20 Years Fall of the Wall Your 2008 Planner
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20 Years since the Fall of the Wall – 20 Years since the Peaceful Revolution
The Berlin Wall, symbol of the division of Berlin and Germany and the Cold War, finally came down on 9 November 1989. The construction of the Berlin Wall on 13 August 1961 led to the partitioning of East and West Germany and West Berlin’s encirclement by the Wall. Hundreds of people lost their lives on the border trying to escape from East to West. Following an escalation of protests at the end of the 1980s, the border crossings were opened on 9 November 1989. That night and over the next few days, millions celebrated across the city: Berliners from East and West and visitors from across the world joyously embraced each other. The peaceful revolution had triumphed and reunited the people of Germany. Berlin has changed dramatically since the fall of the Wall and German reunification: the two halves of the city have once again merged as one, historic buildings have been restored and whole new districts and magnificent buildings have emerged. In 2009 Berlin will celebrate the 20 th anniversary of this unique revolution, which succeeded in tearing down the divide between two states without a single shot being fired. Show your clients around the city and let them discover the highs and lows of its unique history! We have compiled the following information to help you plan your itinerary during your stay in Berlin.
Traces of the Wall around Berlin
Editorial: Berliner Forum für Geschichte und Gegenwart e.V., www.bfgg.de Design: Büro Helga Lieser, Friedrichstraße 217, 10969 Berlin, Tel: +49 (0)30 – 25 92 44 75
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Berlin Wall Route A trip along the Berlin Wall Route provides an in-depth look at this chapter of German history, which your clients can either discover on their own or on a guided tour. Whether on foot or by bike, the 18-kilometre stretch of specially-developed cycling and hiking paths will take them on a journey past the remaining traces of the wall. Memorials, remnants of the Wall, a few remaining border watchtowers and information boards with photographs are dotted along the path where the Wall once stood, and bear testimony to its history. Your clients can also take this opportunity to visit the most important sights of the city.
We have compiled a small selection of sites where traces of the Wall are still visible today.
East Side Gallery During Berlin’s years as a divided city, the western side of the Wall was a favourite spot for graffiti. The most famous graffiti artists have now immortalized their work on the eastern side of the longest surviving section of the Wall. The world’s largest open-air gallery was opened on 28 September 1990 between Ostbahnhof and Oberbaumbrücke. www.eastsidegallery-berlin.de
Mauerpark (Wall Park) The Mauerpark, situated next to Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark, incorporates remnants of the Wall in a park setting, where graffiti artists can spray away to their heart’s delight. Bernauer Straße/Eberswalder Straße www.mauerpark.info
Topography of Terror Excavations and a documentation centre tell the story of the Gestapo, the SS and the Reich Security Main Office. The open-air exhibition, which includes a stretch of the Wall, is situated in the area between the street formerly known as Prinz-Albrecht-Straße (today Niederkirchner Straße) Anhalter Straße and Wilhelmstraße. www.topographie.de
White Crosses memorial site/Wall memorial in Marie-Elisabeth-Lüders-Haus The GDR’s border fortifications ran along the eastern side of the Reichstag building (today home to the German Bundestag). White crosses have been placed on this site today as a reminder of its past. The Wall memorial in the Marie-Elisabeth-Lüders-Haus is situated directly opposite, on the other side of the river Spree. This memorial site houses original wall segments, which have been inscribed with the years and the number of recorded victims during that particular year. www.visitBerlin.de/wall
Schlesischer Busch Watchtower Headquarters Schlesischer Busch Watchtower, located on the border between Kreuzberg and Treptow, was constructed in 1963 during the expansion of the border security facilities as the headquarters for 18 further observation towers. Today, the tower is home to the “Museum der Verbotenen Kunst” (Museum of Forbidden Art). www.visitBerlin.de/wall
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Berlin Wall Information Columns
A network of 3.6-metre information columns marks the route where the wall once wove its way through the city centre. The square columns are fitted with information windows, which recount the history of each site using maps, graphics, texts, photos and audio material in eight different languages. The columns can be found at the following locations:
• Potsdamer Platz/Ebertstraße • The former border crossing at Bornholmer Straße • Bernauerstraße/Berlin Wall Memorial • Ebertstraße/German Bundestag • Niederkirchnerstraße • Checkpoint Charlie • East Side Gallery • Nordbahnhof • Oberbaumbrücke • Hauptbahnhof • The Brandenburg Gate
To find out more, go to: www.visitBerlin.de/wall
Permanent Exhibitions on the Divided City and the Fall of the Wall in Berlin’s Museums
Allied Museum The museum, situated in the American army’s former “Outpost” cinema, documents the role of the Western powers during the post-war period and the life of allied troops in Berlin. www.alliiertenmuseum.de
DDR Museum Berlin The DDR Museum Berlin presents a lively, interactive and fascinating account of everyday life in the GDR, taking visitors on a unique journey through East Germany’s socialist past. www.ddr-museum.de
German-Russian Museum Berlin-Karlshorst This museum documents the end of the Second World War and the fall of the National Socialist regime at the historic spot where the events took place. www.museum-karlshorst.de
German Historical Museum Featuring the permanent exhibition “German History in Images and Testimonials” in the Zeughaus. www.dhm.de
Märkisches Museum Featuring the permanent exhibition “...schaut auf diese Stadt!” (Look at this city!), which recounts Berlin’s history and cultural legacy from Medieval times to the present day. www.stadtmuseum.de
Berlin Wall Museum Houses a permanent exhibition on the history of the Berlin Wall and on the international campaign for human rights. www.mauermuseum.de
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Stasi Museum The former headquarters of the Ministry for State Security are today home to a research and memorial centre examining the political system of the GDR. www.stasimuseum.de
The Story of Berlin Interactive exhibition, featuring 23 themed rooms equipped with state-of-the-art multi- media technology and walk-in sets, recounts the city’s evolution from its foundation until the present day. www.story-of-berlin.de
Berlin Wall Documentation Centre Forms part of the memorial site ensemble at Bernauer Straße. www.berliner-mauer-dokumentationszentrum.de
The Berlin Hohenschönhausen Memorial In 1994, the central remand prison of the Ministry for State Security was transformed into a memorial centre. Former prisoners give guided tours around the prison and tell of prison conditions and interrogation methods practised by the GDR State Security. www.stiftung-hsh.de
Information and Documentation Centre of the Federal Commissioner for the Files of the State Security Service of the Former GDR (IDZ) The federal commissioner’s information and documentation centre containing the records of the Ministry for State Security features the exhibition “Staatssicherheit – Machtinstrument der SED-Diktatur” (State Security – Instrument of Power for the SED Dictatorship), examining the activities of the GDR’s state security service. www.bstu.bund.de
Marienfelde Refugee Centre Memorial Housed in the historic location of West Berlin’s former refugee centre, this memorial recalls the flight and emigration of countless Germans who left the East for the West. www.notaufnahmelager-berlin.de
Bernauer Straße Berlin Wall Memorial Site
Bernauer Straße was the setting of many a dramatic event during the construction of the Wall and the division of Berlin. The windows of the houses on the eastern side of the street were initially bricked up. Later on, an entire row of houses was demolished and trenches dug in preparation for the death strip. The images of East Germans escaping out of windows, or the People’s Police officer leaping over the barbed wire border into the West, which became famous the world over, were shot at Bernauer Straße. During the division, numerous underground tunnels were dug under the street by people who wanted to escape.
All this and more is exhibited at the memorial site using a variety of different media. A short visit to the documentation centre will cover the most important aspects of the area’s history. A selection of films offers visitors insight into the Wall’s construction and the partitioning of the city up until the fall of the Wall in 1989. Multi-media stations provide a more in-depth look at its history.
The memorial site also includes the “Chapel of Reconciliation”, a unique clay structure, built using the rubble of the original chapel, which was situated in the death strip after the construction of the Wall and therefore inaccessible to the public. In 1985 the church was demolished by border troops. The chapel has a book of the dead listing all those who were killed trying to escape, plus accounts of their life stories. Prayers are held from Tuesday to Friday at 12 p.m. in memory of the victims.
