Leo at
The Berlin Wall
July 1985

The Dutch magazine De Tijd
of 31 May 1985

printed an article
of the famous Dutch writer
Jules Deelder
with the header on the frontpage:

BETER MAF DAN MOF
Back At The Wall

Leo restaurated this expression
on The Berlin Wall.

© First sentences of Modern Passé by Jules Deelder 1984:

Three times I visited Berlin, the former Capital
of the Third Reich. Two times as performing poet and
one time for NEON to film. Who does not
remember me? Ancledeep in fresh fallen snow with
a sprayer in front of The Wall, on wich in black paint
BETTER NUTS THAN JERRY, on the background the
voices of the Comedian Harmonists, sweetvoiced
swansingers of the Weimar-republic... 'Jah
jaah jaaah tears are very modern today...' Four gentlemen
with a parting in the middle. Or six, I do not remember.

© photo made in 1980 by Mathieu Ficheroux † - De Tijd

The Wall - Berlin - West-Germany - 27 July 1985
© photo made by Jørgen™

Deelder wrote in the article he was angry
because someone sprayed over his sentence on The Wall.
It was hardly to read now.

In Berlin it was hard to find where Deelder sprayed on the Wall.

In the book he wrote about the Mariënplatz,
but that place was not even located near The Wall.
After studying the Berlin map Leo noticed
the Mariannenplatz in Kreuzberg - and there it was.

East-Berlin tourist map 1985 • West-Berlin tourist map 1985 • Dutch Berlin tourist map 2001

Leo Writing On The Wall - Berlin - West-Germany - 27 July 1985
© photo made by Jørgen™

A little bit shy Leo started to restaurate Deelders sentence
watched & photographed
by Japanese tourists on a viewing tower looking to the East.

Leo's Restauration
Berlin - West-Germany - 27 July 1985
© photo made by Jørgen™

Since Jørgen™ and Leo showed Deelder
the photos of the restauration they are friends.

May be it was because they gave him the photos
on 24 November 1985 - his 41st birthday celebrating
in 't Hof in Dordrecht after a sold out performance.

Since then everytime Deelder is in a theatre nearby
Leo visits him in the dressing room.

© Jules Deelder's message in Leo's book:

For the
Last hour
of Our
Mauer

JD 6/1/90

A few weeks after
the falling of The Wall on 9 November 1989
Leo met him in a theatre in Sliedrecht.

They were very curious how it was
with their wall.

Deelder wrote the above message
in Leo's book Modern Passé on 6 January 1990.

One year later Leo saw himself...

The Wall Gone - Berlin - Germany - 31 December 1990

You can see the same spot
where they sprayed on The Wall.

Leo was standing in front of the St. Thomas-Kirche
looking at the Bethaniendamm near the Mariannenplatz.

The open space between the houses
was the former border
between West- and East- Berlin.

You still can see the Trabants on the right.

It is hard to imagine there was a wall right there once...

St. Thomas Church - Berlin - Germany - 7 August 2001

When the years gone by there changed a lot.

It's still the same spot on the Bethaniendamm
but Leo made this photo from the 'other' side.

The former Arthouse Bethanien was restaurated
and renamed as St. Thomas-Church.

Near the two bikes is a dark line on the street
as a silent remembrance of The Wall.

You can see Susy left on the corner...

Years later - June 2006 - Leo interviewed Deelder
about a DVD about his life for Radio Rijnmond.

You can listen to it over here.

in Dutch

The current time and temperature in Berlin:

Learn more about the Berlin Wall:

Learn more about Jules Deelder here.

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This page was updated
Sunday 18 June 2006 - 04.00 (GMT +01.00)