The Berlin Wall used to run about 100 metres from our apartment building. Conveniently this stretch is also the site of the Berlin Wall Memorial.For the most part the 155 kilometer long wall that once divided West Berlin from East Berlin has long been demolished. Some parts however have been preserved, including a 220 meter long section on Bernauer Straße.
The wall is part of a much larger memorial site, stretching 1.4 kilometers long, that provides poignant information about the history of the Berlin Wall and the life of residents who lived near the Wall.
In 1961 the East German government decided to build a wall around West Berlin to prevent East Germans from fleeing to West Berlin. Bernauer Straße was right on the border so this meant that one half of the street ended up on the east side while the other was on the west side of the divided city.
On August 13, 1961, several citizens who found themselves on the east side of the wall jumped out of windows to the West. The windows were soon cemented up and the buildings were later demolished. In the early years Bernauer Straße continued to be a popular place for escape attempts and there were even an number of underground tunnels dug underneath the wall. Not all attempts to escape to the West succeeded however, and those who lost their lives during their attempts are honored here with markers located on the spot where they died or were captured.
Shortly after the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989, few residents were keen to preserve it and the wall was torn down at a rapid pace. A few parts of the Wall however had escaped demolition, among them a stretch at Bernauer Straße that even included a preserved section of the death strip. In 1994 the German government decided to create a memorial dedicated to the Berlin Wall here.
Exhibits along the length of the memorial site give insight into different aspects of the Berlin Wall and the residents living near it. You get information about the many attempts of people who tried to flee to West Berlin including very personal stories and historical photos. One of the most famous is that of the border soldier Conrad Schumann who fled to the West by leaping over the barbed wire fence at Bernauer Straße.
One of the more poignant exhibits is focused on the Chapel of Reconciliation (Kapelle der Versöhnung). The chapel was built at the site of the former Church of Reconciliation, a late-nineteenth century church that was situated on the east side of the border between East and West Berlin.
After the construction of the Wall the church ended up right on the death strip and thus became inaccessible to residents of both West and East Berlin. The church tower was even used by border guards as a watchtower. In 1985 the East German government decided to demolish the church.
In 2000, eleven years after the fall of the Wall, a modern chapel was built on the foundations of the former church. Some remains from the old church, including the church bells and the damaged altar are now preserved near the new chapel.
After we finished walking and viewing the entire exhibit it was time for lunch. Our guide told us about a great beer garden/restaurant located nearby so we hunted it down for a lunch of German food and beers. Sadly, it was closed.
We had passed about 4 burger restaurants while we were walking and Paul had been triggered. One of my apps indicated that one of Berlin's best burger restaurants was located nearby so off we went. I must admit, it was a bloody good burger. It wasn't the schnitzel I had been craving but it was fresh, well-made, and delicious so who was I do complain?
We stopped by the grocery store on the way home and picked up a few things for dinner.
When we got home my cold (thank you PAUL!!!!!!!!!) was starting to take hold so I decided to nap. By the time I woke up the rain that had been in the forecast was here.
It was a wet, grey evening - perfect for hanging out in the apartment and thinking about tomorrow's adventures.
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