(Tue, Nov 18 - Mon, Nov 24)
continued from: Out of my element in Deutchland, part 1

Berlin

My first impressions

On Friday morning we boarded a very fancy train to Berlin.  At 4 hours, it was a fairly quick trip, but quite an expensive one — the effect of a lack of planning and traveling day-by-day.  The good news though, was that the train was nice enough to drop us off at the main station (Hauptbahnhof) which was in the center of the city.  Unfortunately Koln’s train did not take on the same role.

After only one day I had already fallen in love with the city.  The people, the beer, the culture, the history.  Berlin has it all.

Germany, and specifically Berlin, has been in the center of so much destruction it amazes me that the people are so positive.  I think it is common knowledge that Germans are tall and attractive, but generally speaking, I never realized how outgoing they were.  I was on the receiving end of several smiles from passerbys, as was Jenn.  ;)  I was most amazed that some people actually thought I was German.  Despite my obvious similarity in height (I’m actually only 5′9″), several people tried speaking to me in German.  I was delighted, but unfortunately was only able to say something to the tune of “Nien Deutch.”  Yeah, not so eloquent.

The weißen

The beer of Germany is deserving well respected.  I have always been a fan of the weißen (wheat beer), and Germany just intensifies that interest.  I drank the dark (dunkel) wheat and the light (hell) wheat.  I kinda of want one right now.  But I am writing this from Praha, so I guess it is only right to order a Pilsner or Kozel (the dark stuff).

Street performers in front of the Bradenburg Gate

The history and culture

The people are friendly and the beer flows endlessly, but the culture is what really attracted me to Berlin.  Although Berlin is no longer divided by walls, it still seems to be divided figuratively.  After WW2, the four allies (the United States, the UK, France and the Soviet Union) retained control of Germany.  However, the tension over communism escalated into the splitting of Germany and further into the split of Berlin.  The Soviets took control of East Germany and East Berlin while the other allies had control of the rest.  The interesting thing about Berlin’s division was that West Berlin, controlled by the three allies, was located in East Germany.  This is similar to the current situation in Israel where it’s neighbors are all deemed aggressors.

Until the reunification of Germany in 1990, West Berlin was surrounded by Soviet control.  The Soviets took control of the people by constructing a wall around West Berlin.  This, as you may know, was the Berlin wall.  It stood about 12 feet high.  However, more dangerous was the territory between the wall and another fence constructed in East Germany.  This came to be known as the “death strip.”  It was booby-trapped with mines and offered a clear line of sight for watch guards to shoot to kill.  The top of the wall was once covered with barbed wire, but this wire actually gripped bed sheets and other materials easily that it was changed to a large rounded metal.

Berlin wall in East Berlin

Now the wall is only a distant memory

Brandenburg Gate, view from West Berlin

Only a few blocks from the Brandenburg Gate, one of the main gates between East and West Berlin stands the Holocaust Memorial.  It was constructed here in part because of its proximity to the gate which happens to be a major tourist destination.

A memorial to move the soul

The memorial was designed by architect Peter Eisenman.  It is one of the most powerful memorials I’ve ever experienced.  Usually memorials aren’t even experienced, they are simply viewed.  This was different.  It is constructed of different sized concrete slabs that appear to grow in height.  It begans to dwarf you as you move through it.  I felt isolated.  I was with Jenn and we had lost each other for a few minutes.  The footpaths even rise and fall which create a sense of instability both physically and mentally.  As the slabs rise over your head it started to feel like a maze.  I think this is what the creators had invisioned.

The memorial starts out with only a few slabs about knee level (although some are actually in the ground and almost unnoticable).  I think this correlates to how, in my opinion, the Holocaust started out.  Many people couldn’t fathom how it could get so bad.  But little by little, eventually Hitler was massacring entire ethnic groups.

They are but memories

Last evidence of communism

Another interesting observation was the buildings constructed by the Soviets during their communist rule.  While most buildings were the target of endless bombings by the Allies, the one building left unscathed was the Ministry of Ministries.  Some believe this was a deliberate act by the Allies to use as a reference point for navigating the landscape.

Ministry of Ministries, Berlin

Like all the buildings built during the height communism, they were built like high squares.  No decorations, just large stones with immensely large doors.  Everything was built with intent.  The intent here was to make the people feel small and scared.

Interestingly enough there is a mural painted on the side of the building that portrays communism as the people in power would like the people to think about it.  The politician greeting the working man with a hand shake.  The railroad workers effortlessly lifting a piece of metal.  Humorous now, scary then.

Dictators never prosper

We also made our way over to Hitler’s old bunker.  If it wasn’t for the free tour we took, we would’ve never known about this.  For obvious reasons it was not included on any maps or tour books.  No one wants to show off anything having to do with Hitler.  He should die with the history books.  Therefore there is no memorial, just a small plaque several feet away marking the general area.

Our guide told us an interesting story while we were standing around in the cold looking at the parking lot that now sits in its place.  After hearing how Italy hanged their dictator, Benito Mossolini, and cut off his penis, Hitler feared the same humiliation and ordered his army to burn him.  Fortunately they did a horrible job and his body was later found.  He was cremated and his ashes spread around so he would live in unrest forever.

This was the building made famous by Michael Jackson’s famous baby stunt.

Villages blanketed with snow near the Germany-Czech border

Tips/Recommendations

• Grab a free tour of the main sites in East Berlin.  Meet at the Starbucks across the street from the Unter Den Linden metro stop at 11am or 1pm.
• If you happen to have a suit jacket and feel like going to the hottest club (at the time of this writing) check out Berghein off the Ostbahnhof metro stop.  (we didn’t have the clothes for the part)
• U-bahn is the underground metro, S-bahn in above ground (trams)
• Drink plenty of dunkelweissen
• If you have some extra cash to invest, get a place in Berlin!  I might actually move here in the next 10 years.  Real estate is extremely cheap!  And the culture is second to none.  I want to go back already.