We are continuing our journey through Berlin.   The other days of Berlin were filled with great walks.  Oh, sure, we took the Metro from our “close-in” bed and breakfast to the real city.  (Note to self:  NEVER do an AirBNB in the summer.  Because most of those places lack air conditioning!)

One of the common places we visited  over the next two days was the Friedrichstrasse station.  (It was at one time known as the Tränenpalast (Palace of Tears); it served as the border crossing between East and West Berlin and that meant folks from East Berlin had to say goodbye to their old neighbors and relatives who now found themselves living in West Berlin.)

 The Friedrcihstrasse was where we changed trains- to go to the airport, to go to Checkpoint Charlie, to go to Pottsdamer Platz, etc.  It also had a few grocery stores, where I could stock up on fresh fruit to snack on as we walked.  And, on one night, we walked over the bridge to the other side of the Spree and had a wonderful Italian dinner, eating outside (Vaporetto Restaurant).

Our original goal was to do a walking tour of Berlin.  We started by walking from Friedrichstrasse Station to Checkpoint Charlie.  The problem- for those who don’t realize it from this angle- is that we were walking within “East Berlin” to the border of “West Berlin”.  So, my two companions were a little confused.  But, once I explained that was how all these new structures were built- because we were in the (heretofore) no-man’s land between the borders, it became easier to place what we were looking at.

And, I’m sure most of you know that the Germans have broken and picked up for their personal possessions most of the Berlin Wall.  Only in Pottsdamer Platz can one find remnants of the dividing wall. 

And, while it was nice to see that piece of history- Checkpoint Charlie- it really felt like a movie set.  (It didn’t hurt that two “service people” (actors, in my mind) were stationed at the building.) Without the wall (and the German military police ready to shoot anyone crossing the border), I couldn’t feel the “drama” of crossing the border.  But, as you can see, I took a picture anyway.

We then walked back to the Brandenberg Gate, another crossing point between East and West Berlin.  Now, this gate is much older, dating back to the late 1700’s.  And, while it, too, lacked the drama of a crossing point, as an architectural structure it was impressive.  We couldn’t walk through the gate, because the West Berlin side was getting ready for a festival and there were tents everywhere.  Unfortunately, my pictures of the Brandenburg Gate were taken on my phone- and my phone was taken.  So, no pictures to share that are mine.

           

After that uplifting walk, we marched over to Berlin’s version of the Holocaust Museum.  They call it The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.  The ground view consists of some 2700 oblong slabs of concrete of various height, on an uneven ground surface.  Below the surface- and with a VERY long wait (they run a security scan that makes TSA look whimsical)– is a completely different sort of viewing. 

The museum follows a bunch of families from before the war (roughly World War I) to after the Second World War.  Of course, most of those they follow have no “after the war”.  But, this exhibit was able to personalize the slaughter- because you understood the decimation of the families, how folks were stripped apart from their loved ones, writing last notes, knowing they’d never see each other again.

My only complaint was that the government has the same attitude as TheDonald.  When TheDonald does something wrong (so frequently, it seems constant), it’s always someone else’s fault. The Russians didn’t try to subvert our election and break into various systems; no, it was Obama’s fault for not doing anything to stop it.  Or, when TheDonald ordered our government to kidnap children, he tried to blame his policy as a creation of the Democratic party.  The same with the government position on the Holocaust.  It wasn’t the “German people” who created this heinous scheme and gleefully joined it, it was “the National Germans” who were guilty.  Sheesh, what BS.

About 400 meters from this memorial was the bunker of Adolf Hitler, the one where he killed himself.  Something I wanted to see.  And, would have shared with you, but, again- those photos were on my phone. 

While there are explanation placards about the bunker, along with pictures of the structure, the German government has eradicated any remnant of the bunker.  So, it won’t be a shrine to the Nazi lovers among the Germans – or visitors. All that remains is a sandy area in the middle of a small square.  I admit, I was terribly tempted to leave something of my own there, but elected to find a bathroom rather than urinate on that sand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also visited the UNESCO World Heritage site, Museum Island, in the middle of the Spree River.  To be honest, I didn’t spend a lot of time IN the museums, because the reviews I read informed me that I had seen stuff like that many times in many other museums.  And, since it was such a nice day, I elected to spend most of it outside.  But, the buildings were pretty- from the Cathedral to the museums (with the exception of the Pergamon, which was not only under construction, but non-descript from the island side (much nicer view from that Spree cruise.)

I loved walking from the Island back to the train station, too.  I got to see the Opera House and a plaza honoring the Generals  from Bismark’s time. And, I also stopped at Pottsdamer Platz.  To see the remnants of the Berlin Wall.

I guess the best way to describe the Berlin Wall, for those who weren’t around when it was the symbol of the Cold (and often hot) War between the Soviet and Western powers was that it was like the wall between the West Bank and Israel.  Except about 1/3 the height- and mostly of concrete.  Those attempting to cross the wall were used for target practice.  (I’m guessing this is the dream of TheDonald with his wall between Mexico and the US, as well.)  And, as I said, there are only remnants of the wall left- other than the mementoes in folks’ houses.  

All in all, I got what I wanted from Berlin.  I got to see Hitler’s grave, buildings that still exhibit the damage from bullets and bombs from World War II, Germany’s attempt to reconcile its anti-Semitic thought, The Cold War remnants- and hope for the future.

If we don’t have hope for a future, we really have nothing.