Humboldt Forum
Press release from 06/07/2010
Hermann Parzinger, President of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, comments on today's decision by the Federal Government Cabinet to postpone the start of construction of the Berlin Palace - Humboldt Forum from 2011 to 2014:
"I very much regret that today's cabinet decision will lead to a considerable slowdown in the realisation of what is currently the most important cultural policy project in Germany, and that the current financial situation in Germany is having a direct impact on it. However, it is to be welcomed that the Federal Government is continuing to make a clear commitment to the Humboldt Forum even in these financially difficult times. We assume that construction work on the Schlossplatz will begin in 2014.
However, the SPK will now have to examine what impact this decision will have on the museums in Dahlem and the collections of the Ethnological Museum and the Museum of Asian Art housed there, as their relocation to Schlossplatz will be significantly delayed. It will be necessary to clarify immediately how structural safety measures are to be introduced in order to fulfil our duty of care. The previous planning and preparatory work for the Humboldt Forum has already cost considerable sums of money, and the postponement will now swallow up further funds, as the most important renovation measures in Dahlem must now be initiated. I don't know whether you can call all this saving money."