July 18 (Bloomberg) -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will give a speech at the Victory Column in central Berlin, avoiding the Brandenburg Gate after a political spat broke out over plans to speak there, Berliner Zeitung said.

A stage will be set up at the column, a 19th-century fluted structure that lies at the opposite end of a tree-lined boulevard from the Brandenburg Gate, the newspaper said. The campaign will announce the plans for July 24 today, it said.

An appearance at the Victory Column, capped by its trademark gilded angel, will still give the Illinois senator the Brandenburg Gate as a backdrop in the distance. A political squabble erupted after Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed apprehension about the gate being used for electioneering.

While the Brandenburg Gate has come to symbolize Germany's division and reunification, the Victory Column celebrates Prussia's victories over Denmark, Austria and France in the late 19th century. More recently, the column and its angel were featured in Wim Wenders's 1987 film ``Wings of Desire.''

To contact the reporter on this story: Patrick Donahue in Berlin at at pdonahue1@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: July 18, 2008 03:10 EDT