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Sign Detail
Two great symbols of Berlin that were once divided by the wall
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
The site of Hitlers Bunker
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
Setting sun near Potsdamer Platz
GDR Mural on the House of Ministries
Die Welt and a Trabant
Trabant Detail
Corner of the Wall
Former Luftwaffe Building
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Once the political and administrative zone of Prussian / Nazi Germany, the street still harbours several ghosts of the past. The eerie Jewish Memorial sits a block behind the street, on the site of former Fuehrer Bunker. Further down the street are the Reich Air Ministry, site of the Gestapo HQ and even remnants of the Berlin Wall.
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Checkpoint Charlie
The American Zone
The Non Proft Zone!
'Genuine' GDR Ostalgia
Checkpoint Charlie
Checkpoint C in the 1980s
Checkpoint C in the 1980s
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The Checkpoint Charlie money making operation continues in full swing, with replica DDR hats, flags and genuine bits of the Berlin Wall. Allegedly, the Berlin wall would have travelled three times around the globe to provide the salesman still peddling parts of it! Despite having changed drastically, it still provides a good photo opportunity.
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Gesundbrunnen - The location of the Coffin exchange in the film 'Funeral in Berlin'
Looking towards Bornholmer Bridge, were the First Berlin crossing happened in Nov 89
Gesundbrunnen U Bahn WW2 Underground Bunker
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GESUNDBRUNNEN provide two points of interest. Firstly the Swinemünder Brücke was the setting for the coffin exchange scene in the Michael Caine film, ‘Funeral in Berlin’. Secondly, the partially restored WW2 civilian bunker in Gesundbrunnen U Banhhof, provided a mini time warp. The atmospheric concrete bunker is worth a visit if you have time.
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Magdalenestrasse U Bhanhof
Former Ministry of Sate Security Building (Stasi HQ) at Normannenstrasse
Research & Memorial
East German Volks Army
East German Flag
Stasi Offices
Conference Room
Snowing outisde
Mielke Office
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Having left the north of Berlin, we travelled east along U5 under the miles of post war communist apartment buildings that make up Karl Marx Allee. We exited the U bahnhof and not only had the architecture changed but the WEATHER had closed in, with snow starting to fall quickly.
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Twenty years ago our next location to visit wasn’t even marked on a map. The MfS buildings in Lichtenberg, once the infamous HQ of the Stasi, now sit somewhat deserted. As the only English speaking visitors that day, we wondered the various floors somewhat alone, picking out keywords from my ‘pigeon German’. It’s undoubtedly an eerie place, full of ghosts of the past, with many original fixtures and fittings still on show. The most surreal though is Mielke's offices. In fact the whole of the Upper 1st floor gave off the most surreal sensation, with the snow falling outside, no one else around, it felt like a mini time warp with eyes of the past upon you.
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Berlin Hauptbahnhof
Zoogarten Bahnhof
Grunewald Midmorning
Former US Listening Station on the Tuefelsberg
Former US Listening Station on the Tuefelsberg
Grunewald after a snow shower
View looking south
Grunewald Bahnhof, the departure point for Berlins Jews in the War
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Sunday Morning and a trip to the woods. The GrunEwald to be precise. Having climbed the artificial hill that is known locally as TUEFELSBERG (Devils Mountain), we wondered the parameter of the former US Listening station perched on the top. Despite my better judgement we didn’t enter the site.
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The Wannsee Villa
Inside the the Wannsee Villa
The room of the Conference
'The Stormer'
View of the Wannsee
Memorial
U Bahn ride home
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Having jumped on the next train south, we travelled onto the lakeside town of Wansee, to visit the infamous site of the Wansee Conference. In January 1942, this grand yet unremarkable villa held a 90 minute meeting between high ranking Nazis, that determined the fates of millons of people. Now a museum, its another relic of the not so distant past.
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Potsdamer Platz - DB Building
Clare and her desert
The Sony Centre
View from The Aussie Bar
The Sony Centre Lights
The Sony Centre Lights
Christmas Markets
Giant H&M Advertising
The Spree at Night
Brandenburg at Night
Oranienburgerstrasse Synagogue
Brandenburg at Night
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Not just pictures of Potsdamer Platz, but Berlin illuminations at Night. The modern heart of Berlin is a great example of the changing landscape of the city, especially when you think that 20 years ago, it was part of the Berlin Wall death strip! Once again we seemed to hide from the cold there!
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The Volksbühne "People's Theatre"
Karl Liebknecht haus - Once Communist now the Die Linke HQ
That wouldnt have happened 20 years ago!
East German Apartments on Mollstrasse
Coffee Sign
East German architecture
Fastfood
U Bahn Sign
Kino Cinema
The famous Cafe Moskau
East German Signs
Jolly old Saint Nik'
Godfathers of Communism
Egyptian Museum of Berlin
Site of former 'Palaces'
Alexanderplatz
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Monday Morning and a 7.30am stroll around the ‘ost’. (Clare slept on in bed!) With no tourists and only commuters for company, it allowed me plenty of time to take some pictures of the former Communist East. Walking around the start of Karl Marx Allee, gives you a clear indication of long and vast the road is.
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Treptower Bahnhof
Treptower Park - Over 5000 Russian soldiers remain here
Treptower Park Monument
Marble used from Hitler Chancellery
Russian Soldier
Not a sole around...
Treptower looking back
Treptower Park
Treptower Park - 'Symbol of victory by the glorious Soviet Army over Hitler Fascsim'
12 meter high Russian Staue
Smashed Swastika
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Home to the final resting place of over 5000 Russian dead, Treptower park is another of Berlins Time warps. The morning we visited only one other person was there. This huge monument built from marble from Hitlers bunker, once again provides you the clear lines that once divided this city.
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KuDamm Christmas Market
Reconciliation Church
Another Berlin Christmas Market
Christmas Lights
Berlin Hauptbahnhof
City Christmas Market
Genderman Market
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Once the centre of the West Berlin, KuDam is the London equivalent of Oxford Street; A good location to spend some hard earned euros! Also Pictured; Berlin Hauptbahnhof and our last visit to a Christmas Market.
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Unlike Templehof, Berlin Schoenfeld has a brighter future…although not in its current form. The old East German Airport is to undergo a massive transformation to become Berlin Brandenburg International. The new airport is taking shape, with the new terminal visible form take off.
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