Importance Of Public Monuments

From Trajan’s Column, completed in 113 AD, to the statue of Christopher Columbus in Easton, Pennsylvania, monuments and memorials have been a significant element of celebration and honor throughout history (Source B). Though monuments are typically meant as a symbol of honor, recent controversy over statues dedicated to Confederate leaders and generals has sparked the debate over how to choose subjects to memorialize, and the actual development of these memorials. When considering what or who to honor, one must also consider the subjects impact on history, ensuring that it is positive. In creating memorials and monuments, groups and agencies should examine the historical significance of the events or persons they wish to memorialize, and the

In the book, Cemetery faces an uncertain future Jason Kosareff states the crazy horse cemetery has more than 3,000 graves in the cemetery and a 4-acre graveyard at 9263 valley blvd. The size of the crazy horse cemetery captures not only the importance but the meaning. However the size of the area can come at a price, "unless something happens and we get the money from somewhere, I don't know how were going to make it" (source D) said Rosie Gutierrez, treasurer for the El Monte Cemetary Association (source D). The size of the Holocaust museum as said by Christine Musser in the book Preserving Memory: National Holocaust Memorial museum controversy the museum is dubbed as " too massive. The members of the commission felt the massive building would overcome The Mall and take away the main purpose of the museum" (source E). The size can be detrimental whether it is cost wise or the Museum overpowers other aspects of the area around

"For famous men have the whole earth as their memorial" (Pericles). Memorials are an icon to represent some historical events that have happened or even people who have made a significant impact on society. For example, they symbolize many things that had happened in the past and people could go there and remember some good things that it has caused. People can even go there and pay tribute to the person the memorial is about. There are three sources that show the importance of memorials and why they should be built.

These memorials are in memory of the fallen soldiers and sometimes the soldiers that made it out alive.

Depending on the placement of the monument the importance of the events contues genrations on. For an example, inorder for placing something of sagnificant value, the holocaust, would be placed somehwere of sagnifcant value, like a nations capital, but just anywhere in the nations capital. Eventhough DC is the nations capital "placeing the holocaust museum in a mall in DC is disrespectful and offensive" to the people who died and the servivers(source E). Just because its the national capital doesnt mean a mall in the nations capital is appropreate, besides lives were lost, not material things being bought. The failure for the creator(s) to think of that stripped the meaning and the pain behind the holocuast away. The placement of that museum made fun of, or even mocked the holocuast as if it is important to be remebered by America but not important to petray horrifying details of it. If the placement of the museum was to be in central DC near the White House, it creates a more important rule in Americas everyday life, because its near where the prisident lives, its near where people go to live the American dream. It would reinforce the meaning of the tragidy, the menaing of being saought out just becuase of you religion, the meaning of being gased alive, the meaning of being torn away from your family, the meaning of starving in the cold winters, and lastly

Monuments should be be put in a location where it is a hub or if the person or event was in fact there. The memorial was built

The size of a monument or museum is important to think about because you must ensure that the person or event you are memorializing receives the recognition it deserves. After it was decided that there needs to be a Holocaust museum on the Washington Mall, protesters stated that the proposed design was too large (Source E). “The purpose of the museum was to remember the Holocaust, not overpower the mall or its visitors” (Source E). By downsizing the design plan, curators were able to create a place of regard without overpowering the other memorials and museums. The materials used to construct a monument also play a role in ensuring a person or event receive the respect they/ it deserves. When designing the Vietnam Veterans memorial in Washington, D.C, Maya Lin decided to use “Black granite in order to make the surface reflective and peaceful” (Source G). Lin’s choice of black granite helped to create a somber feeling while still showing respect and remembrance to those who fought in the war. The size and material of a monument can have a huge impact on those paying their respects to a person or event and the way they recieve its

Monuments are important in keeping history in the present. The viewer experiences the emotions and actions in that specific part of time. Some monuments have awkward locations or the people chosen are unsuitable to represent the time. Any group or agency must consider who the person is and where the monument’s location should be before publically displaying it.

Monuments are a way you can immortalize a person. There are many ways to create monuments such as writing a book, Speeches, even sculpting. Many factors play into creating a monument of a person. When honoring a person you have to look at the location, size, and material and the significance of the monument.

many people create meaningless buildings and sculptures just to please the eye which is why they need to people need to identify reasons a memorial would benefit them.

Is a good monument or memorial all about looks, or is it about the contextual meaning behind it. A monument’s size, location, materials and more are all considerations when planning and creating a memorial to the past. The audience of a monument/memorial site is not as important as it’s location and funding.

Memorialization of any sort can be a tedious process, but those regarding Holocaust remembrance were particularly challenging given the surrounding social and political controversies that ensued. This is primarily seen through the issue of representation, which consistently played a key role in the creation of both the Holocaust museum in Washington D.C., and the Dachau concentration camp memorial. While the Dachau memorial’s conception stages, the designers were contemplating which victim groups to include. For instance, the mayor of Dachau stated, “Please do not make the mistake of thinking that only heroes died in Dachau. Many inmates were…there because they illegally opposed the regime of the day….You have to remember there were many criminals and homosexuals in Dachau. Do we want a memorial to such people?” (Harold Maruse, “Dachau,” 151). With this quote, the mayor implies that the memorial will only be dedicated to those he deems worthy of representation. Likewise, the White House officials orchestrating the American Holocaust Museum also debated a similar notion regarding the inclusion of ethic victim groups other than the Jews. However, Wiesel and other Holocaust survivors believed that commemorating non-Jews was an “…obscene incursion into the boundaries of Holocaust memory by those whose country-men had persecuted survivors” (Edward T. Linenthal, Preserving Memory, 53). For this reason, and in order to avoid the generation of false memories, these groups

Monuments are used to memorialize and honor moments, individuals and events of the past. Some monuments do this better than other monuments. In creating a monument there are three essential factors a group or agency should consider to make the monument as effective as possible: location, design features, purpose and backstory. Why these factors? Location and design factors play a massive role in the reception the monument will receive, based on its environment, size and looks a monument will be perceived differently. The purpose and backstory are the two single most important factors to consider in creating a monument. The monuments history, its reason, is the reason just? Is the purpose proper? Does it accurately memorialize the subject? All these questions come with the purpose and backstory of a monument.

Secondly, placement is a key factor in creating a monument of someone or an event. As described in Source E, placement could offend the surrounding population. In this source, the Holocaust Museum is located in The Mall in Washington, DC and it offended both Jewish and non-Jewish communities. This is “primarily due to the fact that a museum dedicated to the memory of the Holocaust would be built in the United States, who did little to stop the Holocaust from occurring, or…”...open our shores to the few survivors…””. The United States didn’t act on what it stands for, equality and freedom, and so to have it there seemed to be a sign of disrespect to many. On the other hand, supporters believed, such as George Will, a political columnist, that, “No other nation has a broader, graver responsibility in the world...No other nation needs citizens trained to look like in the face.” Due to what the United States stands for, he says this because by displaying your mistakes you can create a