Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Driving home we took a picture of where the division between East and West Germany once stood. This would have been a difficult trip to take only about 20 years ago. It was a great weekend!
This obelisk, some 40 meters high, is the central monument and symbol of the Sachsenhausen Memorial. We read a letter that was found in a bottle when they were building the memorial and museum. It was written by a prisoner that had already been here for 7 years. He spoke of his true love back in Koln and wondered if she was okay. He also wrote of hope. And that even though he had been here for so long, they had not broken his spirit and he believed things must be getting better. Truly amazing.
One thing we learned was that the Russians kept this camp open for another 5 years after the end of World War II. By the time the camp was closed in 1950 - around 60, 000 people were imprisoned here under the Russians, of which at least 12,000 died.
Tens of thousands of them died of starvation, disease, forced labour and maltreatment,or were murdered by the SS.
Here is what the barracks looked like - each bunk that looks big enough for one person actually held about three men.
You read about these places, but when you actually see and touch them, it adds a whole new dimension to anything you have ever learned.
More than 200,000 people were imprisoned here between 1936 and 1945.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Before driving home, we made one more stop - to the Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum. This concentration camp was built during the summer of 1936 by prisoners. It was designed and laid out by an SS architect as a model for all other concentration camps. It was intended to give architectural expression to the Nazi world view and symbolize the sunjugation of prisoners to the absolute power of the SS.Before we went back to the hotel - we did treat ourselves to a taste of home - we found a Dunkin'Doughnuts!!!!
It is so beautiful inside. Lots of marble and gold. We also visited the crypt where lots of royal families were buried, including Kaiser Wilhelm II. This was it for us for the day. It was back to hotel to relax until dinner. Tonight we went to great little Italian place and had a great meal.
A fire bomb hit the dome at the place where the roof lit with the dove can be seen again today. The dome burnt out and its collapse destroyed further parts of the interior and the crypt. Proper renovation began in 1975 and it was re-opened in 1980 in all its splendour.
The Berlin Cathedral was built from 1894-1905 during the time of Kaiser William II. In May 1944, the Berliner Dom was badly damaged during air raids.
While heading towards the Berliner Dom, we snapped this shot of the tower.
Here it is! It was built back in 1969. Scott and I are convinced the USSR used it to listen in on West Berlin!
Here is a view from the top - 365 meters (1,197 feet) above Berlin. The tower is the tallest building in Berlin and is the second-tallest structure in Europe. In the center of the picture is the Berlin Cathedral - our next stop.
Here is a view from the top - 365 meters (1,197 feet) above Berlin. The tower is the tallest building in Berlin and is the second-tallest structure in Europe. In the center of the picture is the Berlin Cathedral - our next stop.
We hopped on a metro and headed over to the Fernsehturm - the televison tower. Inside was one of the many Berlin Bears that we saw throughout the weekend.
This hall documents the church's history and contains some original ceiling mosaics, marble reliefs and liturgical objects. Next to the hall is a new church built in 1963. It is made entirely of blue glass block. It was very dark and peaceful inside though.Saturday, January 13, 2007
After enjoying oneof the best hotel breakfasts that we have had in Europe - we were out exploring. Just down a few blocks from our hotel is the famous Kaiser-Wilhem Gedachtnis Kirche. This church monument is one of Berlin's most famous landmarks. It was consecrated in 1895 and destroyed by bombs in 1943. After the war the ruins were removed, leaving only the front tower, at the base of which the Memorial Hall is situated.
After the Reichstag, we walked and shopped along Unter den Linden, hopped a metro back to our hotel. Then it was out to get some dinner. We found a geat Spanish restaurant nearby called El Dorado - YUM.
Visitors can also look down into the plenary chamber and watch the German Parliament in action. This also serves as a reminder to the Parliament that they are there to serve the people. The German Bundestag is the world's most visited Parliament with about 3 million visitors each year - add the Meier's to that list for 2007.
After a really friendly German told us that since we have small children we didn't have to wait in line to go up to the cupola - we hopped in our own elevator and up we went! Inside the dome, there is a ramp, actually 2 ramps in a double helix, that gently lead you to the top of the dome - 47 meters above Berlin. It offers an incomparable panoramic view of Berlin.
