The record
Segments brought from Berlin by the commander of US Forces there in 1990 — and the one record where the paint itself is in doubt.
A section carrying the words “democracy” and “freedom” and the phrase “Tear the wall down” is a permanent exhibit at the Patton Museum. The record carries an unusual caveat and it is worth stating plainly: the authenticity of the concrete is not in question, but the graffiti differs from that visible in a photograph of the segment in place in Berlin, which suggests the painting was reproduced after the move. That makes this the clearest test in the catalogue of what “original” means for an object whose most photographed feature is its surface.
How did it get here?
In 1990 Raymond D. Haddock, commander of US Forces in West Berlin, arranged for three segments to be moved from Berlin to the museum at Fort Knox.
Sources & verification
Fort Knox, KY — The Wall Net ↗
The Haddock transfer of three segments in 1990, and the observation that the graffiti differs from the in-situ photograph and may have been reproduced.
Source accessed 2026-09-17
Berlin Wall exhibit provides palette for Fort Knox artist — The News-Enterprise ↗
Local reporting on the exhibit and its painted surface.
Source accessed 2026-09-17
Federal Foundation — Berlin Wall worldwide ↗
The source lists this place as a Berlin Wall location. Coordinates, where supplied, are source-reported and may represent a general area. This is not independent verification of authenticity, current presence, or public access.
Source accessed 2026-09-17 · Source record 196
Last verified: Not yet verified
Our sourcing standardsNo photograph of this one has been published. If you have taken one, or know when it arrived or who gave it, we would like to hear. Contribute to this record