The sculpture “Peace Be With You,” installed in Berlin’s newspaper district, reflects the long-standing ideological rivalry between two neighboring media outlets: Bild — one of Germany’s highest-circulation tabloids, known for its conservative editorial line — and TAZ, an independent, cooperative newspaper with a progressive orientation. The dispute between the two papers dates back to the 1960s. In 2002, TAZ wrote in its satire section, a text claiming that Kai Diekmann, then editor-in-chief of Bild, had traveled to Miami to undergo penis enlargement surgery, but that the procedure supposedly went wrong and resulted in castration. Diekmann sued TAZ, and the newspaper was prohibited from publishing the satirical piece. However, neither Diekmann nor the Axel Springer publishing company received compensation, under the argument that Bild frequently violated the personal rights of others in its reporting. In 2009, artist Peter Lenk installed the sculpture on the façade of the TAZ building, provocatively positioned facing the Axel Springer headquarters — where it can be seen from the Bild offices. According to Lenk, the artwork serves as a reminder of a “Kafkaesque transformation in the fog of toxic headlines” and as a form of “soothing therapy,” a critique of the tabloid’s sensationalist obsessions. Despite differing opinions, including among TAZ’s own editorial staff, the sculpture remains at Rudi-Dutschke-Strasse 23, where it can still be seen today, nearly 15 years after its installation.

1. Naked man: Kai Dieckmann, then editor-in-chief of Bild;
2. Hunter of the Federal Cross: Alex Springer;
3. Snake charmer: Friede Springer, a major figure in the Springer Group. Axel Springer's final wife;
4. Snake: Springer's monster that appears in the press - large, obscene, and primitive;
5. Berlin loving press piglet: Alex Springer CEO;
6. Celebrities and anonymous individuals who have had their personal rights violated;
7. A voyeur.