Jarrod in Germany: Berlin through the eyes of a political scientist and photographer

Also known as the world's longest blog post...

This extralong blog entry marks my return to blogging with a vengeance. I have a lot of stored up entries, some of which I've already forgotten, so prepare for the storm. My wife and I just returned from Berlin, Germany (she had a conference and I tagged along). I decided it would be a great public service if I reviewed Berlin from my perspective as a political scientist and photographer. You perhaps disagree, in which case the rest of the World Wide Web beckons. I would have done this on the fly while we were in Berlin, but I didn’t have time…I was too busy being a tourist!

First, a few general observations and recommendations:

1. Berlin at the end of February is very cloudy. If you want to shoot some nice photos, particularly if you want to make use of prime lighting, it pays to list what you want to shoot in descending priority and be prepared to shoot the day you get there. While we were there (10 days), I had exactly three opportunities to shoot at sunset. The first was the day we arrived and the second and third were a week later.

2. Stay at the Circus Hostel (http://www.circus-berlin.de). Fantastic price, very nice accommodations, and a great location. They also have a nice 5 Euro breakfast. Make sure you book well in advance if you want a private room with a bathroom en suite…there are relatively few of these. Across the street is a nice Mexican restaurant, and about a 15 minute walk down Rosenthaler Strasse to Dircksenstrasse is a nice Thai/Sushi place called Mao Thai. About 5 minutes or so in a different direction in La Cucina, a cozy Italian restaurant/pizzeria on Schonhauser Allee.

3. I saw very few overweight Germans and no obese Germans. I found this to stand in stark contrast to the United States and the United Kingdom. I predict a new health fad: the German diet. I also observed an inordinate number of bicycles.

4. Most places have physical manifestations of heritage (old buildings, statues, etc). What is remarkable about Berlin is the conscious effort the German government has made to reconstruct their physical heritage. Almost everything was destroyed in WWII, and as a consequence almost everything that looks really old is in fact fairly new. What is old usually shows evidence of the war, notably roundish scars that look suspiciously like bullet impacts.

5. Public transportation, as in most major European cities, is excellent. However, I found that if you are of reasonably descent health and have the time, much of the city can be reached by walking. Of the 10 days I was there, I only used public transportation on the days my wife was with me on my sightseeing.

6. Finally, I realize this is long and rather boring, so I have put in bold print the observations I think I particularly significant.

I now begin my review! With respect to the photography analysis, I’m sure that a better photographer—which would be almost everyone with a camera—would differ with my perspective. Just so you’re warned. I shot everything on a Canon 30D with a 17-40 L lens. I am not saying this is the optimal camera setup, only that the 17-40 is the only lens I have until my imaginary anonymous benefactor comes through. As a product of my particular setup, my photography emphasis is on buildings and landscapes rather than people. If you have a short telephoto lens, there are plenty of very interesting people to photograph here.

I’ve sorted my commentary by regions as described in DK Eyewitness Travel: Berlin. The photos were (quickly) processed using Google Picasa, so they don't represent a polished product. Clicking on the photos will open a larger version.

North of the Centre: This is where I started my explorations. The Circus Hostel is located in this part of the city. Located in what used to be East Berlin, the amount of graffiti is unbelievable. That is not to say the area is unsafe. I never felt in danger, but I’m kind of a big guy (6'2", 200 lbs). I did see women alone out well after dark though, so I think in general the city is quite safe.

Neue Synagoge: Partially rebuilt ornate Jewish synagogue. First the Nazi’s did a number on it, then allied bombs in WWII. Only the front towers were rebuilt. The site now serves as museaum of Jewish life in Germany before and since the war. It’s a few Euro to get in, but be prepared for the x-ray/metal detector security check inside the front door. The only places I encounted such measures were at places of Jewish significance.

Photography: Not much. The front of the building is nice, but difficult to shoot because of intervening trees and power lines for street trolleys. No photography indoors.

Poli Sci: Fascinating to look at how the Jewish citizenry sought to reassert their civil and political rights against a German government clearly hell-bent on taking them away. It strikes me that minority groups are a political ‘canary in the coal mine.’ How they are treated is a powerful indicator of the future political direction of the state.

Gedenkstätte Grosse Hamburger Strasse: A nice little memorial to the murdered Jews of Germany. Unfortunately, when I was in Berlin, it was fenced off.