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A central feature of the memorial site is the Berlin Wall Memorial, featuring an original piece of the death strip and an observation tower next to the documentation centre, which vividly conveys the physical division imposed by the Wall.
After the expansion of the Berlin Wall Memorial site has been completed, the open-air exhibition will stretch 1.2 kilometres along Bernauer Straße. A new pavilion next to Nordbahnhof is set for completion on 9 November 2009 and will form the entrance area to the new memorial ensemble. Here visitors will receive introductory information and handouts and have the chance to view films. Construction work is set to begin in August 2008. Further projects in the pipeline include excavating the cellars of the houses torn down to make way for the death strip. An information board is already in place, informing visitors on the progress of expansion work and the history of Bernauer Straße. Design team: sinai.Faust.Schroll.Schwarz/Mola www.berliner-mauer-gendenkstaette.de Winkelmüller/ON architektur, Berlin
Events to Mark the Anniversary of the Fall of the Wall
The dominant theme of 2009 in Berlin will be the “20 th anniversary of the fall of the Wall”. A wide range of different institutions will be holding events to commemorate the historic events of 1989/90 and their aftermath.
The not-to-be-missed events of Berlin’s theme year are:
7 May – 9 Nov 2009 Open-air exhibition on the events of 1989/90, Alexanderplatz
The Robert-Havemann Gesellschaft’s contribution to commemorating the 20 th anniversary of the fall of the Wall takes the form of an open-air exhibition, which depicts and pays tribute to the peaceful revolution and the events of 1989/1990.
Design proposed by architect Dr Jürg Steiner
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7 May – 9 Nov 2009 “Schauplätze Neues Berlin” (The Hubs of New Berlin) – 20 Years of a City in Transition the spotlight will fall on a different location every 14 days, including Potsdamer Platz, Hauptbahnhof, Alexanderplatz
This project conveys the evolution of “New Berlin” between 1989 and 2009 from an urban development perspective at a variety of central locations on the tourist trail, which have undergone dramatic changes during this period. The sites will be indicated by an enormous helium balloon in the shape of a red arrow. In addition, installations, banners or display boards on the buildings’ façades will depict the area’s transformation. The core feature of these temporary projects will be an info box with a café, which will be the starting point for tours of the surrounding area.
“Schauplätze Neues Berlin”, © Kulturprojekte GmbH
9 November 2009 – Day of the Fall of the Berlin Wall Performances / symbolic tearing down of the Wall in the evening Concerts and street festival at the Brandenburg Gate
In addition:
28 – 31 May 2009 -History forum & festival 2009 – Events organized by the “Stiftung zur Aufarbeitung der SED-Diktatur”, the Government-funded organization devoted to the examination and reappraisal of the Communist dictatorship in East Germany, exploring a variety of themes, including "The revolution of 1989 – Closing the chapter on German and European division”, hosted by the Humboldt University, the German Historical Museum, Maxim Gorki Theater, among other venues.
29 Aug 2009 -Lange Nacht der Museen (Long Night of Museums) – Berlin’s museums and the fall of the Wall. Berlin’s museums open their doors and remain open late into the night: exhibitions, concerts, readings, theatre and a host of other attractions.
3 Oct 2009 -“Deutsche Kunst im Kalten Krieg 1945 – 1989: Konfrontation und Dialog” (German Art during the Cold War, 1945 – 1989) – 10 Jan 2010 in the German Historical Museum in cooperation with the Los Angeles County Museum.
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Programme Components
The following list includes just a few of the companies which offer city walking, cycling, or bus tours on themes such as “The Wall Route” or “The Divided City”.
