Berlin - A History Lesson

(posted by John)

For our first family trip of the 2011-12 school year we chose to spend a three-day weekend in Berlin.  I had previously visited Berlin a number of times for work and always thoroughly enjoyed my stay.  I looked forward to sharing my experience with Jen and the kids.

First off, we drove.  Nothing like a good road trip!  Berlin is located approx 660km (about 400 miles) east of Amsterdam in former East Germany http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/europe/germany/  The road trip provided me the opportunity to drive on the fabled Autobahn for the first time.  Yes, it’s true…for many long stretches of the German highway system, there is no speed limit.  The Feriancek car topped out at 200 kph (125 mph) and many times we were still being passed by other cars.  Quite an intense experience.



Germany Road Trip



I spent most of Friday meeting with my German AMS colleagues (no three-day weekend for me) while Jen and the kids spent their day exploring the city, with most of their time spent at the Berlin zoo http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Zoological_Garden.  As I have seen from the pictures, they had a great time!

Raaaahhhhhrrr!

Berlin is the historical capital of Prussia, a former kingdom that included land outside the current German border http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prussia.  Prior to WWI, Berlin was also the center of the German Empire and home of the Kaizer (aka – German emperor). 

The Brandenburg gate was one of 14 city gates for the formally walled city of Berlin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandenburg_Gate.  Built in 1791, it is the only gate left standing and serves as a symbol for the city.

East Berlin side of the Brandenburg Gate

Following its defeat in WWII, Germany was split in two (East and West).  Given the historical and strategic importance of the capital city, the WWII Allies agreed to split Berlin into 4 sections (American, French, British and Soviet).  In 1961, as the Cold War intensified, the East Germans erected a wall around West Berlin (American, French and British sections).  Because Berlin was located within East Germany, this made West Berlin an island within the borders of East Germany http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Wall.

If you can’t tell, I’m a bit of a history buff so visiting Berlin is particularly exhilarating.  To see the remnants of the Berlin Wall that came down so resoundingly while I watched on TV in 1989 is very special.  It is so rare to experience such dramatic history that occurred within our lifetime.

One of the last remaining sections of the Berlin Wall

We were fortunate to receive a tour of Berlin on Saturday from my friend and AMS colleague Marco.  Marco grew up in East Berlin, his home only five minutes from the Wall.  He served in the East German army and has an uncle who escaped from East Germany in 1968.  Finally, Marco was one of the many East Berliners who traveled through to West Berlin on November 9, 1989, the night the Berlin Wall came down.  Marco shared his stories with our family, creating a fascinating and informative day.

Marco and John

Also on Saturday we visited the Berlin Cathedral http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Cathedral

Ryan & John in the Berlin Cathedral

…and the Holocost memorial http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_to_the_Murdered_Jews_of_Europe

The Berlin Holocost Memorial

During our intense, living history lesson on Saturday, we did find time for playing in the park and having dinner at an Indonesian restaurant.  During our dinner, we continued our discussion about the history of Berlin.  As we were leaving, a German couple who overheard some of our discussion remarked at what inquisitive and thoughtful kids we have.  They also commented that the German people will forever appreciate the role America played in freeing them from the tyranny of the Nazi’s.  What a remarkable day.

On a beautiful Sunday morning, we walked through the city doing a bit of shopping and pretzel eating



Matt the Pretzel man



…and a visit to Lego discovery http://www.legolanddiscoverycentre.de/berlin/en/index.htm

The Boys and the Lego Giraffe

Berlin is a striking mix of the new and the old.  Much of the city was destroyed during WWII and then subsequently used as a no-mans land during the 28 years the Wall stood.  Today, in the former area of the wall, very modern office buildings, hotels and shopping centers now stand in close proximity to buildings that are centuries old.  In many areas of the city a thin line of bricks has been imbedded in the street to show where the Berlin Wall once stood.  Without this reminder, it would be very difficult to tell if you are in East or West Berlin.  The city has truly become one.

The kids straddling the Wall memorial line in front of the old Wall