BERLIN AND THE barrier there were 5,075 successful escapes, although 200 persons lost their WALL lives in attempts. GMØHZM The mention of RAF Gutersloh in a recent article in “MERCURY” brought memories flooding back of my days in the 1970’s and 1980’s serving in this part It was not until October 2001 that a visit of Germany with the Territorial Army. to Berlin by me and my wife was Celle, Bielefeld, Paderborn, Hildesheim possible. By then, of course, most of the and Hohne (formerly Bergen-Belsen) all Wall in the central area of Berlin had immediately came to mind. There was been removed (a task involving some little time for sightseeing in those days, 1million tons of rubble) and free access but one lasting impression I have was of was possible between all parts of the city. an organised visit to the then boundary between East and West Germany. We set off from Edinburgh Airport for Berlin, travelling via Frankfurt, for our It stretched as far as the eye could see four day sojourn in the city - a fortieth North and South. Heavily fortified with wedding anniversary present to us. We guard towers every half a mile and with landed at Tegel airport and got a taxi to cultivated areas would show every the 5-star Berlin Hilton Hotel. To our footprint, mined and booby trapped, surprise we found it was situated in the stretching back a half a mile towards the former East German area. It was East from the fence making the line of immediately adjacent to the well-known demarcation a very formidable obstacle Gendarmenmarkt and a short distance and with the presence of the patrolling from Friedrichstrasse, Unter den Linden East German border guards virtually (the tree-lined avenue once the city’s eliminated all routes of escape. focal point), the Brandenburg Gate and Berlin, though, attracted most of the the Reichstag (the former parliament publicity about the division of Germany building) and was within walking following the physical erection by the distance of Checkpoint Charlie the East German government of the concrete famous crossing area between East and boundary wall to seal off East Berlin West Berlin. The Hotel, though in the from the part of the city occupied by the former “East” Berlin, was of course very three main western powers – Britain, US central indeed and the recent re-erection and France – to prevent mass illegal of this most modern and palatial immigration westwards. Construction accommodation was typical of what one commenced on 13th August 1961 and die found in this part of the city. The Berliner Mauer (the Berlin Wall as it environs of Berlin include the Grünewald became known) remained in place until forest and Wannsee lake (the locus of the 9th November 1989 when the infamous 20 January 1942 secret Communist regime collapsed. During conference – recently detailed in Mark that time, in spite of it being a formidable Roseman’s book “The Villa, the Lake, the 1 Meeting: Wannsee and the Final along the Spree and other Canals from Solution” 152pp Allen Lane, £9.99 – and Schlonbrucke. Again this was a three its awesome consequences.) hour trip and though the commentary was only in German, we managed to follow There was much development the route using the map and identified spreading from the former line of “the many of the sights we had seen during Wall” eastwards but you only had to the morning coach tour such as walk a few hundred metres towards the Charlottenburg Palace, the Reichstag, East to find the dereliction and neglect Museum Island and Berlin Dom. left by the former DDR (Deutsche However on this occasion the view was Demokratische Republik – German from the Spree Canal and gave a different Democratic Republic – East Germany). aspect, especially in the Eastern part of A typical example was the one time the city where we saw much of the other “new” building of its own Parliament. parts of the Wall which still existed. When we visited, this was in the course of demolition because of the deterioration The following day, and with the sun in the structure and also because asbestos shining brightly, temperature in the mid- had been used in the construction of the 60’s F, we decided on a walking tour building. The day following our arrival in from the Hotel using the first class the city was a Friday, so as we normally Dorling Kindersley Travel Guide book do when visiting ‘foreign parts’, we took on Berlin. the coach tour arranged by the hotel The Hotel is situated in concierge. With the benefit of a guide Gendarmenmarkt. This is one of Berlin’s speaking both German and English our most beautiful squares, created at the end tour of central Berlin consisted of a three of the 17th Century as a market square hour trip incorporating the highlights of for the newly established Friedrichstadt. the capital, both East and West. It took in It