The Berlin Wall, Holocaust Memorial, Brandenburg Gate

The Berlin Wall 

Saturday, April 25, 2016

I've never really understood the Berlin Wall nor why it even existed. This history lesson will help me.

As I see it, the plague of mankind throughout the entire history of the earth sums it up:
the desire for POWER, reaffirming the fact that there is absolutely no way to take away the agency of men.

At the end of WWII, the four victorious allied countries (USA, Great Britain, France, and Russia) divided Germany between them. Berlin being the capitol city was also divided into 4 sectors even though Berlin was deep within the Soviet zone. 

Three of the four major political powers are shown here in Potsdam in July 1945.  L to R - Prime Minister Winston Churchill (Great Britain), President Harry S. Truman (USA), and Stalin (USSR) 

In what became known as the Cold War, tensions grew when USA, France, and Britain united their occupied zones into a single entity, West Germany. In response, the USSR launched a land blockade of West Berlin to force the West to abandon the city. 

The territory became divided first by a barbed wire fence. Between 1949 and 1961 2.5 million East Germans fled, with a daily average of 2,000 by August 1961. The loss of so many skilled laborers was having a devastating effect on the East Germany economy, so stronger barriers and fortifications went up. 

These efforts were in response to so many people leaving. The Berlin Wall was put up in order to prevent the mass exodus. After all, if no one was there, who would they be able to rule????

It was first a wire fence, then became more fortified in several stages.  Electrical fences were used, a backup wall, dogs, mines to prevent escapes, but efforts still continued. Tighter controls promoted more inventive and daring efforts to escape. 

The concrete wall was erected at a ridiculously enormous cost when there were many people without money for basic necessities. It was erected in a 28 mile circle inside of the city of Berlin, and for 75 miles on the outside. 

Because the Soviets blocked the entrance to the city, the US and England carried out what is known as the Berlin Airlift. Planes dropped supplies and fuel every 90 seconds for 11 months to the people of West Berlin who were trapped inside the circular Wall. 

One of these pilots, a member of the Church whom we all know and love, was Gail Halvorson, better known as The Candy Bomber. He became famous for his paper towel parachutes carrying candy and gum to the East German children watching along the fence. 

Sept 9, 1948 300,000 Berliners from both sides protested the division of Berlin. They didn't want to be used as an object of barter. May 10, 1949 the Soviets gave up the blockade and on May 23 the three Allies formed a new Germany with a new constitution. 

In 1952 the border closed completely. 

As proof of the extreme measures taken: one house had the wall running right through the middle of it, one side on the east and one side on the west. The entire house was eventually taken down.

The Berlin Wall East Side Gallery 

a memorial to the Berlin Wall, was erected 1961, torn down 9 November 1989, painted Feb through September 1990, Renovated in 2009.

One end of the Wall. 

It may look like it is painted with graffiti, but it is not...well, there might be a few additions.  In 1990, 118 artists from 21 countries were invited to each paint one section. This act gave expression to the widespread joy felt in seeing the Wall come down. Some of the art was very touching and meaningful. 

The other end of the Wall.

The remaining length of the Wall (1.3 km) is under a preservation order in Berlin. 

I noticed the hotel across the street is appropriately named, East Side Hotel.

The River Spree runs through Berlin, but the Wall had been strategically placed so the entire water surface was in East Berlin. Though it was heavily guarded and placed with traps to avoid escapes, several hundred lost their lives in their attempts.  

The beautiful Oberbaum Bridge is one of the city's landmarks. It was built in 1732 as a gateway between the cities of Friedrichshain and Kruezberg which became divided by the Wall. Partially destroyed during the War, it was restored in 1990 and reopened on the 5th Anniversary of the Wall coming down, Nov 9, 1994 as a symbol of the reunification.

Rueckerts and Mathesons in front of the Oberbaum Bridge.

 It is a double decker bridge, with a roadway for cars and pedestrians on the lower level, and train on the upper level with space for boats to go underneath.

The Holocaust Memorial

Covering a huge area, these blocks were of a variety of sizes sitting on ground that was undulating. It looks deserted here, but actually people were walking all through it between the blocks. It was planned to give the feeling of being lost.

Underneath this whole area is a museum honoring the Jews who were killed. 

The personal stories of many individuals and families who lost their lives were shared here. I was impressed with the amount of research that had been done to honor the individual people and families.

 Displayed were post cards and letters found, some along the railroad lines. They now stand as testaments to the desperation people felt trying to make contact with loved ones, and the realization that life as they had known it was over. 

A painting depicting a concentration camp.

The Brandenburg Gate

It was built in 1790 as a gate to the city, and was a victory trophy in many wars. 

 In 1933, the Nazis  marched through the gate in a parade, celebrating Hitler's rise to power and introducing the darkest chapter of German history. It later became a guardhouse on the border between the East and the West.

In 1963 when President Kennedy visited Berlin, the Soviets hung large red banners in front of this gate to prevent him from seeing into the East.  

This action prompted the Wall to be called, "The Iron Curtain." 

Here is the site of President Reagan's famous speech challenging the USSR to take the wall down.

A street musician performing in the Pariser Platz, by the Gate. 

Here was a WOW for us!!! 

Sergey Karamyshev, one of the best street entertainers we've ever heard! 

He is on You Tube playing the glass harp or www.glass-music.com. 

I found a great necklace as we checked out the Art Market! 

A Mediterranean Buffet rounded off a great day!

The insights we gained this weekend about the historical events having taken place in Berlin provided much to talk about as we headed home to Frankfurt. 

I wondered if the people responsible for participating in the atrocities might be embarrassed to see us all looking at the details of their actions. 

Elder Rueckert commented that it is interesting that the Germans went from being the worst guys in the world to then being felt sorry for because the Russians became the worst guys in the world.

I am now much smarter about what has happened in Berlin, and I hope you are, too!

Goodbye, Berlin!