Photography: Modest prospects, but I wasn’t able to get close, so photographing it remains an exercise in the hypothetical for me.

Poli Sci: The number of monuments to Jews is striking. The German willingness to confront and be honest about the past is refreshing. More on this when I discuss the German National History museum.

Sophienkirche: A small protestant church north of city center. Under renovation when I was there. Quiet spot.

Photography: Not much. Nothing remarkable architecturally or symbolically.

Poli Sci: N/A

Dorotheenstädtischer Friedhof: A nice cemetery with some very impressive graves both in terms of notoriety and physicality. Bertolt Brecht (Life of Galileo, Threepenny Opera) and his wife are buried here, as are Enlightenment philosophers Hegel (dialectics) and Fichte.

Photography: Some impressive graves offer opportunities to do some nice perspective shots if the weather is nice and detail shots if it isn’t.

Poli Sci: Not much. It is interesting, from a philosophical point to note that the people with the biggest grave sites are not the ones that are best known. I would also venture to guess their social impact was smaller than their graves would suggest.

Museum für Naturkunde: Fantastic natural history museum. Some really innovative uses of audiovisual technology. A massive, if underwhelming presented, collection of minerals (The Smithsonian in Washington DC and the Los Angeles Museum of Natural History both do a better job of presentation). The largest complete dinosaur skeleton is on display as well as the finest specimen of a bridge species (a dinosaur that shows physical traits of both birds and typical land loving dinos). The focus on science and evolution is a pleasant reminder that the rest of the world is not caught up in America’s increasingly neo-medieval approach to science.

Photography: Some nice opportunities for detail/texture photography, but mostly snapshot type stuff.

Poli Sci: As I mentioned above, the museum is notable for its commitment to presenting science in a clear way. No mention of intelligent design rubbish. Aside from the obvious political debate over the issue in the U.S., the German approach suggests that perceptions of the United States may suffer as citizens in other countries see the U.S. sliding backwards intellectually.

East of the Centre: This section also lies in the former East Berlin. It has moderate shopping and eating options, most notably in the Nikolaiviertel area near the Nicolaikirche. On Karl-Liebknecht Strasse, the main road through the section, there are fast food restaurants as well as souvenir shops. Because I stuffed bread roles and cheese in my pockets at the Circus breakfast, I did not partake in the fine dining here. It was on Karl-Liebknecht Strasse that I first saw and was tempted by Dunkin Doughnuts. As I walked around, I discovered them all over the city J

Rotes Rathaus: Red Town Hall. A mildly interesting red bricked government building. Has some GDR legacy statues in front in the typical communist mold. I didn’t try to go inside.

Photography: Nice subject at sunset, enhancing the red of the bricks. I didn’t see any angles except straight on.

Poli Sci: Since I didn’t go inside, I don’t know the significance of the building other than it is a government building.

Nicolaikirche: Twin towered church. Looks to be fantastic, but was closed for renovation, due to open sometime in 2009.

Photography: Outside, the twin towers seem to be fairly unique. Plenty of space for a tripod out front. When I was there, it was cloudy with what seemed like every crow in the world flying about, so I tried for a somber, perhaps a bit menacing or Gothic, tone.

Poli Sci: N/A

Marx-Engels-Forum: A classic example of communist bronze sculpture. The East German government (GDR) put up a tribute to the duo which remains today.

Photography: Mostly snapshot stuff. If you’re really clever, you might be able to juxtapose Marx and Engels against the edifices of capitalism around them. Marx is sitting, Engels is standing.

Poli Sci: An interesting reminder that while the GDR and Soviets claimed to carry out the proletariat revolution, in fact they used Marx and Engels as political and philosophical shields to mask plain old authoritarianism. There was very little about their governance that adhered to the ideas of Marx and Engels.

Next door was an ongoing demolition with what had to be every crow and raven in Europe perched on the exposed steel. Those black specks are birds...

Neptunbrunnen: An ornate, interesting fountain focused around the figure of the Greek god of the sea Neptune. Surrounding him are what one can only suppose are his many offspring as well as creatures of the sea. He is held aloft on a big oyster shell by four half-human half-sea ‘horses.’

