May 1-3
On the first day of May, in many countries, workers of the
world unite…by having the day off. The Czech Republic is one such country, the
consequence of which is that we have a long weekend. What better way to
celebrate being a worker than by… travelling rather than working!
Berlin is a city steeped in modern, turbulent history: a
Cold War focal point. Much of this heritage is still visible, though the city
is also trying to move on and progress into a 21st century
metropolis.
Understanding Berlin as a city requires a quick history
lesson. There are far more detailed sources around than my blog, though I will
do my best to fill in the most vital information. Berlin was a sizeable town in
Prussia/Brandenburg at the beginning of the 19th century. Within
another 100 years it became the predominant city in the recently unified
Germany. It was the capital during both World Wars, suffering damage and defeat
both times. The Reichstag, seen below, was famously taken by Soviet troops in
early May 1945.
A conference in nearby Potsdam decided what would happen to
Germany post-1945. The country was split into four zones, three of which
quickly merged to become West Germany. The other side, under the jurisdiction
of the Soviet Union, became East Germany. To say that both were run very
differently would be a gross understatement.
Berlin is in the east of the country; however, the Allies
were loath to let such an important city slip entirely into Soviet hands. The
capital was thus also divided in a similar way to the country. The leader of
the Soviets, Joseph Stalin, saw a chance to expand his sphere of influence over
the whole of Berlin. The Allies, led by President Truman, knew that inaction
would be very damaging for the American dream for Europe. Berlin thus became a
key battleground in the early part of the Cold War.
Stalin’s main method of attack was through blockading.
Originally this was the stopping of resources entering Berlin (the Allies flew
them over) to the stopping of movement across the divide through the creation
of the wall.
The wall was built in 1961 and stayed as a visible barrier
between the two sides of Berlin until its spontaneous dismantling in 1989. This
happened after a botched announcement from the East German government to the
western media, which was supposed to state that their citizens would soon be
able to apply for visas. What was suggested instead was that East Germans could
travel across to West Berlin. The wall guards, who were unaware of the
broadcast, didn’t know what to do when armies of citizens marched up to the
wall, so decided to let them through. The night was captured on TV and is a
hugely proud moment for the now-unified Germany.
Some original parts of the wall still remain, though many of
the walls that tourists see and selfie next to are actually part of an art
project. The most ominous part of the wall is near the centre of the city,
sitting under an office which was used by the East German government for
torture.
Other parts of Berlin’s more sinister past have been
completely destroyed: buried and inaccessible. The main one is in a
neighbourhood car park. Under – quite a way under – a certain section of grass
next to the cars is a bunker belonging to one Adolf Hitler. Understandably, the
Germans don’t want this to have the potential to turn into a sick pilgrimage
site for people who think a certain way.
New monuments have been created so that certain aspects of
the past are remembered. One such example is the Memorial to the Murdered Jews
of Europe. Looking matter-of-factly at the grey stones, it resembles a
Minecraft world. Entering and walking between these towering plinths of stone,
you are transported to another world. Deathly quiet and still. Cold, dark and
intimidating. Colourless, anonymous and creating a feeling of helpless
isolation. I can’t possibly imagine what Jewish people went through during this
tragic time but I would think that some of these feelings, reflected by the
memorial, would have occurred.
One other as well: occasional rays of light streaking
through, possibly offering the feeling of hope. Many people are critical of the
memorial but I think it does a good job as it lets you conjure up your own
feelings.
This is a fairly recent monument, completed in 2006.
Berlin’s most famous construction, the Brandenburg Gate, dates from a markedly
different era. The lady on the top, tending to the four horses, has been called
Victoria since the defeat of Napoleon. When the sun strikes at a certain time,
her figure casts a shadow over a nearby building: the French Embassy. Not that
Europeans hold grudges…
Other aspects of history can be seen on Museum Island, which
is home to lots of artefacts from Ancient Greece and Babylonia. Of course,
Berlin’s troubled recent past is never far away, demonstrated by the bullet
holes in the Greek columns dating from the Battle of Berlin in May 1945.
Berlin was united, as was Germany, soon after the wall fell
in 1989. Differences were, and still are, stark. The architecture ranges from
Baroque in the west to brutalist in the east. Parks seem more numerous and
better preserved in the west. Over time, the east will catch up with the west
but as of now, there is an interesting difference between the two sides even 25
years after they merged once more. Some of the older eastern aspects, such as the Ampelmann traffic lights, are worth maintaining.
Possibly due to harbouring younger hopes of becoming James
Bond, this period of history is my favourite to learn about. Berlin is thus a
fantastic place to bring light to the Cold War. All of the aforementioned sites
were seen on a free walking tour done by Original Walking Berlin, who I would
highly recommend. We toured for four hours and felt like we hardly scratched
the surface. You would have to be ‘ein Berliner’ not to appreciate the power of
the past – and the present energy – of Germany’s young, unified capital.
Love you all
Matt
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