Berlin - We woke up at 9AM and after a quick breakfast we took the subway to go see the Brandenburg Gate but it was closed because of today's Euro 2024 match between England vs Netherlands.
Brandenburg Gate
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| Brandenburg Gate closed |
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
We walked to the Memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe; also known as the Holocaust Memorial; is a memorial in Berlin to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. It consists of a 1.9-hectare (4.7-acre) site covered with 2,711 concrete slabs, arranged in a grid pattern on a sloping field.
The monument is situated on the former location of the Berlin Wall, where the "death strip" once divided the city.
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| Sky was getting dark |
We had to queue to enter the underground memorial and it started to drizzle, we decided to cut short out queue and make a quick dash to shelter. It started to pour and we decided to run to the Mall of Berlin. When we reached the Mall, it started raining cats and dogs.
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| Malls of Berlin |
We had our lunch at the Malls of Berlin.
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| Currywurst House |
Currywurst is a popular German fast food dish that consists of steamed and then fried pork sausage, typically bratwurst, sliced and served with a special curry ketchup sauce. This iconic dish has an interesting origin story that dates back to post-World War II Berlin.
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| Currywurst set |
In 1949, Herta Heuwer, a female entrepreneur, was running a small sausage stand in Berlin. Seeking a new recipe to attract more customers, she experimented with various ingredients to create a unique sauce. She combined ketchup with curry powder, paprika, cinnamon, and other spices to develop a tasty and spicy topping for her grilled sausages. This innovation led to the creation of currywurst.
Topography of Terror
The Topography of Terror is a profoundly impactful museum and documentation center located in the heart of Berlin. This historical site stands as a chilling reminder of the atrocities committed during the Nazi regime, offering an in-depth look into the mechanisms of terror that were employed by the state.
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| Topography of Terror |
Situated on the grounds that once housed the headquarters of the SS, the Gestapo, and the Reich Security Main Office, the Topography of Terror provides visitors with a stark, unflinching look at the Nazi regime’s inner workings. The site, marked by its somber architecture and powerful exhibits, is dedicated to educating the public about the systematic persecution and terror inflicted by these organisations.
The museum features both indoor and outdoor exhibits, including a preserved section of the Berlin Wall, photographs, documents, and detailed information panels. These exhibits meticulously document the rise of the Nazi party, the structures of repression, and the consequences of their brutal policies. Key themes explored include the persecution of political opponents, the Holocaust, and the various facets of state-sponsored terror.
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| Index of those on trial |
Initially, members of the RSHA (Reich Security Main Office) were tried by Allied courts in Germany after 1945. In the Nuremberg Major War Criminals Trial in 1945/46 and in the Einsatzgruppen (the special mobile unit) trial in 1947/48, 15 death sentences were passed as well as two life sentences and five several years' imprisonment.
Many of those sentenced were pardoned in the fifties. Until the early sixties, hardly any investigations into the members of the RSHA were carried out.
The history of National Socialism, including the crimes of mass murder and genocide, are taught in German schools as an integral part of German history. The defining characteristic of Nazi mass murder and genocide was that it was planned and carried out by state authority with unlimited power to define who was acceptable. The Nazi state exercised this power by excluding, depriving of rights, and finally physically exterminating groups that it designated as "unfit", “dangerous”, "useless," or "superfluous."
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| Outside exhibits |
Jewish Museum Berlin
The Jewish Museum Berlin is a profound testament to the rich and often tumultuous history of Jewish life in Germany. Nestled in the heart of Berlin, this museum is not just a repository of artifacts but a dynamic cultural and educational hub that offers deep insights into Jewish history, culture, and identity. My visit to this remarkable museum was both enlightening and emotionally resonant.
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| Jewish Museum Berlin |
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| Tumtum by Gil Yefman |
Upon arriving at the museum, I was immediately struck by the unique architecture of the building. Designed by the renowned architect Daniel Libeskind, the museum itself is a work of art. Its jagged, zinc-clad exterior, interspersed with dramatic voids, symbolizes the fractured history of Jews in Germany.
The architecture alone sets the tone for the poignant journey that lies within.
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| interesting thought? |
There were a number of hands-on exhibits.
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| Name in Hebrew |
You enter your English name and the console will spell out your name in Hebrew. There were also stensils in Hebrew available to write your name down in paper.
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| Torah - Word of God |
The museum’s permanent exhibition spans over 2,000 years of Jewish history in Germany. Each section is meticulously curated with artifacts, photographs, and personal stories that bring the past to life.
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| Genesis |
[Genesis 1:4-5] And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
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| Jews in Europe |
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| what is this? |
From the early medieval period to the Enlightenment and through the harrowing years of the Holocaust, the exhibits offer a comprehensive view of the Jewish experience. Particularly moving were the personal items and testimonies from Holocaust survivors, which served as a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit.
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| Pax in front of the picture camera |
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| Pax as an artwork |
The museum’s temporary exhibitions and events often highlight contemporary Jewish life and issues, making it a vibrant place of learning and dialogue.
Front and back of the Jewish Synagogue
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| Playing games |
The
Holocaust Tower, a cold, dark, and silent space, offers a chilling reflection on the void left by the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust.
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| Tower of Holocaust |
The Garden of Exile
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| Garden of Exile |
The Garden of Exile, with its disorienting, slanted columns, evokes a sense of the displacement and confusion experienced by those forced into exile.
[Jeremiah 29:4-7] “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce.
From Exile to their homeland - Israel
[Isaiah 11:11] indicates there would be a day when God would raise his hand “a second time” to gather the children of Israel to their homeland.
Checkpoint Charlie
Visiting Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin is like stepping back into the Cold War era. Located on Friedrichstraße, this iconic site was a major crossing point between East and West Berlin during the height of geopolitical tension.
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| Checkpoint Charlie |
As I stood before the replica guardhouse, I could almost hear the echoes of the past—the footsteps of those attempting daring escapes and the tense standoff between American and Soviet tanks.
At the foot of the mast is a small wooden barrack with flags and sandbags. The sacks have long since been filled with concrete instead of sand and the barracks are a replica, but that doesn't change the popularity of the site.
Checkpoint Charlie is one of the most exciting and well-known sights in Berlin. When Berlinw was divided into East and West, the former military checkpoint was controlled by the Americans. Only foreigners, employees of the Permanent Mission of the Federal Republic of Germany in the GDR, and GDR officials were allowed to cross the border here.
Dinner was @ Linh Linh restaurant
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| Rice Vermicilin with Chicken |
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| Fried rice with chicken |
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| Bun Bo Nam Bo |
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| Red Curry with Rice |
It was one of the few dishes that is not salty. Many of German dishes that we ate are so laden with salt. Today dinner was a good dinner.
At 9PM, we watched the England vs Netherlands game played in Germany, I predicted correctly that England will win.
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