(Re) discovering Berlin

I say "re-discovering" Berlin, as we've recovered the photographs I took here last year, after our Mac's hard drive packed up. They're the smaller versions from an iPod, but still, it's great to have another look through them.

My first full day in Berlin was really interesting. Having arrived fairly late the previous night, I'd slept well, and left the hotel early after a good breakfast. I was staying in Mitte, just up the road from the famous Alexanderplatz - a large public space, host to the TV tower, the World Time Clock, and the largest demonstration in East German history in 1989.

From here, I went in search of my first encounter of the remains of the Berlin Wall. Something struck me early on - there's so much graffiti in Berlin. And not just the unimaginative brand you get in the UK. There's some genuine talent behind some of this and perhaps, that's why quite a lot of it is left in place.

Graffiti in Mitte

 I made my way to Bernauer Strasse, the site of a remaining piece of the Berlin Wall, and also a preserved area of the 'Death Strip' that divided this city for nearly 30 years. These days, it serves as a memorial for those killed trying to escape to the West and a sort of outdoor museum, with information, other pieces of the Wall, evidence of the patrol roads and a watchtower. All of this offers just a glimpse of what this city must have been like just over 2 decades ago.

A memorial to the victims of the Wall

The Berlin Wall at Bernauer Strasse

As you weave in and out of the broken pieces of the remains of this barrier, it felt strange and uncomfortable to think that, not so long ago, such an act of freedom was nowhere near possible. Since 1961, anyone trying to make that journey from one side of the Wall to the other risked their lives in the face of the East German shoot to kill policy. It's quite hard to comprehend what it must have been like to walk along the western side of the Wall, knowing that you could probably shout to someone in the East, only 50m away, and knowing you enjoyed a freedom they only dreamed of.

I moved on to find another significant relic of the Cold War era - Checkpoint Charlie. Emerging from Kochstrasse U-bahn station brings you face to face with the most famous of the Iron Curtain's crossing points. There's not much left now - a small sentry hut and a sign telling  you that you are leaving the American Zone. This sign has an interesting effect, reminding me that, although the brutality and repression was made in the GDR, this division of the city was a product of an Allied plan to carve up the city.

To think these divisions remained in place for 45 years is sobering, and I wonder if the deal made by Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt at Yalta ever intended such a long and lasting impact on the city.

Checkpoint Charlie

It's a frivolous shadow of its former self these days. Costumed guards pose for photos with eager tourists and the 'entrepreneurs' look to make a fast buck by selling replica East German medals and soldiers hats. You can even get your passport stamped as you cross the 'border'.

From here, I made my way to Prinz Albrecht Strasse (now renamed Niederkirchnerstrasse). Its original name would have struck fear into the hearts of any German during the Third Reich. The former home of the Gestapo now lies in ruins, only the cellars and the basements still evident among the rubble. Here too, a section of the Wall remains, a further reminder of former divisions.

The Wall at Prinz Albrecht Strasse

Close by is the site of Hitler's Bunker, now a piece of parkland, following demolition of the original building by the Russians. Just a sign marks the spot, giving information about the place where the Fuhrer took his last cowardly breaths.

I finished my day back at Alexanderplatz. The square itself is now a popular shopping area, but its quite barren concrete appearance reminds you that this was once well and truly East Germany. While a mile or two down the road, Unter den Linden is home to impressive Embassy buildings and the Brandenburg Gate, the Alex and the surrounding areas are grey, uniform and dull, save for the flashes of graffiti that punctuate the gloom.

I ate, and headed back to the hotel. My trip back was interrupted by a crew of b-boys putting on an impressive and funny show of breakdancing in the square. Scenes from 'Titanic' were coupled with incredible gymnastic feats, great strength and talent. A good way to finish my first day in Berlin.