Berlin

We only had one day to explore Berlin, but I had planned out a walking route that would allow us to see much of the city, and I think that actually covered things pretty well.

Berlin surprised me quite a bit. First, I expected the city to be more cold (socially speaking, like NYC vs. Chicago), but did not really find it that way. Second, I was very surprised by the openness with which modern Germany faces its 20th-century past. It's actually quite impressive that they face it as head-on as they do. The Holocaust Memorial (specifically, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe) and the Topography of Terror are extremely engaging, and they neither shy away from any detail nor water down any fact. In fact, I found the message and warning from these two sites so impressive that I have compiled a second Berlin photo album in addition to my more traditional album. I know the material is heavy, but I would encourage all of you to take a few minutes and look through it on full screen, because I think it is important that we remind ourselves not only of what happened, but also how and why. Over less than a decade, what started as general animus snowballed into open hate and oppression, and a "civilized" society found itself carrying out barbarian acts in a cold, methodical, systematic fashion. "It happened, therefore it can happen again." I organized this album in such a way that it tells the story by itself. Please take a few minutes to look through it--I'd prefer you look at that over my traditional Berlin album.

Our walk started at the Reichstag, the home of Germany's legislature. The Reichstag was not used much during the Nazi era--mostly because of the 1933 Reichstag fire and the fact that parliament held little political power under the Third Reich, but returning the legislature of the newly united Germany to the Reichstag following the collapse of the Soviet Union was a very controversial decision given Berlin's history under imperialist and then Nazi Germany. Today, the parliamentary chamber is covered by a glass dome that lets in natural sunlight, symbolizing transparency to the people.

Next, we moved on to the Brandenburg Gate, one of Europe's most famous landmarks, and one you may recognize from photos of Nazi rallies in Berlin during the 1930s.

From the Brandenburg Gate, we walked to Berlin's Holocaust Memorial, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. Photos from this are in my other Berlin album. The memorial itself is stunning and strikes a very appropriate tone. It is meant to be disorienting and confusing when you enter it, and this effect was intentional, as the evil of the act itself should instill similar feelings. Underneath the monument is an absolutely incredible exhibition with historical information, letters from Holocaust victims, and more. In this case, I really mean it--no trip to Berlin would be complete without at least an hour to wander, educate yourself, and reflect here. I also found it appropriate that this memorial sits within view of the Reichstag itself--a subtle reminder that government actors and beaurocrats can effect great evil from legislative chambers and agency offices, even if they never personally participate in the acts themselves. Nathan and I did not really say anything to each other for quite a while after leaving this site--the sheer weight of the evil it recounts is far more disorienting than the grid itself. It's hard to write about more than a week after visiting.

(I should also say that reflecting on the cities I have seen that were heavily affected by the Holocaust has made it more real to me. I did not have many Jewish friends before law school, but now I have a large number of dear friends that are ethnically Jewish. As clear as the evil of the Holocaust was before, it is beyond heartbreaking to imagine a society in which these friends would be threatened simply on the basis of their ethnic and religious identity. And in a way, this shows how education and travel make the lessons of history all the more real.)

Next, we followed the path of the Berlin Wall (still marked in the city's streets and sidewalks) and walked to the Topography of Terror, which occupies the site that used to hold the headquarters of the Gestapo and the SS. This also took far longer than expected, as the information and presentation are extremely gripping. I couldn't leave until I'd read every display over the roughly 100-yard walk.

We then followed the Berlin Wall's path a bit further to the site of Checkpoint Charlie, a powerful symbol of the Cold War--where East met West, and Communism met freedom. Thankfully, today, traffic flows freely from both sides, and papers are not necessary. Also marking the site are souvenir stores, a small museum, and a McDonald's.

We continued our walk by the museum island, the cathedral, and Alexanderplatz, and then made our way back to our hostel. Our hostel was in a very nice residential neighborhood, and that area of Berlin really took me back to Lincoln Park, Chicago. North of Alexanderplatz there are many nice, charming neighborhoods.

I couldn't handle another plate of rich meat paired with (1) something pickled and (2) some ultra dense bread or potato dumpling, and southeast Asian food is pretty trendy in Berlin right now, so we ate dinner at a great Vietnamese restaurant on a quiet street north of Alexanderplatz. Then, with two packed days in Munich awaiting us, it was time for bed.

- R