Die Deutsche Diary -- All the other days

Checkpoint Charlie, the Allied Forces checkpoint for crossing back and forth between East and West Berlin between 1945 and 1989.

Sean and I and a really tall soldier at Checkpoint Charlie. He's no longer needed for military purposes, of course, and is used solely for decoration. If you look closely at the sign on his coat, it says "Pictures - 1 EU." Yes, we paid to stand there and take our own picture. Capitalism at its finest.

I know it's hard to see, but this is a picture of an aerial shot of Berlin just after the end of WWII. The city was 70% destroyed.
















Back in the '90's, the following phrase was a common one on Saturday Night Live: "And that just goes to show, Germans love David Hasselhoff." NOW I understand what they were talking about. He single-handedly helped dismantle the Berlin Wall!

I know, I know. It's crass. We don't even use the word "fart" in the Sundwall house. But some things are just funnier in a foreign language. :)

It became very obvious early in our trip that everyone has a German Twin. I saw Heather Mather's twin, Deborah Barnard's twin, Drew Barrymore's twin, and here, in all it's bronze glory, is Joseph Smith's twin. Seriously, isn't the resemblance uncanny?! (I think this guy's name is Heinrich Heine. He was a Jewish scholar of some sort.)

Sean and the hot dog. He was so excited to find a 5-foot tall smiling replica of his favorite processed meat product.

Me in front of the palace of Sophie Charlotta. It was amazingly beautiful, but cameras were prohibited inside so you're only getting the exterior flavor.

The Holocaust Memorial takes up an entire city block in downtown Berlin. There are hundreds of these solid concrete coffin-shaped pillars, some tall, some short. It's very humbling.

The Russian Memorial for all Russian soldiers who died during WWII. Although 3,000 of those soldiers died trying to raise the Russian flag atop the ruins of the Reichstag building per Stalin's orders. Great guy, that Stalin. A real humanitarian leader.

The rebuilt Reichstag. Hitler "accidentally" burned down the original. Everything in Berlin is "rebuilt."

The largest remaining remnant of the Berlin Wall. I was surprised by how short it was. This portion is on the site of what is called, "The Topography of Terror," which includes the remains of the Gestapo and SS Headquarters (really nothing more than the basement cells; everything else has been destroyed). The site is something of an outdoor museum, a walkway with huge placards describing in detail the key players and events that were associated with the Gestapo and SS.

The basement cells of the Gestapo. Used primarily for solitary confinement, torture and intimidation of anyone resisting the Nazi regime.

This is an amazing story. Near the end of the Jewish roundups in 1944, two thousand half-Jewish men and Aryan men who were married to Jewish women were rounded up and taken to a recreation center on this site with the purpose of being deported to concentration camps for annihilation. The wives and children of these men, who'd had enough of the Nazi's reign of terror, gathered at the site where the men had been detained and beat with pots, pans and various other items on the walls and doors of the center, demanding that their men be returned. The SS, who were at this point in the war somewhat concerned about turning public opinion against them, released the men to their wives and children. This memorial is a depiction of the women and children demanding the freedom of their men. The fearless, fed-up reaction of these women and children serves as a profound reminder of why it is so important to never give up or give in.

This is the exterior of the Pergamon Museum. It's stuffed with countless antiquities from the Pergamon Era, which I believe was set in Turkey somewhere. Anyway, if you're into Greek Gods and Myths, this is a definite must-see in Berlin. A few too many naked statues for my liking, but hey, it's history. :)

A chunk of one of the walls of the Pergamon. I got in trouble several times by museum security for touching stuff. It's easy when you play the roll of Stupid American Tourist. But it was worth it; I'm very tactile!!

Sean on the steps of the Pergamon. I call this one, "Small man on big stairs."

This is a coffin with the story of Medea and Jason etched on it. If you're ever feeling like a bad mom, look up the story of the Greek Goddess Medea. She was a very bad mommy.

Seriously. Can you imagine being the poor sucker who had to pose for this piece?

This was perhaps one of the most touching sites we visited. Inside a huge mausoleum-like building sat this statue of a grieving mother and her dead soldier son. The Soldier Memorial was built in remembrance of all those who died serving Germany. That it is covered in snow added to the solemnity and sadness.

The Maserati Begatti. Mmmmm. I was itchin' to test-drive this puppy on the Autobahn. Sadly our only Autobahn experience was in a double-decker tour bus on icy roads going speeds that would have been illegal in any other country. :) And I lived to tell the tale. A miracle.

I have one post left regarding our Germany trip, a recap of sorts, and then I'll return to my normal posts of quirky children and housewife lamentations. Bye!