What to see in Berlin about the Cold War: routes of interest
The year 2019 marks the thirtieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, which was destroyed on November 9, 1989, and what better occasion than this to visit this beautiful city on the banks of the Spree River. Before packing your bags, take a look at this article on Berlin during the Cold War, which proposes the best tours to understand the history of a city that was divided into two sectors following World War II.
On the Cold War Berlin tour you will discover fascinating stories of a time marked by the construction of the Berlin Wall by the GDR government, which was done overnight under an incredible military deployment and without warning, leaving thousands of citizens trapped in no man's land as a result of this division.
Starting from the former location of the Wall in Bernauer Street, you can begin a route in which you will discover how and why the Berlin Wall was built in August 1961, a wall of 45 kilometers in length of which there are still remains, and which progressively became a state border and symbolized the division of the two Germanies (West Berlin and East Berlin) for almost three decades.
This tour will allow you to put yourself in the shoes of those who lived in the shadow of the Iron Curtain and you will see multiple examples of how this separation affected daily life and the city's transportation system.
The Death Strip was part of the Berlin Wall and was surrounded by electrified fences, wire fences and 24-hour surveillance patrols. It is estimated that hundreds of people died trying to cross to the other side.
One of the watchtowers is preserved next to it and there is a free museum where you can see photographs of the four generations who lived through the consequences of the Berlin Wall.
The Palace of Tears was the border between the east and west of the city, as it served the German Socialist Unified Party as a control terminal for departures to West Berlin. Here took place thousands of farewells of families and friends separated by this political, economic and social confrontation. Today this place has become a museum that can be accessed free of charge.
You can visit the Nordbahnhof Ghost Station, which has a free, permanent exhibition with harrowing photographs showing the sealed stations during the Iron Curtain years and the absurdity of this division. Trains made the journey slowly and did not stop at the abandoned stations in East Berlin, as long as passengers were prevented from reaching the other side by any means.
One of the most emblematic symbols of the fall of the wall is the famous kiss of the Berlin Wall that has as protagonists two communist leaders, Leonid Brezhnev and Erich Honeker. It is a painting made after the fall of the wall in its eastern part and is located in the East Side Gallery, the longest open-air art gallery in the world.
On a tour of Berlin during the Cold War you can also visit the Chapel of Reconciliation, which stood on the death strip and was demolished in 1985 by the GDR government. Today it is part of the Berlin Wall memorial ensemble that can be found on Bernauer Strasse. Every day there is a mass in this church, in which a victim of the wall is commemorated.
Located in the district of Berlin Mitte, Alexanderplatz is one of the most important squares in the city and during the Cold War era was the nerve center of East Berlin (or East Berlin). On November 4, 1989, a million people gathered here to demonstrate against the GDR regime, just days before the fall of the Berlin Wall. This was one of the largest anti-government demonstrations in German history.
A tour of the Jewish Quarter is the best option to learn about the history of the German Jewish community, which already had an important presence since the origins of this city. Entering its picturesque streets you will be able to contemplate its artistic inner courtyards and monuments as important as the New Berlin Synagogue, the Church of St. Sophia or the Otto Weidt Museum. This route will also help you to learn about the role of the Jewish people in the history of the Industrial Revolution, cabarets and street art.
To understand the historical background of the Holocaust and World War II, discover Berlin as the capital of the Third Reich on a tour that reveals how Hitler was able to come to power democratically and gain the support of the German citizenry, then persecute all who opposed his ideals.
While contemplating the Reichstag or the Memorial to the Victims of the Holocaust (or Monument to the Murdered Jews of Europe) you will learn about how the National Socialist Party was formed, what policies its leaders pursued and who fought to bring down that dictatorship.
The T-4 Memorial, a center dedicated to the victims of forced sterilizations by the Nazis, is included as one of the key points of this visit that will take you to the terror experienced in the twentieth century in Germany.
The Sachsenhausen concentration camp is another essential site to visit in Berlin, a place that claimed the lives of more than 600,000 people.
Finally, if you want to know the alternative legacy of Berlin and its transformation into a modern, tolerant and culturally diverse city, we recommend this free tour of the alternative city. You will discover an unconventional area and see the importance of urban art in the city, where you can see reflected different subcultures and ways of life, while strolling through the streets full of colorful, graffiti and street art. Internationally renowned street artists have left their mark in Berlin.
