Berlin [Part 1]

---

I waved goodbye to Poland as I caught a flight from Krakow to Berlin.

Are accommodation was located very close to the Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Berlin Central Station). So handy! Our accommodation has terrible food so after dinner every night we would sneak over to the train station to buy pizza or ice-cream…



The first full day consisted of a coach tour of the key sights of the city. I was bombarded by beautiful sights such as the stunning Reichstag building, huge Berlin Cathedral, gleaming Berlin Victory Column, Altes Museum and elegant French Cathedral. Luckily we got off the bus to truly see parts of the Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate, Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.

The memorial is rows upon rows of freestanding pillars concrete pillars. Before your enter it, it looks as if all the pillars are the same low height above the ground. As you walk through it, soon the ground begins to drop, and drop. The paths become uneven, as you feel as if you are sinking further and further into the art piece. The pillars go from being at your knee height, to being 2 meter taller, towering above you. It gives you an extremely uncomfortable, uneasy, daunting and distressing feeling. This feeling was intended by the artiest because his intention was to help you emotionally connect with the Holocaust.

There are many remaining pieces of the Berlin Wall scattered around the city. I saw it as more of a canvas for modern art and globally important messages than a wall. In recent years professional artists have decorated almost every panel of the wall. Some of the artwork is inspiring, others tell a story of history and others try to communicate modern issues. You most wall along the reaming pieces of the historic wall and soak up this modern art.



The following day was as all about Museums. We kick started with the Jewish Museum, Berlin. This is hands down the best Museum I have been to in all of Europe, and one of the best I have visited in the world! The images, displays, set up of the museum and tour guide made the history of Germany Jews and the Holocaust so intriguing, understandable and connectable.

Being in the basement was the most fascinating experiencing you could ever had in a Museum. There are no straight lines. The floor is not straight, it dips and bumps as you stumble along it. The walls are no straight, they cave in and fall away from you. It was incredibly disconcerting, daunting and confusing. Giving you the tummy turning feeling that the realization of the true Holocaust should.

One room is a just a three-story concrete cylinder. It is almost pitch black expect for the fact there is a tinny crack in the roof, bringing a single beam of light. This rooms shows you that there was only a tinny bit of hope in a dark and chaotic state.

An outside courtyard features an art sculpture that is almost identical to the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. This one has had a far greater impact of me because it was in a small, dark, cramped, and wet courtyard while being covered in moss. Making it even more disconcerting and harsh.



I will share the my experiences of the other museums I went to that day, and the rest of my adventures in Berlin, in following posts.

---