Berlin

Because it is the 20 year anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the German capital city has been in the news a lot this year. So we decided to see what all the fuss was about and hop a train over for our annual pilgrimage to the German Christmas markets.


The Germans LOVE Christmas! They even painted a Santa hat on the engine.


We booked a 1st class carriage and kicked back to relax for the ride over.


There were dozens of Christmas markets setup throughout the city. This is our second “Flat Stanley” trip - this one is for the daughter of one of Beth’s cousins (read story here). It’s funny how other American’s always spot us when we’re taking a photo with a Flat Stanley, or in this case “Flat Halle”. “Watch out! You’ll poke her eye out!”


Christmas Creep! We weren’t sure what German story this guy was from, but he sure was having fun throwing confetti on everyone.


Getting into the spirit with snow tubing on Potsdamer Plaza.


Oddly enough, we always manage to get good sushi in Germany. We DESTROYED an all-you-can-eat early bird special. I don’t think that they knew we were Americans when they invited us in. :-)


We’ve visited eleven different country capitals so far and compared with all the others that we’ve been to, the monument area of Berlin was pretty standard for the course. It had big, broad avenues like Washington or Paris lined with museums and monuments. But once you got outside of that area, especially into the heart of West Berlin, we found a fantastic patchwork of vibrant neighborhoods that each had their own character. I know that our French friends will be very disappointed in us, but Berlin tops the list so far!


One major difference with Berlin is that it was essentially obliterated during the war (oh no, he’s going to talk about the war!). This wasteland right in the heart of the city is the old royal palace. They are still excavating for artifacts before they begin to rebuild it.


The required photo of the Brandenburg Gate.


I have to apologize to our German friends about inserting this old photograph (I’m pissing everyone off today). I know that it is an emotional image, but it is so ingrained in my own mind as the defining moment when Berlin laid in smoldering, defeated ruins that it is the primary reason that I wanted to see the Reichstag at all -- parliament buildings aren’t usually high on my ‘must see’ list.


Now, the Reichstag has been rebuilt with an amazing new glass dome and is again proudly sporting the German flag.


This last remaining section of the wall was a highlight of the trip for both of us. I was just becoming politically aware when the wall finally fell, but it still holds powerful imagery for me. I could almost see and hear the old news clips of the night that people were allowed to cross and you can still see on this section where people hammered on it, trying to break it down. It’s now hard to imagine this city divided by the wall, especially when you see how arbitrary the barrier was. Standing there was very similar to the Lincoln memorial. If you take the time to read and reflect, it is very powerful stuff.


It’s no accident that they decided to preserve this section of the wall. It stands less than 50 meters from the headquarters of the Nazi political apparatus – Gestapo and SS. They are still excavating here as well, uncovering old torture chambers. It will all be a museum at some point in the future.


The Holocaust memorial was extremely well done. Like the Vietnam memorial in Washington D.C., this was created by an artist/architect. When you approach the memorial, the columns look to be similar height. There is some variation, but the small differences cause more of a curiosity, drawing you to look closer to see what it is all about. But as you walk into the field of monoliths, you realize that the ground is not even. You start with the monoliths only reaching the height of your knees, but then before you know it, they are towering over your head. The whole site rolls across you like the swell of a giant wave and you are allowed to interpret the meaning for yourself as you wander through. These types of memorials are so much better than the old statues that they used to build.



This last photo is classic Berlin at Christmas. The decorations were spectacular even as the reinvention and rebuilding continues. The results so far are a fantastic city, grounded in a checkered past, but with the sights set firmly on the future.