Lennon Wall

For fans of Beatles music, especially that of John Lennon, the Lennon Wall in Prague is a source of inspiration and community. During the communist period, it was a blank wall across a small square from the French Embassy. After his assassination in 1980, the residents of Prague turned the wall into a makeshift memorial for John Lennon. It honored his life, music and ideas with graffiti that depicted his image and lyrics. Oftentimes, people would write messages about their hopes for peace, tranquility and fulfillment. The music of the Beatles was officially banned in Czechoslovakia. The authorities would whitewash the wall in an attempt to keep a lid on a celebration of Western music and ideas, only to have residents to reestablish the memorial again.

The Lennon Wall in May 2016

Since the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe in 1989, the wall has remained largely unmolested by the government. It has become a gathering place that attracts more and more tourists and travelers each year. The wall has featured images of the Beatles, references to lyrics, but more importantly implores peace, love and internationalism. People leave messages, identify where they are from and celebrate their love of music. It is not uncommon to fund musicians encouraging visitors to sing alone. Because there are new messages and images every day, the wall is constantly changing.

I have been visiting the wall for several years. The increase in the number of people has meant that the Lennon Wall is no longer a secret shared among a few people. Once, I could bring a dozen students to the wall and we would constitute a majority of people. It is sad to see that more nationalist images have begun to crop up. Two large Czech flags adorned the wall this year. Nevertheless, there remains a feeling of goodwill and comradeship. It is common for people to join in song and greet one another while visiting.

I was talking to a student who was in the military, standing at the edge of the square watching the visitors. He was clearly moved by the experience of being at the wall and interacting with others. He noted that it was nice to see people speaking different languages, from different parts of the world, singing together rather than trying to kill each other. I am willing to bet that John Lennon would have been happy.