Seeing the Past in Present Tense

Seeing the Past in Present Tense
It is sad how humans tent to forget about their own history. I don’t exactly know why but perhaps it is cultural. Humans tend to underestimate the past.In many cases, unfortunately older people are discriminated against, and in some cases history is seen as something less valuable. The present reality distracts us from our past and our every day lives covers the meaning of history. We ,as a part of a society, are the result of our history; we are part of the past, because our identity as a citizens, society members and as men and women is based in the past.
Monuments are physical and visual evidence of the past and can be positive as something like a commemoration of an democratic-historical event or, in contrast, as negative as an imposition of ideology or an evidence of an intervention. However, it is important to learn about all events in the past and in some cases not to let them to be repeated. The monuments carry meaning from the past to the present, and it is really important to keep their meaning alive for the new generations. At the same time it is important to know the historical context to be able to read the meaning of a monument and the political interests at that time.
It is unbelievable, in the case of Jochen Gerz and Esther Shalev-Gerz’s monument. We are talking about 1986 to 1993, which is recent, and it is incredible that people have already forgotten the meaning of this monument.
I think the Monument Against Fascism, War, and Violence-and for Peace and Human Rights was a wonderful idea and a really interesting concept.
The writing on it is strong and it is a shame people have already forgotten it.

“We invite the citizens of Harburg, and visitors to the town, to add their names here next to ours. In doing so we commit ourselves to remain vigilant. As more and more names cover this 12-metre tall lead column, it will gradually be lowered into the ground. One day it will have disappeared completely, and the site of the Harburg Monument against Fascism will be empty. In the end it is only we ourselves who can stand up against injustice.”