Every claim needs a source.

These are the editorial standards for the atlas. Publication means a record has been reviewed; it does not automatically mean every detail is verified.

What counts as a location?

A record may describe a surviving section in its original position, a relocated segment, a smaller fragment, or a museum display. Reconstructed sections, memorials, and artworks are classified explicitly. We do not imply that a memorial contains original material.

Separate evidence from certainty

Records distinguish verified, probable, reported, and historical locations. Verification requires a source that supports the specific assertion. A photograph of concrete alone is not sufficient evidence of authenticity.

Follow provenance

We seek a documented chain from an original Berlin location to the current site. Installation dates, ownership, movement, and removal are recorded only where supported. Unknowns remain unknown.

Sources and images

Prefer institutional archives, official collection records, scholarly research, and first-hand documentation. Each source records the assertion it supports and an access date. Each image needs a creator, copyright holder, licence, original source, caption, and alternative text before publication.

Access is not authenticity

Classification, environment, access, and verification use separate fields. “Public” describes access, not ownership or a guarantee of opening hours. Check the institution’s official information before visiting.

Corrections and moderation

All contributions are private and pending until reviewed by an administrator. Corrections should identify the record and provide supporting evidence through the contribution form. Verification changes are recorded with evidence and a date; earlier uncertainties should not silently disappear.

Imported catalogue records

Public source listings are labeled Reported until independently reviewed. A retrieval date is not a verification date. Missing or geographically conflicting positions are withheld from the map while the record remains searchable. Catalogue records can overlap; they are not summed as unique physical segments. See sources and coverage for the import audit.

Development data

Synthetic development records are clearly labeled, excluded from public production queries, excluded from sitemaps, and marked noindex on permanent pages. Their coordinates must never be used as historical evidence or visitor guidance.