We stayed at a wonderful hostel run by a group of New Zealanders; they were extremely helpful, told us everything we should see, and most importantly - they spoke English. So, following their advice, our first evening we went north to Sachsenhausen, a concentration camp just outside the city. It was built during the Second World War but was kept in use throughout the Communist period in East Germany. It was growing dark and the visitors were leaving; it was an extremely eerie and moving place. I could almost feel the weight of the people who had suffered and died there still present in the air.
The following morning, after our New Zealand breakfast, we chose to walk towards the center of the city and see some sites along the way. One of the first things we saw was this:
The beautiful door plus the graffiti and trash is a perfect embodiment of Berlin. Then we came to a portion of the Berlin Wall that has been turned into an art gallery. It's so long, and so incredibly beautiful. Some are about the war or about communism, others about people in self-exile in other parts of Europe and the US, others about peace. Here is just a sampling:
After the Wall, we decided to take a guided tour. This is absolutely the best way to see the city and to learn a little history. Our tour guide was funny and knowledgeable, and somehow kept us going through three hours of walking sub-zero weather (-20C = -4F). First stop: the Brandenburg Tor, and Giant Christmas Tree. (The chariot statue on top was once stolen; I'm not exactly sure how they got it down...or back up, for that matter. In putting it back up, they decided it was indecent for the woman to not have any clothes, and so they tucked a robe around her. No more mooning visitors coming into the city!)
This is affectionately known as "the washing machine," and is the German senate building. All the windows are so that the government stays transparent and accessible to German citizens.
The Reichstag; the inscription over the entrance reads, "Dem Deutchen Volke" - "for the German people."
Holocaust Memorial. Dark, confusing, oppressive, moving.
Under these bricks lie what used to be Hitler's bunker, where he and his closest companions spent their last days. It was blown up by the Russian Army, and the remaining bits were used to build the Communist apartment buildings that now surround the spot.
Bebelplatz. 30,000 books were burned here. The small glowing square in the center is a window that looks down into a room lined with empty bookshelves. A plaque next to it says, "Those who begin by burning books, end by burning people."
One of the many Christmas markets we visited - decorated with lights and trees, serenaded by singing angels, and made fragrant by all manner of delicious German foods.
On our last day in the city, we went to the Jewish Museum. This is a massive museum dedicated to chronicling the history of the Jewish people, from the arrival of the first Jews in Europe to the modern day. I liked that it didn't dwell on the Holocaust - there's enough about that elsewhere - but rather focused on the large sweep of history filled with crimes against the Jewish people.Berlin offers a perspective on history and all the opportunities you need to get in to the Christmas spirit. It was the perfect way to relax after a hellish week of finishing final essays...especially with Tessa to join me.
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