They had an officially prescribed world view, but they could not look at the world.
The DDR population could now see what time it was in the places of the world they were not allowed to travel to. The World Time Clock was clearly visible in the focus of all visual axes of the new ✺lex«, between the colourful belly band on the Teacher's House and the Fountain of Friendship between Peoples. No excuses counted here that the clock had stopped or that people had got the place wrong. Soon the World Time Clock became the most popular meeting place in East Berlin. Above them is a metal construction that is supposed to symbolise the solar system. To prevent mistakes, four standard clocks are mounted on the lower shaft, which are set to Central European Time, i. In this way, you can see what time it is in the different time zones of the world. It is interrupted by a scale that rotates around its own axis within 24 hours with the help of a Trabant car motor. The centrepiece of the column is clad in an aluminium jacket on which a stylised map of the world can be seen. Originally also called the »Urania Column«, this work of art was created by Erich John, a lecturer at the Berlin-Weißensee School of Arts. On 3 October 1969, the World Time Clock started moving. By the beginning of October, all the cables were under the ground, the paving slabs were laid and the raised beds were planted with pansies. Work was even done at night under the spotlight. The party leadership mobilised student brigades and even the military. However, the installation of the World Time Clock has not resulted in any complications between structural and civil engineering.«īut if there was one thing that worked in the DDR, it was rushed actions. Subsequent cable laying and a lack of white cement have held up the completion of this work. Even the DDR press reported on 30 August 1969 about delays in the plan, which rarely happened: »The last thousand square metres of white concrete to be applied are still causing concern. The big celebrations were to take place here on 7 October 1969, but the open spaces between the new buildings still looked like a construction site. In the late summer of 1969, shortly before the 20th anniversary of the DDR, there was hectic activity on Alexanderplatz square.
Completion of the World Time Clock on schedule
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