Advertisement
Published: June 16th 2015
Brandenburg Gate
Iron Cross and Eagle of power aloft.Where do I start to blog about Berlin, a city so central to the history and perhaps the future of Europe? This would be my second visit to the capital of Germany and Jeanette's first. My first was a brief business trip with no spare time. We were in Germany a few years ago but not anywhere near Berlin so w
e decided to take a guided walking tour of the city which lasted nearly five hours. Our guide, of English and Indian heritage, lives here and has a clear passion for history having got her degree in ancient history.
She basically covered 800 years of German history starting with the establishment of Prussia. Many important figures dominated the history but Frederick the Great probably influenced this country more than any other and even to this day, his legacy lives on. I believe that his grave is in Potsdam but I have a picture of his monument in this blog. He is important for several reasons but was a very contradictory ruler. A lover of egalitarianism and the arts, he was nevertheless the warrior king conquering and uniting the disparate parts of the country into the one powerful state of Prussia.
Adolf Hitler modelled himself after him.
Obviously and inescapably, the sites which draw the most attention are those connected in one way or another with the Nazis. Historically that is important but the enjoyment of Berlin also comes from appreciating the incredible task of rebuilding this important city in the years that followed the war. Also, it is interesting that most of what people want to see lies in what was East Berlin.
Berlin does not deserve brevity but neither do you, the reader, deserve anything written here which does less than full justice to it in every sense. I find it exceedingly challenging even to attempt that task. Therefore I am going to leave you simply with my impression and opinion mostly, while encouraging those who have not yet visited to do so when in Europe. In all honesty I myself should have devoted more time to this visit.
As I walked along, listened and tried to absorb the significance of what has and is being rebuilt here, I admire this nation. I can literally feel the pulse of power emanating from this city when I look at the symbolism of the structures around me, as
the German glory of the past is projected throughout. It is difficult to extricate the relics of World War 11 from one's consciousness because they are a tremendous draw for visitors but in my humble opinion, there is a great deal more to appreciate here besides that aspect. These are just some of the sites we visited: The
Berlin Wall,
Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, Reichstag building, Nazi Air Ministry (covering an entire block and clearly visible from the air, it was not bombed by the Allies. My theory is that they wanted to preserve what they knew was in there. Scientists like Von Braun, the father of the US rocket program must have worked in here), Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Bebelplatz (site of Nazi book burning), site of SS and Gestapo Headquarters, Humbolt University and the impressive War Memorial. We even stood in the car park standing above
Hitler's bunker. They do not want to dispel the past, as reminders are everywhere you turn and especially the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe which occupies a whole block,
in my view acknowledging that those who forget their history are more likely to repeat it. We
enjoyed the efficiency, order, cleanliness and politeness of the citizens from the moment we landed at the airport, especially when compared to some of the more laid back countries on the continent. The cosmopolitan backdrop to Berlin may surprise many but it is most appealing to see and hear the colours and sounds of people from all over the world in this vibrant metropolis.
Whether it was the elegant Italian restaurant near our hotel, breakfast from our hotel terrace, street food or ice cream in the city centre from one of the numerous little shops, it was all just great. This city has taken on an appeal and an attitude that seems to say to everyone,
"Come, enjoy our reunited city and be part of our free and open society." My question is, that while this country welcomes different peoples from across the planet, what global role will it play in the distant future, as powers such as the US continue to be weakened by economic drain, internal social disintegration and weariness of policing the planet? When I look at and think of the monument which sits at the top of the Brandenburg Gate which no longer has
Nazi Air Ministry.
Used by GDR after the war. Mural painted along wall depicting Communist ideology. the olive branch but the
Iron Cross and Eagle of power, I wonder.
Of course I speculate, perhaps wildly, but please form your own conclusions. Brussels may be the centre of the European Union but in my opinion, the power of Europe lies right here in Berlin and nowhere else.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.425s; Tpl: 0.014s; cc: 16; qc: 68; dbt: 0.0792s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
Naomi Rattray
non-member comment
Berlin
When I went there, what impressed me the most was the museum at Checkpoint Charlie, the courage and creativity that people had who wanted to escape