwaffe building which was just inside E. Berlin near Potsdamer Platz and was, if I recall correctly, the Interior Ministry at the time. It was about the only government building to survive Allied bombing. It's still there and still in use as a government building (the Finance Ministry I think). Stalinallee is now called Karl Marx Allee and the impressive buildings still stand.

Posted By: BerlinCanary on January 6th 2006 at 13:52:58

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