Very few cities can sum up an entire century of human history. Berlin is one of those few cities. Berlin had a central role in arguably every pivotal event of the 20th century. Both World Wars, the Holocaust, the Cold War and the subsequent fall of the Soviet Union. Berlin has an extensive story to tell, a human story.
How can I, a simple traveller possibly describe Berlin’s story and it’s effect on me? This dilemma has had me stuck for weeks. I’ve rewritten this entire post multiple times! It’s been a standard city guide post, it’s been a reflection on humanity but it’s never felt right. I’ve met a challenge that I’ve previously not encountered when writing. I doubt my words, I doubt their ability to capture what Berlin meant to me and as a result maybe I doubt myself.
It’s moments like these, moments that make or break ambitions, dreams or hobbies where we require a bit of inner faith. So despite my self doubt today I’m going to back my words, I’m going to put them to the test, after all if my words can’t capture my Berlin experiences who’s can?
The Tower
I avoided the door on my first pass. I knew what it was, but I didn’t feel the right to enter. I felt I lacked the personal connection required to understand. Whilst I was looking at the other areas, I realised my foolishness. Of course I had a connection. I’m human, they were human, we’re all human. I turned around and walked back towards the door.
The door was heavy, appropriately so. Opening the door to humanity’s darkest hour should be no light task. When I wrenched the door open I was confronted by my first feeling. Coldness, bitter coldness, warmth had no place in this tower. Once inside the tower, with the door closed behind me a second feeling overcame me, Darkness, the only exception being a faint light far off in the distance, out of grasp. As I stood there I contemplated the silence….. when suddenly I heard something. Muffled voices. Children, Women and Men trying to speak out but nobody hears them, the response is Silence.
For the first time I understand. The coldness of Humanity, the darkness of Humanity and the silence of Humanity dominate and yet the far off light of hope always remains.
“Holocaust Tower, Jewish Museum, Berlin”
The Stadium
The evening chill was harsh, the hint of rain an ever present. History hung densely in the air and yet for most of the crowd, history took a backward seat to the anticipation of success, just how easily can we push history aside? They said that when Hitler outlined his plans for this site, he spoke of wanting to capturing all the glory of Nazi Germany. As the trees cleared and the structure came into clear sight it’s safe to say his plan was achieved. A monolithic, imposing, neo-classical behemoth capturing every last drop of Nazi oppression. Yet despite it’s shaded history, you can’t deny that it’s a truly impressive sight.
Arriving at the ticket gates, we are forced to cue like cattle. Given where we are and the aforementioned history, I can’t help but wonder if this wasn’t an intentional design by Nazi architects to remind the people how small and unimportant they were. After passing through the gates I made my way to my seat, with kick off only minutes away.
As I walked into the arena I was overcome by it’s pure intimidatory presence. The hazy smoke, The frenzied wall of noise from the supporters and the overpowering, almost blinding strength of the flood lights. Stunned into submission, my mind wandered back in time and for a split second I found myself at a Nazi Rally. Kick Off brought me back, but in my mind I’d experienced something I will never forget.
“Olympiastadion, Berlin”
A Red Memorial
Typical of Soviet architecture, it towered above everything else and to be honest given the context it actually bordered on the down right offensive! Yet from the moment I walked through the dreaded gate at Tower A I found myself drawn towards it. Architecture fascinates me. In particular how buildings can represent everything the controlling powers at the time stood for. Imposing, Emotionless, Superiority, Intimidating and Controlling. You can’t deny it, all the hallmarks of the USSR embodied in concrete.
On approach you notice a statue depicting Soviet liberation. Two almost super human looking Soviet soldiers embrace a cheerful and more amazingly a healthy looking prisoner. Now artistic license is one thing, but cheapening the horrific experiences endured by the prisoners by glamorizing liberation for the benefit of the State is unarguably completely lacking of taste.
It was the first memorial of it’s kind in the Deutsche Demokratische Republik. It was built to recognize only Soviet victims and as a result is now widely considered to be in bad taste. True as that may be, I admit I was enthralled by it. Soviet ideals captured in stone, towering imposingly above me. With the fall of the Berlin Wall it’s now stands as probably one of the best examples of this type of Soviet architecture in Berlin.
“Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, Berlin”
Berlin challenges the very foundations of humanity. It demonstrates all that is good and all that is evil about humanity and in some instances, the best instances doesn’t offer commentary. In the absence of commentary you are left with nothing but the confronting nature of raw and often stark facts. Unlike anything else, this forces you to reflect on just what kind of a species humanity really is……..
Remember the far off light of hope always remains, Experience Berlin.
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