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Monumentenpacker

English translation: hacker of monuments / sculptor-hacker

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10:42 Dec 15, 2011

German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - History / Berlin

German term or phrase: Monumentenpacker

This is just an aside in the text, but it confuses me no end! Does it just mean something like "vandal"?

If anyone can shed any light, I'd be most grateful! Thanks.

1976 gab es im Posthäuserblock noch das Rohrpostamt zu besichtigen. Bis eine Verwaltung, die nicht über den kommenden Monat hinaus zu denken befugt und befähigt war, die hundertjährige Anlage vernichten ließ. Was nützten Eingaben und Proteste? Wurden nicht andere technische Denkmale, die Gasometer an der Greifswalder Straße, Symbole der Berliner Arbeiterviertel, auf Vorschlag eines mittelmäßigen sowjetischen **Monumentenpackers** und Befehl eines herrschenden Provinzlers aus dem Saarland in tausend Stücke gesprengt?

Rachel Ward KudoZ activity Questions: 412 (none open) (8 closed without grading) Answers: 67
Local time: 02:09

English translation:hacker of monuments / sculptor-hacker

Explanation:
This is the meaning. The monument is roughly worked, block-like, massive, monumental scale, etc. and considered not very good work.

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Note added at 27 mins (2011-12-15 11:09:40 GMT)
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Actually the sculpture is pretty typical of Soviet Realism. I haven't had a good look at it but such work was not intended to be human scale but rather often to intimidate. I am sure this won't have endeared it to the populus when it was erected or since.

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Note added at 1 day8 hrs (2011-12-16 19:30:32 GMT) Post-grading
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Thanks, a weird one, this one.