Hermann Parzinger on the donation by Heiner Bastian
Press release from 10/06/2016
On the surprising news that the Heiner Bastian family will donate the house
Bastian am Kupfergraben to the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, waiving
any compensation and without conditions,
says Hermann Parzinger, President of the SPK:
"We are really surprised! You don't receive such a generous gift
every day: a building that is organically linked to Berlin's Museum Island, not only because of its location,
but also because of its outstanding and discreet
architecture -
I can only thank Heiner Bastian expressly for this step, which he
has taken today together with his family. It is a highly personal,
an emotional decision, if you like, a declaration of love
to the Museum Island that makes us very happy. This is a great
day for the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation and the National Museums
in Berlin, for Berlin's Museum Island. I am extremely happy about
the offer, which shows the close ties between Céline, Aeneas and Heiner
Bastian and the National Museums. The Bastian House now
belongs to entire generations of future museum visitors and will be dedicated to
cultural education and mediation. I would like to expressly thank the Bastian family for this great patronage
gesture."