:: TransatlanTicker ::

The end hardly came unexpected: Long before the events of 9/11, Amerika Haus Berlin had begun to close its doors to the general public, reducing its on-site cultural programming to a bare minimum. In recent years, the landmarked structure near Zoo Station has looked much more like a fortress than a center of transatlantic exchange. Right now, it is merely an empty shell: The US Embassy has canceled their lease for the Amerika Haus as from September 30, 2006, thereby returning the property to the city of Berlin by the end of next week. The senate of Berlin is considering selling the building, and a commercial use cannot be ruled out at this point. So are we going to see some fast food venue or insurance business move into what is arguably Berlin’s most important symbol of transatlantic understanding? Having worked in the house for a number of years, I sincerely hope the story can still take a different turn. At a point in time when German-American relations have come under considerable constraint, Amerika Haus should continue, or rather renew, its historical role as a place of critical dialogue, embracing all parts of the population.

A look back in time: In the years following WWII, the Amerika Häuser, run by the now defunct United States Information Service, served a variety of purposes. As libraries and reading rooms, concert halls, galleries, film- and stage theaters, lecture halls, reference centers, etc., they were intended to expose the defeated Germans to American culture, traditions, policies - that is, to the American Way of Life. This new instrument of foreign policy went by the name of “public diplomacy,” and the main reason why it worked so well was precisely because the houses were anything but propaganda outlets of the US government. Instead, they sought to engage German citizens in an open dialogue about all aspects of American culture and society. As late as in 1995, for example, shortly after I moved to Berlin to study, I went to the Amerika Haus to attend a concert by leftist singer and activist Bucky Halker, who performed “Songs of Work and Protest.” A few months later that same year, I heard Native American novelist and poet Leslie Marmon Silko read from her novel Almanac of the Dead, a massive volume that comes close to advocating violent revolution for the indigenous peoples of North, Central, and South America.

A couple of years later, when I started to work at Amerika Haus Berlin myself as an overseas educational adviser, the once superb cultural programming had already died down considerably as a result of dramatic cuts in federal funding, with US public diplomacy shifting its focus to the transitional societies of Central and Eastern Europe. After several bombings of US embassy buildings and, of course, the terrorist attacks of 9/11, subsequent security measures made the house increasingly inaccessible to the public. Newly erected barricades and police officers parading their firearms discouraged many students from visiting our educational advising center. Those that did come to see us had to register 24 hours in advance, only to be turned away by the guards in certain cases. It was disheartening to see the wonderful downstairs library with its brand new computer equipment almost always empty.

To be sure, the US Embassy’s public affairs section, which used to be housed in the Amerika Haus and is now to be integrated into the new embassy building at Pariser Platz, continued many of their programs and will certainly remain active in the future. Most programs and events, however, are targeted at selected audiences, and attention is by personal invitation only. While other countries such as the UK and Spain have recently invested huge sums of money to expand their prestigious cultural institutions British Council and Instituto Cervantes at Hackescher Markt in the heart of Berlin-Mitte, the United States will no longer provide a central place to promote mutual understanding between Berliners and Americans.

But wait. Back in April, several representatives of Berlin-based transatlantic institutions met to discuss ways of rescuing the Amerika Haus as a cultural center for dialogue. Following this first meeting, a planning committee was founded that includes, among others, the Checkpoint Charlie Foundation, BridgeBuildersBerlin, the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies (AICGS), and the institute for cultural diplomacy, a Berlin- and New York-based NGO focusing on fostering intercultural dialogue and exchange, which has agreed to serve as the coordinating institution. The core idea of the proposal now presented is to transfer German-American exchange from the governmental level to the civil society level, making Amerika Haus Berlin a forum for civil society groups with a transatlantic focus to collaborate. The building could not only be used to create office space for non-profit clubs, NGOs, and foundations but also provide create space for lectures, roundtables, performances, etc. for the greater community. In other words, the proposal aims to strengthen existing transatlantic networks in Berlin by streamlining resources. “In recognizing that civil society is deeply heterogeneous,” it says in the proposal, “Amerika Haus Berlin would be a departure point around which civil society can gather, united by historical precedent and the hopes of a greater future in transatlantic relations.”

The plan is to be implemented quickly. The planning committee envisions the new Amerika Haus to be up and running by spring 2007, and the search for potential grant-making foundations and member organizations is already underway. I keep my fingers crossed for a successful campaign, believing that remodeling the Amerika Haus into a non-governmental institution could very well revitalize the center and broaden its reach. First, it would once again become physically accessible since all the security barriers could finally be torn down. Second, it would be freed from the stigma of governmental affiliation, which tends to trigger mostly aversion and distrust among many Germans these days. Moreover, the committee’s proposal goes even one step further by seeking a truly transatlantic collaboration, incorporating Canada and someday even the Americas of the southern hemisphere. What would have formerly reeked of neo-Monroe doctrine now promises to emit the sweet smell of postcolonialism. At the moment, however, there is only the familiar stench at Zoo Station …

Submitted to the Carnival of German-American relations.

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