What does the kiss on the Berlin Wall mean?

The Kiss depicts Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev giving the East Germany President Erich Honecker what appears to be a passionate kiss on the lips. But the image was based on an actual photograph taken in 1979 in honor of the thirtieth anniversary of the German Democratic Republic–East Germany.

Who is kissing on the Berlin Wall?

leader Leonid Brezhnev
One of the most famous paintings on the Berlin Wall, depicting Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev kissing his East German counterpart Erich Honecker, has been destroyed by the authorities.

Why is the Berlin Wall covered in graffiti?

The art on the Berlin Wall was a form of rebellion against the repression and division the wall brought to the everyday lives of Berliners. It was a way for artists to express their contempt for the wall and its meaning by transforming the drab stone wall into an artistic display of expression and rebellion.

When was the socialist fraternal kiss?

1979
Socialist Fraternal kiss The world-famous event took place during the 30th anniversary of the German Democratic Republic in 1979. The leaders who decided the fate of half of Europe met symbolically in front of the Berlin Wall.

Is graffiti illegal in Berlin?

Berlin is one of the world’s graffiti-capitals with tags, political slogans and street art widespread throughout the city. Unless the owner of the surface expresses permission, all graffiti is now illegal and punishable by fines up to EUR 2,000, or three years in prison.

Is it illegal to graffiti the Berlin Wall?

Graffiti is Illegal You’d think that with such an abundance of graffiti-laden walls through the city that it must be legal but since September 2005 this has not been the case. Previously, graffiti was not considered property damage per se, unless by its removal, the surface was damaged.

Why are there so many murals on the Berlin Wall?

Originally painted in 1990, the artworks that line the banks of the River Spree in Berlin stand as a memorial to the reunification of Germany and to a broader moment of globally significant political change. The most striking and renowned murals to adorn the Berlin Wall include Dmitri Vrubel’s ‘Fraternal Kiss’…

What happened to the famous Brezhnev-Honecker kissing mural in Berlin?

The satirical mural depicting Communist dictators Leonid Brezhnev and Erich Honecker kissing on the lips with true Soviet-era ardour is one of the most famous and abiding images on what’s left of Berlin’s once infamous wall. Yesterday, however, its painter was shocked to discover it had gone.

What happened to the kiss painting in Berlin?

For many years, I lived my private life, while the painting lived its own life. In the early 2000s, people started bringing back souvenirs from Berlin — magnets, mugs, and the like — with the “Kiss” on them, which were now being sold not just at the East Side Gallery, but all over the city.

What was the most famous mural of the Cold War?

When artist Dmitri Vrubel painted Leonid Brezhnev and Erich Honecker locked in a kiss of socialist brotherhood on the Berlin Wall he created the most famous mural of the Cold War. On the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Wall, he recalls the making of an iconic image. 11 November 2014.