A Deeper Dive Into Berlin
Yesterday’s marathon gave us the 10,000 foot view of the layout and history of Berlin. Today we decided to dig a little deeper and get a closer look at some of the sites we passed by.
We started off in Niederkirchnerstrasse which is the same area which we saw some of the remnants of the wall yesterday. Our first stop was to check out Topographie des Terrors, but we first had to cross over from the former West into the former East.
Topographie des Terrors is an outdoor museum on the site of buildings which during the Nazi regime from 1933 to 1945 were the headquarters of the Gestapo and the SS.
The museum is a series of posters and descriptions that run the full length of the remaining Berlin wall.
There was a TON of information and we learned a great deal about Nazi Germany and all of the events that lead up to its rise and fall. Here are just a few choice photos of photos from the exhibit.
I could go on and on about all the remarkable things I saw and read, but it’s one of those spots that you really just have to experience for yourself. But in short, this graffiti on the Berlin Wall pretty much sums it all up:
Luckily that is all behind us now, as this view through the wall at the Berlin Bear happily reminds us.
Oh, and don’t let that bear fool you! The word Berlin actually has nothing to do with bears as you might think. Berlin actually translates to ‘swamp land’ as the city is quite literally built on top of a swamp. Which is why anytime there is some new construction going on, you will find an elaborate set of tubes snaking up, over and around the construction site…
…to suck away the swamp water from the earth below.
Enough with things that suck! Let’s move on to something that rules!
The DDR Museum (GDR in English) is a hands on museum that tries to recreate the idiosyncrasies of life inside the German Democratic Republic. They really should know better than to let a couple of kids like us run around in a hands on museum! What were they thinking!?!?
It all started outdoors with the tricycle…
…which we rode inside to the garage…
…where we plotted on how best to smuggle a human across the border.
Some of us do our best thinking while on the john, so we headed to the bathroom…
to ponder, and to shave…
Don’t worry, we really enjoyed washing our hands afterward.
Walking down the hallway, we were so inspired by some of the photos of fashion…
…that we just had to try some on ourselves.
We must be getting delirious from all the lead paint in the house. Or perhaps we’ve just overdosed on fake wood paneling in the living room.
No. I know what the problem is. We’re just hungry, and can’t think straight. Time to head to the kitchen.
Hmmm, but what to make? Let’s look for a recipe…
…OHH! How about some pink-meat-pucks!!!?
Neh. We had that last week. Then perhaps some egg-brick and brisket?
Sounds delicious!!
P.S. For more absolutely AWESOME receipes and some hillarious commentary, click on over to the always amusing Weight Watchers recipe cards from 1974. You won’t regret it.
Dear Jason, I’m writing an essay on open-air museums and I found an image of the Berlin Wall Memorial that I would like to associate to my text. This text is an educational one, non-commertial, it’s gonna be available for free through the Internet. May I use your image? If you agree, you will be credited as the photographer. Thanks in advance. Best, Rodrigo
— Rodrigo Alonso
March 13, 2011 4:01 pm.