Learn, Reflect, Repeat
Today I went on a walking tour of Berlin and saw a whole lot of history. We saw the Brandenburg Gate, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews, the site of Hitler’s bunker (now a parking lot), the old Luftwaffe building (now the building for German tax collectors), a segment of the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, Gendarmenmarkt (home of the German and French cathedrals), and Humboldt University (on one of the squares of which the infamous Nazi book burning took place in 1933). Here are some of the things I learned (these are just the facts that stood out to me for one reason or another; I learned much more than this and it was also a great refresher of World War II and Cold War history):
German unification took place in 1871 and just a few years later, in 1907, an anti-German alliance was formed in Europe. What a short lived time of unity and peace.
At the end of World War I in 1923, 1 German Mark (their currency) was worth $1 trillion. Can you imagine?!
In talking about Hitler’s rise to power, our tour guide noted that the typical rise to dictatorship starts with those in power taking an event and claiming it as a national security risk and then using their positions to expand their own power for the sake of protecting against this threat. This was one of my first of many moments in Berlin where I immediately thought about what happened in Germany in the 1930’s and what is going on in the world today, specifically in the US.
After Hitler committed suicide, he told his comrades to burn his and his partner’s bodies outside his bunker. The Russian army, which was soon upon the scene of the crime, immediately put out the fire and verified (to the best of their ability – their techniques are still questioned) the identities of the bodies. He was then buried in an unmarked grave and later exhumed, cremated, and his ashes were spread in the Elbe River. This seemed so odd to me, since I see spreading ashes as a way of honoring the deceased. I asked the tour guide about this and he said this was the decision of the East German government as a way to be rid of him for once and for all in the most total way possible.
The Berlin Wall was essentially erected over night; people awoke suddenly to this haunting barrier, many stuck on the opposite side of the wall from their family, friends, or job. I cannot imagine…
In the Gendarmenmarkt, the French cathedral was build first; the German cathedral was built soon after to be an exact replica but precisely one meter higher than the French. The two were eventually set equal when the raised arm of the statue atop the German cathedral was lowered.
This was not new news to me, but our tour guide mentioned how in Germany, they are very open about their history and the atrocities that took place there. This openness is in order to prevent history from repeating itself. Since some are detecting inklings of this history creeping into our present times, I hope that we can be open and understanding about our differences and pasts.
“War cannot be an instrument of foreign policy" (Of course I stupidly forgot to write down who said this, but I really liked the quote.)
The fall of the Berlin Wall and its initial opening all started with a media hiccup and misunderstanding where the East German press secretary not only revealed secret information before it was supposed to be announced, but also got it wrong. But my favorite part of the story is that the wall really fell because the German people stood their ground. They swarmed the wall when they got wind of the wall’s opening and when they were told they had gotten it wrong, they refused to accept that as an answer and stayed at the wall until the guards gave in.
On my way to the Topography of Terror Museum, I stopped to get some classic currywurst and fries (with mayo, which is the way around here) for lunch. Visiting the museum was essentially like reading a book: the exhibit is comprised of pictures and copies of old newspapers and policies from 1933 through very recent developments in the proceeding trials (the most recent date I remember reading about was 2002). Even though going through the entire museum required a lot of brainpower, it was a very powerful experience. Some parts were very dry, going over specific policy that was enveloped to put certain police units into place but as the chronology continued into the height of the regime and the thick of WWII, I could feel my face subconsciously twisting into expressions of disgust for the pure, unsubstantiated and reckless hatred on behalf of the Nazis. Of course I do not need to lament here how sad and unfortunate and terrifying the holocaust was, but seeing the photographs, reading the quotes... It was hard to believe such atrocities transpired on the very streets in which I walked and it was overall an incredibly moving experience.
One thing that really struck me was the broad consent and approval Hitler had at the beginning. It's not like he came in hated and grabbed control; he technically earned his initial post in power. Something else I learned in the museum that stuck out to me was how much public shaming took place during the Nazi regime and how effective it is. Of course manipulating someone’s emotions and humiliating them has profound effects, but it just seems so childish to me, that one of their primary ways of creating fear was to make people wear signs around their necks that says they betrayed the regime. It makes me wonder if anyone ever tried to stand up to this humiliation by “owning” what they were accused of doing (or I maybe the Nazi’s had already well established their willingness to easily kill or send anyone away to a camp that the fear for one’s life was what really lied beneath these public humiliations). In one of the photographs, I saw that a sign shamed a man for voting a certain way. What's the purpose of having a vote then? Need I say how important voting is…
After the museum, I decided I wanted to check out Museum Island. I hopped on a train but before I got to the island itself, I saw signs for an arts and crafts market, which I simply couldn't resist. It was past closing so the artists were packing up and only a few tables were still selling but among the limited selection, I somehow found a beautiful necklace. It's a small glass ball filled with the seeds from a wishing dandelion, which has always held a special place in my heart. Check out how cool her stuff is! As I strolled across Museum Island I saw about five or more wedding parties taking photos next to the cathedral there. What a sight! One couple had getaway sports cars decorated with tulle and ready to go!
I decided to meander my way to Alexanderplatz and make my next move from there (especially because there is free wifi in the square). I quickly texted with a friend of a friend and we arranged to meet up at a nice little pub. I got a classic German dish that was basically spetzli mac n cheese. Yum! Of course I got a nice beer to go with. It was great to see a familiar face in this huge new city. By the time we parted ways I was craving ice cream (as always) so I ventured out from the hostel to find some. I came upon a small gelateria at which an Italian was behind the counter! He said that they have an award-winning pistachio so since I'm painfully indecisive I went for that. I don't normally go for pistachio but it was pretty delicious! I decided to take it on the road and do a bit of exploring while I licked away at my ice cream cone. I discovered a bunch of cool shops! Closed for now of course, which made me wish I had more time to wander even more. This weekend so far has consisted of primarily me wandering on my whim, which has been extremely pleasant besides the incredibly heavy history I have been absorbing.