Berlin. The Testicle of the West

"Berlin is the testicle of the West. When I want the West to scream, I squeeze on Berlin." A very well known quote from the former Soviet Union leader, Nikita Khrushchev, when he gave a speech in Yugoslavia in 1963. Of course, the city of Berlin played a pivotal role during the Cold War. For the West, which included the Americans, the British, and the French, West Berlin was an island surrounded by a sea of red Soviet land. In 1949, the SED in the East, a Communist regime, took over the state's politics, while in the West, former Cologne mayor and anti-Nazi during the Nazi years, Konrad Adenauer, led the West. During the 1950s, Berlin was separated, indeed, but not to the extent it would later be. There was no wall. There was a border, in which if you had the right documents you could go back and forth. But as tensions arose, it was agreed that a wall between the two states was to be built. For two years the infamous Berlin wall was built. This development would define Berlin for nearly the next thirty years, and to an extent as we saw today, still plays a significant part in Berlin's heritage. 
This is a large cathedral seen on the West side of Berlin. It is important to note that the city itself during WWII was 80% bombed by the allies. This building was able to stay standing, although faced considerable damage. Instead of tearing it down it was decided, like many things, to let it remain the way it was for the purposes of remembering the war. For over sixty years it stood tall, damaged and ruined. Now they are refurbishing it, (in its destroyed state) which is apparently a four year process. 
Of course, Berlin is well known for its commemoration of the war. I don't think cities in Germany go to the same extent as Berlin does in remembering the victims of war. This may have been the closest commemorative plaque near our hotel. The first two words, when translated say, "Killed to death," followed by "hushed." The plaque commemorates a homosexual who was victimized by the Nazis. 
A former train station located in the heart of West Berlin (interestingly in a very wealthy neighbourhood where there are many fancy embassy residences. The very rich part of Berlin. Actually it is no longer a trainstation. It is now a cafe of sorts, but the tracks still remain as it was where the Jewish deportation centre in Berlin was located.

After the war, these metal platforms were installed to commemorate the Jews who were deported to places like Auschwitz and, the closer camp to Berlin, Sachsenhausen. They would give a description of the date of the deportation, the number of victims, and where they were going. As you can see there are lots of them.  
 
This may be an odd picture for many of you who read this. However, it plays an interesting role in my own personal knowledge, as I wrote about these apartment buildings only a few semesters ago for a research paper. These were built by the West, and were used in a competition of sorts for architects all over the world. It was called Interbau, an exhibition to show off West Berlin's new modern style. This area is called Hansaviertal. The locals call it hansa. Frankly I find the architecture quite ugly, but it was built in the 1960s after all! The 1950s and 1960s architecture is not known for its beauty that's for sure. Just look at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver. Nonetheless, this neighbourhood was used to demonstrate the West as modern living, and to contrast the Socialist living in the East.
 
One cannot see Berlin without seeing one of the remaining Nazi built buildings. Olympic Stadium. Built in the mid 1930s for the 1936 Olympics where Germany was going to host the games. Of course, this Olympic games is well remembered for two things. First, the grandiose nature of the ceremonies, due to Hitler's plans to show off his country to the world. Secondly, Jesse Owens, the African-American track star who took home four gold medals. Pretty amazing considering the circumstances, and the racial policies that were already taking place during this time. 
The former Stalinallee. A boulevard in East Berlin. I apologize it was hard to take a picture of this. Google images has some very good pictures to show this grandiose street. This is not a freeway. Its an inter-city street that was used by the Soviets for their grandiose plans and Socialist events. Leader's birthdays and Socialist holidays are what often took place here. Socialist parades. After WW2 the street was able to be reconstructed by the Soviets to promote their ideals. Very interesting. The facades of each building are quite nice too.