Photography: The level of artistic skill is amazing. The detail is superb. It really looks like the artist (Reinhold Begas) was sketching Neptune when he created the fountain. There are a variety of angles from which to photograph the fountain, although surrounding buildings make it difficult to isolate it in the frame. Detail work is also a very real possibility. I found an interesting angle juxtaposing the god of old against the modern day version represented by Marienkirche (see below). Unfortunately, the fountain seems to be turned off in the winter, so I did not have the opportunity for some neat water flow effects

Poli Sci: My only comment is the emphasis on ancient Greek gods in pre WWII Germany is interesting. I don’t know if they were trying to present the German empire as the spiritual successor to the ancient Greeks or if they had another purpose in mind.

Marienkirche: Saint Mary’s church. An interesting accessible church with no entrance fee. I spent about an hour and a half looking around and taking pictures.

Photography: The church cuts a modest figure from the outside, although its relative isolation makes it an appealing subject. There is a fountain behind the church that might be useful in framing a shot. The exterior has some nice details, particularly in the ironwork on the east side. The tower is also more ornate than other churches in this style. The interior has a wealth of architectural and detail photographic opportunities. Of particular note is the carvings on the ends of the pews, the alter and pulpit, and the baptismal font (with the font, you need a longer zoom to get a nice shot of the detail as it is in a roped off section). I was able to discreetly use a tripod, which is a necessity if you want blur-free pictures without bumping up your ISO quite a bit (no flash allowed inside).

Poli Sci: N/A

Fernsehturm: a tall tower capped by a long television antenna visible from just about anywhere in Berlin. You can go up to the observation deck and restaurant for about 9.50 Euro/person. Because I’m a poor graduate student, I didn’t ascend so I can’t comment on the view, although I suspect it is quite nice.

Photography: I can’t comment on the view from the observation deck. The best angle I found was shooting straight up. I think the best lighting is at dusk (just enough light to give the sky a dark blue cast) with the tower lit by artificial light. A tripod is a necessity and you can get close enough to the tower to make the shot work on the west side.

Poli Sci: A classic example of communist inferiority complex embodied in architecture.

Stadtgericht: Courts of Justice. Outside the building is nothing to look at, but inside is a great example of Viennese Secession architecture. The staircases are ornate and very photogenic. I didn’t roam beyond the atrium area because I don’t know what goes on in the building and since I don’t really speak German, I would have a hard time explaining myself if I went somewhere I shouldn’t have.

Photography: I shot the staircases and the atrium from the ground up. I got low (down on my knees) to use perspective to convey the majesty of the staircases as well as for practical purposes…the atrium was too tall to get it all in even at the low end of my zoom if I shot from head height.

Poli Sci: N/A

Franziskaner Klosterkirche: Franciscan Friary Church. Ruins of a Franciscan Friary bombed during WWII. Other than the fact that they are ruins, I don’t really see much significance to them.

Parochialkirche: Parish Church. A great example of the maxim ‘don’t judge a book by its cover.’ The exterior of this large church looks more like a modern apartment building than anything else, rather modern and boring. Go inside however, and the simplicity of the church is strangely impressive. Bare floors, rough brick walls, a simple wicker cross, humble pulpit, and chairs. Not much else. No climate control or artificial lighting. The ceiling, such at it is, rises 50 feet above you and is crisscrossed by unfinished wood beams. I’m not a religious man, but the church struck me. It seems to me if you’re going to worship god, it should be as simply and as close to nature as possible. The church, despite its modern exterior, was in fact nothing more than a roof and four walls. It would be difficult to get much more simple or closer to nature and still be in a building. Of all the churches I saw this one was the most ‘spiritually’ impressive.

Photography: The massive size of the interior makes it difficult to get the whole thing in one shot. I focused on the cross and pulpit area. I also tried to play around a bit with the lighting given the stark nature of the interior.

Poli Sci: N/A

Stadtmauer: Old Berlin city wall. Nothing to look at but the remnants of Berlin’s ancient city wall. I saw nothing to photograph, and nothing of political significance. It seems to be to be one of those things that you see so you can say you saw it. If one was pressed for time, seeing it should not make the to-do list.

Oh yeah, I shouldn't forget St. George...

Museum Island: Immediately west of the East of Centre section is Museum Island. An island in the sense that the Spree river borders it on one side while canals demarcate the other two sides of this triangle slice of land, the most prestigious of Berlin’s museums can be found here. The Berliner Dom, Berlin’s requisite big church, is on the south-eastern part of the island.

