FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 3, 2025
CONTACT: Karina Diaz, Hudson County Executive’s Office
PHONE: 201-795-6200
JERSEY CITY, NJ — On June 2, Hudson County Executive Craig Guy proudly unveiled a new mural in Secaucus’ Laurel Hill Park that includes a piece of the Berlin Wall. This historic project is over 10 years in the making and highlights Hudson County’s partnership with its sister county in Brandenburg, Germany.
County Executive Guy was joined by Gina Hulings, Director of the Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs/Tourism Development (HCOCHA/TD); Commissioner Yraida Aponte-Lipski (District 4); Former HCOCHA/TD Director Bill LaRosa; Kevin Wong, Deputy Director of the Hudson County Parks Department; and Paul Silverman, Co-Founder of Silverman Real Estate.
“For over a decade, Hudson County has been dedicated to identifying a location suitable to house a section of the Berlin Wall gifted to us by our sister county in Germany, and I am sincerely thankful to Former State Minister Karl-Heinz Schröter and Bill LaRosa for remaining committed to partnership in bringing this important piece of history to Hudson County,” said Hudson County Executive, Craig Guy. “During the Cold War the wall was used to block the right of passage from thousands of families, and today it stands as a reminder of the value of unity and freedom for generations to come. Hudson County is proud to come together as a community to unveil a piece of world history right here in Laurel Hill Park.”
“The Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs/Tourism Development is proud to unveil a section of the Berlin Wall at Laurel Hill Park in Secaucus as we continue to highlight history throughout Hudson County,” said Gina Hulings, Director of the Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs/Tourism Development. “Projects like the Berlin Wall Installation serve as a living classroom for children and adults alike to learn and remember the significance of the fall of the Berlin Wall – a symbol of triumph for freedom and democracy worldwide. The Berlin Wall Installation will not only serve residents and their families at Laurel Hill Park, but also visitors as they travel to our great County and explore Hudson County’s rich history and spirited present!”
In 2007, at the direction of then-Oberhavel County Executive Karl-Heinz Schröter, and in coordination with the Hudson County Director of Cultural Affairs and Tourism at the time, Bill LaRosa, Hudson County received as a gift this section of the Berlin Wall as a symbol of peace and the end to the Cold War. Oberhavel County in Brandenburg, Germany and Hudson County have been sister counties since 2000, sharing student, cultural, and sports exchanges.
The installation is constructed of steel-reinforced concrete, weighs 26,156 pounds, and is 11’-9” tall with four 3’-10” wide sections secured together by a masonry tube coping. There are minimal signs of graffiti on this piece because it is believed that this section was not facing the western side of Berlin. There are however signs of bullet holes and weathering due to extended exposure to the elements.
For photos of the event, click here.
For video of the event, please visit HudCoTV on YouTube.
For more information on the Berlin Wall, click here.