Figuring out the Trains

Ostalgia

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June 26th 2009
Why wasn’t I surprised that the first conversation I had upon landing in Berlin was in Turkish, with my cabdriver, Mustafa? Somehow it was a fitting welcome for me, a former Ottomanist, even if the ostensible reason I am here is to explore the Peaceful Revolution of 1989. Indulging in a bit of “ostalgia” (that strange nostalgia for the quirks of East Germany), I am staying for a few days ... read more

Europe » Germany » Berlin » Berlin

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As Europe's largest economy and most populous nation, Germany remains a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany in two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20t... ... read more