Schlossbrücke: Bridge connecting Museum Island to the Unter den Linden section of the city. Designed by Friedrich Schinkel, the bridge has some excellent bronze work as well as 8 notable statues. As in other parts of the city, Berlin’s bridges actually made out quite well in WWII, avoiding significant amounts of damage, so the bridge here is the real deal.

Photography: The metal figures of seahorses and mermaids set in the side of the bridge make for nice detail shots while the statues present an opportunity to work with framing. The statues are wonderful works of art, but they are isolated against the sky, so I shot them on one side of the frame leaving open sky in the direction of their gaze.

Poli Sci: More Greek god figures (see Neptunbrunnen commentary)

Berliner Dom: Berlin Cathedral. An impressive cathedral rebuilt after WWII. We got in for the 4 Euro student entry fee. A nice part of the entry fee was the opportunity to climb up to a walkway around the main dome. From there we had a nice view of the city, and the weather was descent for a change, so we got some nice pictures too. On the way out of the church we saw the Hohenzollern family crypt. The sarcophagi of the kings had their crowns from life on top of them. We were in a hurry so I didn’t get to look at them as much as I wanted, and got no photographs.

Photography: Inside the cathedral, I was able to use a tripod from on of the overlook seating areas, which suited my purposes. Everything is pretty accessible visually, and the overlooks get less people traffic. The only downside is that when people do come through they vibrate the floor, which produces motion blur in long exposure shots. The church doesn’t have an abundance of light, so a tripod is necessary or high ISO. I didn’t try to use a tripod on the main floor, and I suspect that the cathedral staff would have gotten cranky with me if I did. I don’t know if it is disrespectful to take photos in the crypt (the dead don’t care…) but since I didn’t have an opportunity to take any pictures, I don’t know whether camera flashes get frowns. I didn’t see a lot of people with cameras out.

Poli Sci: N/A

Altes Museum: Old Museum. One of the five main museum on the island, the Altes has a lot of Egyptian artifacts, including a fairly famous bust of Nefertiti. Most of the exhibits are in German, so I didn’t spend a lot of time reading. There was a neat historical overview of ancient Greece in the Ancient Greece section. In general, the Altes was like most museums…a bunch of really old stuff that faded from my memory soon after I saw it. If I was pressed for time, I would skip it.

Photography: Snapshots.

Poli Sci: It is fascinating to think about the ability of people long since dead to make interesting stuff, but for me it had no more significance than that.

Alte Nationalgalerie: Old National Gallery. Pretty much like most other art museums in the world. There were a few paintings I thought interesting, and I took pictures of them mostly so I can look them up on the internet and order prints or posters if they don’t cost too much. Like the Altes Museum, if you are pressed for time skip it. I did find here the basis for the comment, received quite regularly when I had long hair, that I looked like Jesus. Inside is a painting of a red haired Jesus. I have to admit, much as I appreciated the compliment (although, they could have been suggesting I be nailed to a cross…) the idea that Jesus would have red hair and pale skin is pretty far fetched. I would imagine he looked a lot more like, oh I don’t know, a native of the Middle East.

Photography: Snapshots.

Poli Sci: N/A

Pergamonmuseum. This one was freaking awesome. Some German road engineer in Greece in the early 1900’s found the remains of the Pergamon Alter. Scholars knew about it from ancient Greece era epic poems that spoke about the amazing carvings that ran around the base of the alter. The Germans excavated what was left of the alter and brought it back to Berlin. The Pergamonmuseum is specially built to house the remains. It has a full scale mock up of the front of the alter, with the relief carvings running around the room. The free audio guide gave detailed explanations of what was occurring in every scene of the relief. I found it absolutely incredible what the artisans who worked on this thing over 2000 years ago were able to do. Really amazing. The museum also has a lot of full size temple columns from ancient Greece as well as the Ishtar gate from Babylon and a number of Islamic artifacts. The most impressive Islamic artifact was the outer wall of an ancient city in Jordan. The level of detail was extraordinary. Also in the museum collection was a glazed tile mihrab used to point the Muslim faithful in the direction of Mecca. It is difficult to see in the photo, but the metallic glaze used over 700 years ago is eye-popping. This was by far Janelle and my favorite museum.

