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Oh, Berlin
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
The trip to Berlin did not start out as planned. We missed our train (with reservations!) by about 30 seconds! Then, because life never gives you one lemon, the international rail system was down for the day for maintenance. This would have been a nice fact to know BEFORE we waited over an hour for a train that would never come. Four train switches and a 45 minute bus ride later and we were in Berlin! The first thing about Berlin that struck me in the taxi ride to the hotel was that there was room! Room on the streets, sidewalks, even the cars seemed bigger! I realized that the buildings did not appear like they would topple on top of me at any moment and that was comforting! Our first day in Berlin was simply beautiful, perfect weather for a Segway tour. Yes, we were one of those groups of tourists but it was worth it! In four hours, Charles of Berlin showed us all the major sites of the city! Checkpoint Charlie, Richestag, the location of Hitler’s bunker and other amazing sites. Berlin really is a place of history and a rich one at that. The most important part of the tour for me came when I compared the location of Hitler’s bunker and the Monument to the murdered Jews of Europe . There was only a small information tablet to mark the location of Hitler’s bunker. There is a children’s playground where his charred remains once laid. As for the monument, well it’s size is breathtaking. It is literally stone columns that are a dark grey, similar to a grave marker. There are no markings on these stones, no names or dates. Charles explained that what the stones represent is open to interpretation. Some say it resembles a graveyard, others a city. As I walked between the stones, I encountered children and adults playing hide and seek throughout the labyrinth. I realized that how you saw the stones didn’t matter. They are meant to represent something lost and what better way to do that than by living life! I captured an amazing shot of a young German boy jumping from one stone to another and I think it best visualizes the hope and healing that you can feel in between the blank stones. There are several amazing museums in Berlin but having limited time we choose the Pergamon, and that is where I saw the Ishtar gate. What an amazing statement to make! I have my undergraduate degree in History and I can honestly say that I never thought I would be able to make that statement, but there it was before my very eyes. I could have spent hours there and would love to go back. I think the most profound statement I can make about Berlin came from a conversation with our tour guide. Charles explained how German’s were reacting to the issue surrounding the proposal to build a mosque near ground zero. He made the statement that Germany has to be especially careful to avoid any appearance of any sort of prejudice and they are surprised that America would not act the same. We are all about freedom of religion after all. He touched on the psyche of the nation of Germany, a collected acceptance that prejudice will never lead you down a good path. I think this is something missing in American culture, and it saddens me greatly. Yes, we are patriotic. Americans make their tri-colored food every Fourth of July and vote if they are motivated, but we don’t have a true sense of equality. Our reaction to 9/11 was more out of fear than willingness to tolerate. Does it really take the death of millions to finally understand the dangers of irrational fear of “the other”. One final note about Berlin, the city has a plethora of my 2 favorite things: Nutella and beer! They even have Nutella to go, a little treat I picked up for the train ride to Prague. As for the beer, well let’s just say that with them charging for water it was more economical to buy beer! Oh, Berlin I will miss you!
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