Today our day began with an immersive exploration of Berlin's divided history. Christine and Richard led us through the story of East and West Berlin, starting at the iconic world clock in Alexanderplatz. It was erected in 1969 and shows the time in 148 major cities around the world and it was once considered the absolute highlight of East Germany. As Christine explained, this simple timepiece represented hope and modernity for East Berliners who had so little access to the wider world.We passed by historic St. Mary's Church. The exact age of the original church is unknown but was mentioned in historical records as early as 1243. It was originally a Roman Catholic Church but became a Lutheran Protestant church during the Reformation in 1539. It is located in the former East Berlin.We stood on the Platz des Volksaufstandes, ground zero for the people's uprising in East Germany in 1953 and now a memorial. There are numerous photos from 1953 and information about the uprising.
Read more about the uprising HERE.
"At the wall, behind pillars is the huge mural “Aufbau der Republik” (build-up of the Republic) made of Meissen porcelain tiles (a very precious material) from 1952. It is a typical piece of “Socialist Realism” with optimistic, happy working class people with a uniform smile and a marching pose." Anne Wittig
We passed by a "trabant", a small iconic East German car produced from 1957 to 1991.
We continued our journey heading to Checkpoint Charlie. We observed the re-creation of the US Army checkpoint with its iconic signage.
The picture below on the left looks into the old East Berlin, the picture in the middle looks into the old West Berlin. The picture on the right, Fran sent me looking into East Berlin when she visited here in 1961.
We walked through the Breitscheidplatz which is a major public square in Berlin, marking the center of the old West Berlin. Chris and I are standing in front of the Weltkugelbrunnen, a water feature in the Breitscheidplatz.
Breitscheidplatz was also the scene of an Islamist terror attack in 2016, when a truck was driven into the area during a Christmas market. 12 people died and 56 others were injured. Today Breitscheidplatz is surrounded by barricades, preventing such an attack from happening in the future (see the picture below on the left).
We next headed to the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche (Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church). This church represents Berlin's approach to confronting its difficult past through preservation rather than erasure.
The original church was built between 1891-1895 as a memorial to Kaiser Wilhelm I, representing the power and glory of the German Empire. The neo-Romanesque structure was severely damaged during Allied bombing raids in 1943, leaving only the damaged spire and parts of the nave standing as haunting reminders of wartime destruction.Rather than demolishing the ruins or fully restoring the original structure, Berlin made the profound decision to preserve the damaged tower as a permanent memorial. The juxtaposition of the ruined tower with the modern church complex (on the lower right in the photo) creates a powerful visual statement about memory, loss, and renewal.
Adjacent to the preserved ruins, architect Egon Eiermann designed a striking modern church complex in the 1960s with Blue Stained Glass Windows.
We were particularly moved by the stunning blue stained glass windows that characterize the modern church interior. These windows, created by Gabriel Loire, consist of over 21,000 pieces of blue glass in various shades. There is honeycomb-like concrete framework supporting the glass.
The deep blue tones that create a sense of peace and contemplation. The "beautiful prints" and "slightly different tints" of the stained glass varied depending on the light, creating an almost mystical atmosphere inside the church.
We stayed and listened to an organ concert while enjoying the beautiful surroundings.
We strolled around looking mostly at the food and bought a couple of almond croissants.
After enjoying all the food on display, we were hungry and headed up to the top level to the food court to get our lunch. We enjoyed the views of the city while eating our lunch.
After lunch we headed to Nollendorfplatz (Nollendorfkiez) which caters to Berlin's LGBTQ+ community. As early as the 1920s, the Nollendorfkiez was considered a gay and lesbian neighborhood and now it is once again an extremely popular location for gay people to live - and to go out. The magnificent apartment blocks in the neighborhood with their large flats, parquet floors, stucco elements and prestigious staircases were once built for the wealthier sections of the population. Gaps left by the war have long since been filled with unadorned new buildings. The next stop on our adventure was the Gendarmenmarkt area. Christine told us the fascinating story of the French Protestant (Huguenot) refugees who settled in Berlin after the Edict of Fontainebleau expelled them from France in 1685. By 1689, many had established themselves in this area, bringing French cultural influence that persists today in the architecture and place names.
Today, the Gendarmenmarkt which represents one of Berlin's most architecturally harmonious squares with the baroque dome architecture creating perfect symmetry. Left to right in the pictures below are the:
- French Cathedral (Französischer Dom) built 1701-1705, and rebuilt after WWII damage.
- German Cathedral (Deutscher Dom) - a mirror image of the French Cathedral
- Concert Hall (Konzerthaus): Designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, occupying the center. In front is the Schiller monument which honors the poet, philosopher and historian Friedrich Schiller, who is also regarded as one of the most significant dramatists and lyricists of the German language.
Christine shared a particularly vivid insider story about the French Cathedral from 30-40 years ago. During the Cold War era, the dome housed an exclusive French restaurant that became a destination for West Berliners visiting East Berlin. Since visitors had to exchange Western currency for East German marks that couldn't be taken back, people sought ways to spend this money. The restaurant offered authentic French wines, quality cheeses, and an upscale dining experience.
Reservations were required due to high demand and unofficial tips (around 20 Deutsche Marks) were given to waiters to secure tables. This anecdote perfectly illustrates the absurdities and adaptations of life during Berlin's division.
We had dinner at a Gendarmenmarkt restaurant featuring authentic Bavarian cuisine including:- Potato dumplings (Kartoffelklöße) - traditional side dish
- Cabbage preparations reflecting German culinary traditions
- Roast dishes prepared in traditional styles
- Augustiner beer - authentic Bavarian brewing tradition
After dinner we continued walking, passing by the Berlin Palace, the Friedrichswerder Church which was the first Neo-Gothic church built in Berlin and the St. Nikolai-Kirche, which is the oldest church in Berlin.
After 18,452 steps and 7.08 miles, it was time to head back to the hotel and rest up for our trip to Potsdam in the morning.
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