Photography: Low lighting (to prevent damage I assume) makes photos difficult. I didn’t try to use a tripod, so increasing the ISO was the only option. Many of the relics on display are very large, making a wide angle zoom very helpful. In the end I found it difficult to do more than take snapshots, but the museum and its contents are so extraordinary I was willing to settle.

Poli Sci: Not being an expert in ancient Greek politics I can’t really add much here.

Unter den Linden (Under the lime trees): This is the historic main street in Berlin. When the Hohenzollern family was running the show in Prussia/Germany, Unter den Linden ran from their palace/castle to their royal park and hunting grounds in Tiergarten. At various times in the past the road has been used as a parade ground, and the historic lime trees were torn up sometime in the 1800’s and only recently replanted (four across, one on each side of the four lane road and two in the median). One of the main universities in Berlin is on Unter den Linden, as are some tourist shops and some very expensive automobile dealerships (some cheaper ones too…Volkswagen, Peugeot, etc…).

Deutsches Historisches Museum: German National History Museum. The amount of material in this museum is massive. I was here for 3 hours and barely got through one section (interwar Germany) . I breezed through the WWI section, and basically blew off the rest of the museum, which covers German history from BC to the present. Almost everything has English captions, making it very difficult for those like me who read everything. I think I could have spent two whole days in there and maybe hit most of it. It isn’t just that they have a bunch of stuff…its very educational. For example, those who say that democratic processes led the rise of Hitler don’t know what they are talking about. Then German President von Hindenburg (WWI war hero) had been consolidating power in the presidency in a conscious effort to de-democratize the German state for years. In the years leading up to the fateful 1933 elections, there were running street battles between the communists and national socialists (Nazis). While there was a vote in 1933, I don’t think anyone would classify it as part of a functional democracy. Even so, I thought it was interesting that while the Nazis did get a plurality of the vote, they did not get an outright majority. Hitler’s ability to take control of the country as he did came from the incredibly weak democratic institutions of the Weimar republic (the Reichstag basically disempowered itself on Hitler’s command). In part they were weak because von Hindenburg actively undermined and disempowered them. In part, they were introduced into a country from the top down with very little public support. The Weimar republic was introduced in the failing days of WWI, and returning soldiers in particular, who would later provide significant strength to the Nazis, were unhappy with the change. Anyway, the museum is a gem and worth as much time as you can give it.

Photography: None of any significance

Poli Sci: The United States could learn something from the German approach to their history. The Germans are brutally honest about what happened in WWII. Jews weren’t just killed, they were murdered. That is the language the Germans use. They make it very clear that Germans and their leaders purposely did really awful things. There is no effort at all to gloss over the past or to dissemble. It was a refreshing contrast to the United States, where the role of slavery is downplayed, treatment of Native Americans is all but neglected, and American foreign policy is downright whitewashed (quick, show of hands—how many of you know the US occupied and brutally repressed the Philippines for 50 years? Anyone?). This is not to say America is all bad—of course it isn’t, just like Germany isn’t. What it does mean that history should be reflected honestly in the museums and classrooms. We can’t learn from our mistakes if we either forget about them or bleach them of all darkness until they don’t matter.

Neue Wache. Right next to the German National History museum is the German national war memorial, dedicated to victims of war and dictatorship. In the US we have Arlington National Cemetery, with the pageantry associated with the tomb of the unknown soldier. In France, they mourn the lost generation of WWI at the Arc de Triomphe. The German effort is more solemn, and in some ways more appropriate. Inside an ornate classically styled building which used to function as a guardhouse sits a single statue in the center of a field of tiles. The sculpture, called ‘Mother with Son’ I think, is of a mother holding her injured or dead son. Nothing else adorns the inside of the building, and the statue is lit only by a single, circular skylight. An informational plaque on the exterior of the building indicated that an unknown soldier from WWII is buried there, in soil from a WWII battlefield, as well as the body of a concentration camp victim, likewise in soil from a concentration camp. The monument is a testament the fact that in the end, once all the bravado and jingoism is set aside, war is about loss. Sometimes war is necessary, but it should never be sought.

Photography: Neue Wache is a powerful place, and its simplicity offers an opportunity to try to capture the feeling of being there. The lighting is poor, and I didn’t feel setting up a tripod would be appropriate, so I bumped up my ISO and did the best I could. You can see I felt the best angle was down low, so I basically held my camera close to ground and shot blind.

