Montag-10/15/18-Winds of Change-Scorpions

Monday was such a busy day, I had to break it into two posts.  In addition to all of the information we learned about the German school systems, we also had a full afternoon of cultural and historical learning events.  After lunch at the Hotel de Rome, we walked across town to the city center area.







We first visited the Berlin Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.  This is a powerful memorial comprised of thousands of concrete slabs of differing heights called "stelae".  We each took some time to walk through on our own.  The memorial is constructed on a sloping field so that as you enter the memorial, soon you are consumed by the towering concrete which evokes a feeling of isolation and feeling trapped.  The stelae are constructed in orderly rows that are slightly askew.  This is intended to represent an orderly system that lost touch with human reason.  Though the designer denies the connection, one can't help but feel that you're walking through an endless dark cemetery.  I found the memorial powerful and thought provoking and I enjoyed how the abstract nature of the memorial allowed for varying interpretations.

We next rendezvoused in the square near Brandenburg Gate where we connected with Arvid, our outstanding tour guide.  Arvid provided historical background for all of the buildings in the square and how they evolved from WWII to the Cold War and Berlin Wall era, to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the modern era.  It was fascinating to see pictures of the no man's land around the wall on the East side.  As we stood on bricks that symbolized the former wall, Arvid told us about the day he and his wife joined the celebrating at the fall of the wall in November of 1989.  They climbed over and ventured a few hundred meters into East Berlin before running back, still fearful that the reunification was only temporary and they could be trapped on the other side like so many others in 1961.

We walked through the Memorial to the Sinti and Roma Victims of National Socialism in the Tiergarten park.  This was a powerful memorial with a deep, dark pool of water at the center.  In the center of the pool is a triangle shape to represent the badges worn by prisoners of concentration camps.  Around the edges of the pool are scattered stones, some with names of concentration camps.  There was a powerful moment when Arvid told us the story of his wife's great uncle who had been imprisoned at Mauthausen.  It was also in this place that we learned about the Stolperstein, or "stumbling blocks".  These are brass plates that have been placed at Holocaust victims' homes and workplaces to honor their last free choice before they became persecuted by the Nazis.  Once we learned about them, we noticed them on all of our walks throughout Germany.  Some have criticized the fact that they are in the ground, while others say it is a sign of respect that one must bow their head to read the inscriptions.

Reichstag Dome

We made our way through security and then toured the impressive Reichstag Dome.  The Reichstag is home to the German parliament.  The building was destroyed before WWII and went unused until after Germany was reunified.  The design of the dome is intended to symbolize a reunified Germany.  The transparent design is striking, but I found the details and symbolism incorporated into the design  fascinating.  The mirrored cone at the center of the dome reflects down on the Bundestag, or debating room of parliament, bringing a purposeful feeling of transparency in government. Around the dome are two walkways that are open to the public everyday.  The design of having the public walk above the government building was intentional symbolizing that the people are above the government.

The designs were also environmentally conscious.  The mirrors reflect natural light into the large room below, reducing the energy required to light the building.  A sun shield tracks the rotation of the sun preventing the natural light from becoming too blinding in the room below.  The open air platform at the top of the dome catches water that is reused and allows for beautiful 360 degree views of Berlin.  We were fortunate to catch the sun setting while atop the platform.

We wrapped up our tour and headed for a true German dinner at Clarchens Ballhaus where we enjoyed sausages, sauerkraut, weiner schnitzel, and potato salad.

Members of our group in the Reichstag Dome