• Berlin Entdecken (discover Berlin) www.berlin-entdecken.de • Berlin Erleben (experience Berlin) www.berlin-erleben-info.de • Berlin Insider Tours www.insidertour.com • Berlin on Bike www.berlinonbike.de • Go Art! www.goart-berlin.de • Grenzgänge (border crossers) www.berlinwalltours.de • Ich bin ein Berliner (I am a Berliner) www.ichbin1berliner.de • Stadtflüsterer www.stadtfluesterer.de • Videobustour www.videobustour.de
TIP : DiscoveryTours Wall Guide For visitors who wish to go it alone on a trip back in time to discover the traces of the Wall, we recommend the “MauerGuide” tour, suited to both walking and cycling tours. Its GPS navigation system will guide you to the five central locations in the history of the Wall – Checkpoint Charlie, the Brandenburg Gate, Bernauer Straße Berlin Wall Memorial Site, the East Side Gallery and the stretch of Wall on Niederkirchner Straße. The “MauerGuide” not only points you in the right direction; it also conveys the story of the divided city using historic images, film and audio material.
Issue points: Checkpoint Charlie, the Brandenburg Gate, Bernauer Straße and other memorial sites across the city.
To find out more, go to: www.visitBerlin.de/wall
Places to Eat and Drink along the Wall Route
We have compiled a list of restaurants and beer gardens located along the former border route to help you round off your Berlin programme marking the 20 th anniversary of the peaceful revolution.
Berliner Ballon-und Mauergarten: beer garden www.mauergarten.de Berlin Pavillon Restaurant www.Berlin-Pavillon.de Il Punto www.ilpunto-berlin.de Mauersegler: beer garden with German cuisine www.mauersegler-berlin.de Maultäschle: German cuisine www.maultaeschle-berlin.de Puntila & Matti: international and regional cuisine www.puntila-matti.de Sale e Tabacchi: international cuisine www.sale-e-tabacchi.de Theodor Tucher www.thementeam.de/neu/tucher/ Tony Romas www.tonyromas-mms.com
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Our Services
Hotels. Tickets. Info +49(0)30 – 25 00 24 www.berlin-tourism.de
TV on the Internet To view interesting films on the Berlin Wall, just go to www.visitBerlin.TV and click on “Contemporary History”.
Downloads To download regularly updated information on the topic of the Wall, text blocks and photos for your brochures, just go to: www.berlin-tourism.de
Your clients can obtain further information during their stay in Berlin
BERLIN infostore Hauptbahnhof BERLIN infostore Neues Kranzler Eck Ground floor / Europa Platz entrance Near Zoo / Ku`damm, Kurfürstendamm 21 Daily: 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. Mon-Sat: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.*; Sun: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.*
BERLIN infostore at the Brandenburg BERLIN infos tore Alexa Shopping Gate Center Pariser Platz / south gatehouse Near Alexanderplatz, ground floor Daily: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.* Mon-Sat: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.*; Sun: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.*
BERLIN Pavillon by the Reichstag *extended opening hours from April to October Scheidemannstraße Daily: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.*
Ticket Recommendation
Berlin WelcomeCard The Berlin WelcomeCard is a quick and easy way for your clients to discover the city using public transport with the additional benefit of a 50% reduction on 130 of Berlin’s best sights, including the Berlin Wall Museum, The Story of Berlin, the DDR Museum, the Anne Frank Zentrum and city tours connected to the anniversary of the fall of the Wall. A handy guide with a city map will accompany your clients on their voyage of discovery. We offer attractive commission deals to distributors. To find out more, go to: www.berlin-tourism.de
Museum pass The 3-day ticket for Berlin’s museums “SchauLUST-MuseenBERLIN” allows your clients to visit around 70 museums and collections on three consecutive opening days for €19 or €9.50 for concessions. The pass covers entrance to the world-famous collections which comprise the Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin – Preußischer Kulturbesitz (National Museums in Berlin – Prussian Cultural Heritage), including the Bode Museum, the Pergamon Museum, the Egyptian Museum, and the Gemäldegalerie (Picture Gallery). In addition, your clients can visit the Berlin museums of the Stiftung Stadtmuseum, the German Historical Museum and much, much more. We offer attractive commission deals to distributors. For more, go to: www.berlin- tourism.de As of: April 2008
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