JOHN LENNON WALL

Description

Essentials about the John Lennon Wall in brief

What does John Lennon have to do with Prague? At first glance, not much. The ex-Beatle was never in the Czech capital throughout his life, and the city has no other direct connection to Lennon or the Beatles. From the outside, the John Lennon Wall, located opposite the French Embassy on Prague’s Malá Strana, also looks like a normal urban graffiti area. But the history of the Lennon Wall makes it clear that it is much more than a colorful wall full of street art. Built during the communist era, the John Lennon Wall is a memorial to the ex-Beatle’s message of peace and freedom.

The history of the John Lennon Wall

After Lennon was shot in New York City in 1980, an unknown person painted Lennon’s portrait on a wall in Prague’s Malá Strana one night and added some quotes from his songs. At the time of communism, Western music was banned in what was then Czechoslovakia, and publicly quoting Western song lyrics was a subversive act against the state. Despite this ban, the development could not be stopped. Over the years, the people of Prague immortalized their dreams of freedom, love and peace on the wall with poems, flowers and pictures. Even the painting over of the wall by the city administration did not lead to the desired success. In 1988, young Czechs wrote complaints about the government on the wall, which led to clashes between hundreds of students and state security forces.

The significance of the John Lennon Wall

The John Lennon Wall is therefore not to be understood as a mere monument to the ex-Beatle. Rather, it picks up Lennon’s attitude towards life and especially his message of peace and represents a memorial of free expression and peaceful rebellion against an oppressive state. The original portrait of John Lennon is now buried under countless layers of paint, of course, but if you look closely, you’ll still find plenty of Lennon depictions and Beatles quotes on the wall.