How about a streetlamp designed by Nazi architect Albert Speer. This was built for the Olympics so that when the athletes walked the long street to the Olympic Stadium, they could see the "beautiful" new street lights the Nazis had installed. Of course, Albert Speer played a crucial role in designing many of Hitler's buildings. He was tried at the Nuremberg Trials and was sentenced to 20 years of hard labour at Spandau Prison, where he would stay for the entire duration. Afterwords he wrote a few books condemning the Hitler, Himmler and the SS. He would later take full responsibility for his roles in the Nazi Party. He is often considered the "good Nazi" for being able to admit his guilt and giving money to a number of Jewish charities in his later life. His books and details about the personalities and inner-workings of the Nazi Party are increasingly valuable to historians.  
The Reichstag. Just days after the War (above) and presently. The most interesting story about this building is the Nazis set the Reichstag on fire in 1933 in order to begin their Nazi racial policies. They would later put the blame on the Jews for setting it on fire, in order to anger the public, and for them to begin implementing their racial policies. Presently there is a dome above the Reichstag, which is relatively new so that people can walk up. The clear glass symbolizes that the government of Germany should always be transparent and easily seen by the people and the world. 

Brandenburg Gate. When the Nazis ascended to power they used the Gate as a party symbol. The Gate survived World War II and is one of the damaged structures still standing. The gate was badly damaged with holes in the columns from bullets and nearby explosions. Following Germany's surrender and the end of the war, the governments of East and West Berlin restored it in a joint effort. The holes were patched and were visible for many years following the war. During the post-war partition of Germany the gate was isolated and inaccessible immediately next to the Berlin Wall.  The area around the gate featured most prominently in the media coverage of the opening of the wall in 1989. Throughout its existence, the Brandenburg Gate was often a site for major historical events and is today considered a symbol of the tumultuous history of Europe and Germany, but also of European unity and peace. 

These pictures were taken from photographs of the Berlin Wall. On the left, an approximately 200 foot span between the two walls. Simply known as the "Dead Zone." Basically a no mans land between the two sectors. On the right, apartments in the East were used as "wall fillers." No one on the left hand side lived in these apartments that faced the West as people had initially tried to escape to the west through their windows. On the other hand, the West used that small gap as an alley way. Kids were known to play in these areas. Like bounce a ball off the wall.
 
Present day portion of the Wall. This was from the East. During the partition period, no one in the East could get that close to the wall. So the difference between the East and West wall was the amount of graffiti on the West wall. Now the East has graffiti all over it. Some of the pictures talk about unity and peace. Very cool.
 
Hotel Adlon. During the Nazi period, officials of the regime would go to this hotel to celebrate or have a good time. It remained standing miraculously after the war. However, when the Soviet occupation went in there to party one night, a few soldiers went into the wine cellar and somehow it caught on fire and it burnt down. It is amazing that the building was able to remain throughout the War, including still running primarily as a hotel and hospital for soldiers, but when the Soviets showed up it accidentally caught on fire. During the war the hotel had bunkers underneath for its guests.

An example of a typical Socialist building. you can't really tell, but it's a utopian picture of kids learning in school, doctors, teachers, scientists, physicists, astronauts all doing the Socialist duty. These ideals were far from the truth. In reality, East Germany, and the Eastern bloc for that matter, was a highly oppressed and suppressed country who did not have the things that the propaganda, ideals, and pictures portrayed.
 
A couple more pictures of Stalinallee. Now known as Karl Marx Boulevard. Cool fact: The street was built to go in the direction of Moscow. The idea that you could travel straight for a long time and end up in the capital of the USSR.  
   We can now say we've touched the wall.
Finally, Check point Charlie. The border crossing between East and West in Berlin. Now a very touristy attraction. Takes away from what it really is. It was really called "Checkpoint C," but Charlie is the pseudonym for it. In October 1961 it was the scene of a standoff between Soviet and American tanks. Luckily nothing happened.

That is it! We have finished our trip through Poland and Europe. I hope you all enjoyed the blogs, and hope you learned some European history. I know I did. And I enjoyed writing about it. Thanks for reading! Off to my home sweet home!