From the Brandenburg Gate we walked across the street to the Reichstag. There was a small memorial near the Reichstag with names and stories written about people that were killed trying to cross over the wall that used to run between the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag. It was very sad - the last person that was killed here died in 1989, just a few months before the wall came down. His name was Christopher Geoffrey, and he was only 21.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
And here it is - the famous Brandenburg Gate! It truly is the quintessential symbol of Berlin. It was constructed in1788-91 and was modelled after the Acropolis in Greece. The famous sculpture on top - the Quadriga, was once stolen by Napoleon in 1806 and brought to Paris. On its triumphal return to Berlin in 1814, the goddess received a staff bearing the Prussian eagle and adorned with a laurel wreath - for victory. It was quite the site all lit up against the dark sky. Of course, it was only about 5 p.m., but it was dark.
From the bunker, we were walking to the Brandenberg Gate and along the way we walked into this - it is a HUGE Holecaust Memorial. There are 2,711 stelae concrete slabs of various heights ranging from a few centimeters to several meters tall. They are not supposed to represent anything in particular - it is all up to each visitor to interpret. We all agreed it reminded us of grave markers.
The building was destroyed, the rubble removed and then, it was simply paved over to make a parking lot for the apartments in the background. The underground portions of his complex are still underground - but there is no access. We did find this sign which we thought to be funny - they call this place the myth of Hitler's bunker? Myth?
Scott is standing on the grounds of Hitler's former bunker - the place where Hitler died. The German's are funny how they don't really like to put places like this on a map - but with a little research prior to our trip we were able to find die Fuhrer's Bunker!
Behind Scott and the kids is a section of the wall, and down the hill is the Topography of Terror exhibit. During the Third Reich, this was the most frightening address in Berlin: here, three of the most terrifying Nazi political departments had their headquarters. The Third Reich's security service, the Gestapo and the Schutzstaffel (or SS) were all headquartered here. After World War II, the building was torn down,however the cellars remained. In 1987, these once former torture cells opened up as an exhibition documenting the Nazi crimes.
We followed the bricks in the road and they led us to our next stop - the Topography of Terror. The bricks led right up to a remaining section of die Mauer.
Jake is standing in the former West Berlin, Kaitlyn is in the East and I'm straddling both sides!
As we were walking from Checkpoint Charlie to our next stop, we noticed this line of bricks in the pavement. We read it and realized that this is where the Berlin wall once stood. We noticed these bricks throughout the city the whole weekend.
To think what went on here just over 25 years ago is amazing!
In the museum we saw all the various ways that people tried to escape - sometimes successfully, sometimes not. The kids learned a lot as well - understanding that people risked everything for the freedom that we all take for granted.
Our first stop - Checkpoint Charlie of course!!! We toured the museum that sits on the corner and learned so much about the wall and its history.Friday, January 12, 2007
Can you guess where we went this weekend? If you said Berlin - good guess! We left Mannheim early this morning and about 6 hours later we were in downtown Berlin, Germany!! We checked into the Berlin Plaza Hotel - which, I highly recommend if you ever travel to Berlin, and then we were quickly on the metro to go sightseeing.Friday, February 09, 2007
What a great day!!! We truly succumbed to la magie de Noel a Colmar!!!!
This is another part of Petite Venise.
One part of the town is aptly named - Petite Venise for its small canals. It was beautiful!!! Just look at those houses!!
The five Christmas markets of Colmar are harmoniously dispersed throughout the old city, very beautifully decorated and illuminated
Colmar is a beautiful Alsatian city! The church in this picture is the Cathedral of St. Martin. Another beautiful, old Gothic church with wonderful windows.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Merry Christmas - or should we say Joyeaux Noel!!! We went to Colmar, France today.
December 24, 2006
It was just so charming! It gets you right into the Christmas spirit.
This market was very unique because nearly all of the booths items were handmade. We even watched a few glassblowers at work! The kids had some yummy hot chocolate to warm up and Scott and I enjoyed a warm mug of Gluhwein.Saturday, December 23, 2006
Yes - another market. This was is in the small town on the Weinstrasse called Deidesheim. This was was written up as being on of the top 5 Christmas Markets in all of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. We knew it would be great because we have been to their wine festival for the past few years and it is always wonderful!
They both memorized all of their songs and played beautifully.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Tonight the kids had their Christmas Piano recital! They both did such a great job! Ms. Georgiana Vidican-Teohari is their teacher. She is from Romania - a concert pianist.
Just a shot of the watertower and some of the booths. Scott and I agree that the Europeans know how to get festive!Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Tonight we stayed local and visited Mannheims Christmas Market. In the photo under the "M" are Scott and the kids. It really wasn't very late - about 5:30, just dark. We grabbed some brats for dinner and let the kids do a little shopping.