Eisenhower’s granddaughters critical of Gehry’s memorial design

The opinions of family members have carried weight in past memorials, Just as David Eisenhower, Ike’s eldest and only grandson, sits on the Eisenhower Memorial Commission, FDR’s grandson David B. Roosevelt served on the FDR Memorial Commission.

Kirk Savage, author of “Monument Wars: Washington, D.C., the National Mall, and the Transformation of the Memorial Landscape” said family members are gaining increasing influence in the design and scope of memorials.

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(Alex Wong/Getty Images/GETTY IMAGES) - Anne Eisenhower.

(Mark Wilson/Getty Images/GETTY IMAGES) - Susan Eisenhower.

“We see a lot of family input in victim memorials,” said Savage. “At the World Trade Center memorial, the Oklahoma City Memorial. Families believe they have a right to have some input now. That’s different from way things used to be. Vietnam veterans had zero input in the design.”

Memorial landscape design has also changed over time, becoming more spatial and expansive. “There’s been a departure from the standard portrait statue,” said Savage. “A hundred years ago, a commanding officer would be shown on horseback. Now statuary is just part of a larger setting.”

Savage also thinks memorial designers can now take liberties with some historical leaders. A figure such as Eisenhower lends himself to greater experimentation: “Eisenhower was a commander, an authority figure,” said Savage. “It’s easier for Gehry to play around with him. Memorial designers could never have portrayed Martin Luther King as a boy. It would have been considered highly offensive. The fact that the statuary of a boy can even be proposed shows that we take [Eisenhower’s] stature for granted.”

But there are added layers particular to Eisenhower: “He was a modest person, a homey and congenial figure, which in some ways, is why he’s underestimated,” said Jim Newton, author of the new biography “Eisenhower: The White House Years.” “His complexity as a figure makes [the memorial] a challenge. He was the conqueror of Hitler and a two-term president. Unlike most people who are memorialized, there’s this duality to his achievements.”

Carl W. Reddel, executive director the Eisenhower Commission, recognizes the complexity. “Frank has to be mindful that the law tells him he must memorialize the president and the supreme commander of the allied forces. He has to unify that in a way that is true to history.”

Recently, the Eisenhower grandchildren met with Gehry in New York to discuss their position on the design. Susan said it was a very cordial conversation.

“We respect Frank Gehry and his accomplishments,” said Susan. Gehry did not return requests for comment.

Reddel says that the commission encourages the family’s involvement. “Anne and Susan have attended since 2002, and Frank has been mindful of their concerns. David is one of the 12 commissioners. The commission seeks to represent the American people in the broadest sense, so the family’s opinion is a matter of interest.”

Representing the interests of all Americans might present even greater challenges. Most Americans won’t have an opinion until after the memorial is completed.

“The process for building memorials doesn’t open itself up to the public in a real serious or significant way,” said Savage. “The deck is stacked against the broader public.”

Some local citizens groups in Washington take issue with other aspects: the process, location, and the sightline of the Capitol. The Committee of 100 on the Federal City has concerns regarding the site itself and how it disrupts the urban pattern.

The National Civic Art Society questions the process by which the commission selected Gehry, going so far as to submit a Freedom of Information Act request seeking documents from the commission.

Eric Wind, the former chairman of the group, led an alternative design competition for the memorial in the spring that produced a classical alternative to Gehry’s design. “These Gehry towers are the emphasis of his design,” said Wind. “If you look at the Capitol through these views, it makes the dome look like a Lego toy.” His group also takes issue with the statuary. “Depicting Eisenhower as a barefoot boy doesn’t cultivate any sense of grandeur for his accomplishments as a general and president.”

For Susan and her siblings, caught in the passions of memorial politics, the message is simple. “It makes more sense to think of Eisenhower as a champion of peace and prosperity” said Susan. “If this medium is the message, it doesn’t align with Dwight Eisenhower.”