is named after the Regiment Gens the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Memorial Church, d’Armes who had their stables here. In Europe-Centre, Bauhaus Museum, New 1950 it was named Platz der Akademie; National Gallery, Philharmonic Hall, and after reunification the square Potsdam Square/Sony-Centre, reverted to its original name. The three Gendarmenmarkt, Alexander Square, St- most important buildings on the square Nikolai-Vertel, City Hall of Berlin, TV- are:- Tower, the Berlin Cathedral, Zeigaus, State Opera, Boulevard Unter den Linden, Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, Französischer Dom Haus der Kulturen (the former Congress This is one of two churches standing at Hall), Tiergarten, Bellevue Palace, the opposite sides of the square and they Seigessaulle. Charlottenburg Palace, appear identical but in fact differ Olympic Stadium (built in 1936), considerably. The only common feature Grünewald Forest, Radio Tower, ICC, is the identical front towers. This French Kurfurstendamm. This was great value at cathedral was built by the Huguenot DM42 (£14) per person. community, who found refuge in protestant Berlin following their There was a lot of information to expulsion from France after the assimilate, but undaunted, we then took a revolution of the Edict of Nantes. taxi to join one of the many boat trips 2 Deutscher Dom shops. Within the last two years, sponsored by local shops hotels and This cathedral at the other end of the offices, a number of highly coloured square from Franzosischer Dom and bears have been erected over its whole opposite the Hilton Hotel is an old length which adds much interest and German Protestant church. It was colour for the tourist. designed by Martin Grunberg and built in 1708 by Giovanni Simonetti. In 1785 it Situated off Unter den Linden are acquired a dome-covered tower identical Humboldt Universitat, Staatsbibliothek, to the French Cathedral. Burned down in Reiterdenkmal Friedrichs des Grossen (a 1945, the church was rebuilt in 1993. statue depicting Frederick the Great created between 1839 and 1851), the Konzerthaus Altes Palais, Alte Bibliothek (outside Home of the Berlin Symphony which the Jewish books were burnt in the Orchestra, this is a late neo-classical mid 1930’s), Bebelplatz, St. Hedwig’s jewel. This magnificent building recently Kathedrale, Staatsoper Unter den Linden known as the Schauspielhaus, is one of (the State Opera House) and Crown the greatest achievements of Berlin’s best Prince’s Palace. We spent most of the known architect, Karl Friedrich Schinkel. morning in this locality before moving on It was built between 1818 and 1821. to Museum Island. Following bomb damage in World War II Saturday afternoon was spent on it was reconstructed as a concert hall with Museum Island and the surrounding area. a different interior layout. The exterior On this island are the pretty Lustgarten was restored to its former glory. and Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral). It Just a short distance from is also where you will find some of the Gendarmenmarkt is Unter Den Linden most important museums in the east of and Bebelplatz. Unter den Linden is one the city. These include the Bodemuseum, of the most famous streets in Berlin. It the Altes Museum, the Alte starts at Schlossplatz and runs down to Nationalgallerie and the splendid Pariser Platz and the Brandenburg Gate. Pergamonmuseum - famous for its It was once the route to the royal hunting collection of antiquities and visited by grounds that were later transformed into crowds of art-lovers from around the the Tiergarten. In the 17th century the world. street was planted with lime trees, to The Pergamonmuseum was built which the street owes its name. Although between 1912 and 1930. It houses one of removed around 1658, they were the most famous collections of antiquities replanted in four rows in 1820. of Europe, and owes its name to the During the 18th century, Unter den famous Pergamon Alter which takes Linden became the main street of the pride of place in the main hall. The three westward-expanding city. It was independent collections - the Museum of gradually filled with prestigious Antiquities (Greek and Roman), the buildings which were restored after Museum of Near Eastern Antiquities and World War II. Following the the Museum of Islamic Art - are the reunification of Germany, Unter den result of intensive archaeological Linden has acquired several cafés and excavations by German expeditions to restaurants, as well as many new smart the Near and Middle East at the end of 3 the 19th and 20th century. What makes am pleased to say, very tight indeed and this museum particularly fascinating for we eventually got on our aircraft for a the visitor is the first class audio CD- safe return to Edinburgh.