Poli Sci: I already covered this above I think.

Deutsche Guggenheim: This the German extension of the Guggenheim. On Monday’s it has free admission, so I went on Monday. I’m glad I didn’t pay. The exhibit through April is called True North, and while it is interesting, it is small and not really worth an entrance fee. I didn’t take any pictures, but there were some on display. My favorite I think was a photo of a some snow covered hills that the photographer had skied across to reveal the topography.

Bebelplatz: You know in the last Indiana Jones Movie (Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade) when the Germans are burning books and Sean Connery tells the double crossing female archeologist that Germans should reading books instead of burning them? Well Bebelplatz is the actual plaza where they burned the books. In the center, underground and visible through a square of Plexiglas, is a white room filled with empty white bookcases, a memorial of regret for that most vulgar act. Next to the Plexiglas square is a plaque with a quote by the poet Heinrich Heine – “Where books are burned, in the end people will burn.” There isn’t much else to see, but the thought of being in such a place, as an academic, was stomach turning.

Photography: None. Just experience being there.

Poli Sci: The book burning reminds me of the total effort the Nazis made to control the thoughts of the public. Those who disagreed were vilified, reconstructed as threats to security and enemies of the state. Broadcasts of rallies showed thousands of people eagerly hanging on every word of their Nazi leadership and cheering jubilantly, making it seem to doubters that they were alone in their concerns. It reminds me of the efforts the Bush administration to control what government scientists tell the public and speeches and political rallies where the crowd is carefully screened to exclude anyone who might disagree. Just to make sure its clear I’m not just picking on Bush, there are reports that Hillary Clinton has done the same thing, and maybe all politicians do these days. Any way you cut it, its wrong. Political leaders should have to confront, on a regular basis, those who disagree with them and explain their policy positions. Leave mind control to the evil.

Französischer Dom/Konzerhaus/Deutscher Dom: French Cathedral/Concert House/German Cathedral. These three buildings make up a pleasant square off Unter den Linden. While I didn’t have time to go in any of them, the square makes for a very nice panorama shot. The statue in the middle is of the German poet Schiller. The French Cathedral was build by French Huguenot fleeing persecution in Catholic France and the Germans built similar cathedral as a gesture of support I guess.

Brandenburger Tor: Brandenburg Gate. I think this is probably almost as iconic for Berlin as the Arc de Triomphe is for Paris. It is one of those things that you have to see when in Berlin. The East Germans let it fall into disrepair and it and the surrounding square have been restored since the unification. The best time to shoot this is at night in my opinion. Unless you have a helicopter, straight on is the best angle I think. It is really difficult to get any shots without people in them.

I did notice something very interesting on my way to Brandenburg Gate. Both the US Embassy and the British Embassy are on Unter den Linden. The security measures taken for each embassy were symbolic of the psyche of the different peoples:

Note the differences. The US Embassy (top) is bunkered down. The message is clear: go away. We are afraid. The UK Embassy (bottom) takes a different approach. Bollards in the road block serious threats, but don't stop people from passing through. The message: there are threats in the world, but we are not going to live in fear.

Holocaust Denkmal: Holocaust memorial. I remember when the design for this was chosen a few years back. As I recall, it was controversial. In so many ways, this memorial is what it should be. It consists of a trapezoidal plot of land covered in rectangular columns. The dimensions of the columns are exactly the same except the height, which varies somewhat randomly, with those in the middle as a general rule taller than those at the edge. They are arrayed precisely in line along the x and y axes (that is, there are alleys or walkways between the columns that run from one edge of the memorial to the other uninterrupted in both the east-west and north-south orientations). The ground under the columns is rolling, with significant changes in elevation. There is no reason for the number of columns: their number has no symbolic meaning at all. The perfection lies in the memorial’s effort to address the political dynamic of the Holocaust. Internally, the vision of the world presented by the Nazis had a structure, a purpose, its own kind of rationality. That is represented in the precise geometry of the columns as well as in their precise alignment. But, underneath the façade of rationality is a deep and fundamental irrationality, represented in the random number of columns, the rolling ground, and the unpredictability of the column heights. The core, the substance of the memorial, the ground and the columns on top of it, are deeply irrational. In this way I think the memorial addresses the most dangerous aspect of the Holocaust. In every society there are people who would do horrible things. That is not controversial, and while the acts they may perpetrate are awful and historical for the victims, they are not awful and historical on the scope of society. What Hitler and the Nazis were able to do was perpetrate acts of such horror and scale so as to make them horrible and historical on the scale of societies. Moreover, they were able to bring with them on their insane journey many people who, on their own, would not commit such acts. What differentiates the singular madman/woman from the Nazis? The political process. It was through the political dynamic that the Nazis were able to be awful and historical at the level of society. It is the political process, how the Nazis manipulated it to achieve their ends, that is all to easily forgotten. It is just as important as the victims, who are remembered underneath the memorial is a museum outlining the progression of Nazi holocaust policy on the human level. Included in the museum are stories of families caught up in the Holocaust as well as diary entries from victims inside the concentration camps.

