Still in Berlin...while our hotel was only a couple of blocks from the Berlin Wall memorial display, it was also just a five minute stroll to Checkpoint Charlie. This was a famous crossing point that was managed by the U.S. Army for the duration of the wall's existance. This is what it looks like today, with tourists wandering about. Cafe Adler is on the right, but have a look at this older photo, with the cafe still on the right of the image.
The area still has a few city blocks that have not been built upon and there is a comprehensive display of information and images set up for visitors. We were amazed to learn about the events that occurred during the last few decades, of which we knew so little.
It was named Checkpoint Charlie because it was the 3rd (A,B,C...) checkpoint place in order to cross from West to East Berlin when the wall was in place. It is also the place where 20% of the East German population defected to the west, and where some lost their lives when the Soviets adopted a 'shoot to kill' policy. Here is an old image from the famous 'stand off' in 1961, when Soviet and US tanks were on alert, waiting for the first move. Chilling!
Replicas of the famous signs are in place today...
and the soldiers have been replaced by stand-ins (most likely German uni students on Summer break) to take photos for a fee. They can also stamp a fake passport to show that you have crossed the border - all part of the experience!
We also visited the Jewish Holocaust Memorial. It takes up a large city block and consists of more that 2700 concrete blocks set in rows. The maze-like arrangement is designed to suggest an oppressive feeling as visitors make their way around.
But while remembering those past events can be unsettling, Berlin is a city with a good feeling about it. It is clean and orderly, easy to navigate with plenty of museums, places to go and things to see. I'd love to go back some day.
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