Tiergarten: This used to be the Hohenzollern private picnic area and hunting grounds. Now it’s a largely forested city district. There are a couple interesting monuments. One to Soviet soldiers who died taking Berlin in WWII. Included at the monument are the first two Soviet tanks to role into Berlin. The other monument is to Otto von Bismark, the first German Chancellor. It arguably his strategic brilliance that enabled the German unification without prompting a major European war, and it was arguably his absence that allowed the far less intellectually gifted Kaiser Wilhelm II to lead Germany into WWI.

Potsdamer Platz. A commercial redevelopment of an area in Berlin that was all the rage in the 1920’s. Now companies like Sony have a major presence. I thought it was notable for the architecture. This was the first place I encountered the ghostly outlines of the Berlin Wall. Janelle and I were here a couple times to watch movies in German. She’s fluent, but I had no clue what was going on. On the bright side, watching a movie in a language you don’t understand really forces you to focus on the visual aspects of movies if you want to get some idea of the plot.

Siegessäaule: Triumphal Column. You can see this thing all the way from Brandenburg Gate. The Nazi’s apparently moved it its current location because it got in the way of their master city scheme. It commemorates German war victories at the end of the 19^th century that resulted in the unification of Germany. For a couple Euro you can climb up to the top, which I did (the cashier looked long and hard at my student ID…did I mention Germans aren’t the friendliest?). I thought it was interesting that there appeared to be bullet scars on the marble columns at the base. Analytically, I thought it was very interesting that outside Berlin’s premier monument to German military prowess flew three flags: the German, EU, and Irish flag (I have no idea why the Irish flag was flying). Of particular note is the presence of the EU flag, an institution who, along with its predecessors (EC, ECSC), has played a critical role in preventing another major European War.

I’m running out of steam here, so I’m just going to summarize the rest of Berlin…

Kreuzberg. Location of the Berlin Wall checkpoint in the U.S. sector of the city, Checkpoint Charlie. Also in Kreuzburg is the last standing sections of the all as well as an outdoor narrative of the humanitarian atrocities and horrors perpetrated by the Nazis and East German government (Topographies des Terrors). The wall below is the last remaining portion of the original Berlin Wall.

Kurfürstendamm: The Berlin Zoo is located in this sector. Nice as zoos go, although at 9 Euro for students, it pales in comparison to the U.S. National Zoo in D.C. (free). You can get pretty close to the elephants, and we were able to see the lionesses and their cubs being fed. The male lion was quite unfriendly...while Janelle and I were looking at the cubs, I saw a stream of something come out of his cage and hit bystanders. You can guess what it was. Can't miss Knut the Cute :) (although he has outgrown the cute part). Also here is the Kaiser Wilhelm Gadächtnis Kirche (Kaiser Wilhelm Church). During the Nazi regime it was one of the bases of religious opposition to the regime. It was largely destroyed in WWII and instead of being rebuild the skeleton was left and a new church and belltower were constructed beside it. The new church and belltower are constructed using a grid of reinforced concrete with multicolored (mostly blue) glass in the grid squares. Quite a unique church.

Schloss Charlottenburg: The only thing I saw here was the outside of the palace by the same name (with Janelle). It was pretty pricy to get in, and we had a nice time walking in the free gardens behind the palace, so no regrets here.

Well that’s it. If you made it this far thanks for reading. There are a lot of places I didn’t see despite my fairly disciplined sightseeing (mostly art museums). If you have any comments, please feel free to leave them so I know you were here!