If you want to learn more about Berlin's recent history, explore its most important streets and monuments accompanied by a local guide. Join one of our free tours in Berlin by booking for free at FREETOUR.com.
And don't forget that around the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall the city has prepared a big festival with exhibitions and outdoor events, which will take place from November 4 to 10, 2019. In addition, there will be concerts of national and international artists, whose music is closely linked to the fall of the Wall.
By Irene Lara.
Berlin during the Cold War
On the Cold War Berlin tour you will discover fascinating stories of a time marked by the construction of the Berlin Wall by the GDR government, which was done overnight under an incredible military deployment and without warning, leaving thousands of citizens trapped in no man's land as a result of this division.
The Berlin Wall
Starting from the former location of the Wall in Bernauer Street, you can begin a route in which you will discover how and why the Berlin Wall was built in August 1961, a wall of 45 kilometers in length of which there are still remains, and which progressively became a state border and symbolized the division of the two Germanies (West Berlin and East Berlin) for almost three decades.This tour will allow you to put yourself in the shoes of those who lived in the shadow of the Iron Curtain and you will see multiple examples of how this separation affected daily life and the city's transportation system.
The Strip of Death
The Death Strip was part of the Berlin Wall and was surrounded by electrified fences, wire fences and 24-hour surveillance patrols. It is estimated that hundreds of people died trying to cross to the other side.
One of the watchtowers is preserved next to it and there is a free museum where you can see photographs of the four generations who lived through the consequences of the Berlin Wall.
The Palace of Tears
The Palace of Tears was the border between the east and west of the city, as it served the German Socialist Unified Party as a control terminal for departures to West Berlin. Here took place thousands of farewells of families and friends separated by this political, economic and social confrontation. Today this place has become a museum that can be accessed free of charge.
Interior of the Palace of Tears. Source: Wikimedia. Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-1990-0403-016 / Franke, Klaus / CC BY-SA 3.0 de
Ghost stations
You can visit the Nordbahnhof Ghost Station, which has a free, permanent exhibition with harrowing photographs showing the sealed stations during the Iron Curtain years and the absurdity of this division. Trains made the journey slowly and did not stop at the abandoned stations in East Berlin, as long as passengers were prevented from reaching the other side by any means.
Map of Berlin's ghost stations (in gray). Source: Wikimedia.
East Side Gallery
One of the most emblematic symbols of the fall of the wall is the famous kiss of the Berlin Wall that has as protagonists two communist leaders, Leonid Brezhnev and Erich Honeker. It is a painting made after the fall of the wall in its eastern part and is located in the East Side Gallery, the longest open-air art gallery in the world.
Chapel of Reconciliation
On a tour of Berlin during the Cold War you can also visit the Chapel of Reconciliation, which stood on the death strip and was demolished in 1985 by the GDR government. Today it is part of the Berlin Wall memorial ensemble that can be found on Bernauer Strasse. Every day there is a mass in this church, in which a victim of the wall is commemorated.
Alexanderplatz
Located in the district of Berlin Mitte, Alexanderplatz is one of the most important squares in the city and during the Cold War era was the nerve center of East Berlin (or East Berlin). On November 4, 1989, a million people gathered here to demonstrate against the GDR regime, just days before the fall of the Berlin Wall. This was one of the largest anti-government demonstrations in German history.
Berlin's Jewish Quarter
A tour of the Jewish Quarter is the best option to learn about the history of the German Jewish community, which already had an important presence since the origins of this city. Entering its picturesque streets you will be able to contemplate its artistic inner courtyards and monuments as important as the New Berlin Synagogue, the Church of St. Sophia or the Otto Weidt Museum. This route will also help you to learn about the role of the Jewish people in the history of the Industrial Revolution, cabarets and street art.
The New Synagogue of Berlin.
Berlin, capital of the Third Reich
To understand the historical background of the Holocaust and World War II, discover Berlin as the capital of the Third Reich on a tour that reveals how Hitler was able to come to power democratically and gain the support of the German citizenry, then persecute all who opposed his ideals.
While contemplating the Reichstag or the Memorial to the Victims of the Holocaust (or Monument to the Murdered Jews of Europe) you will learn about how the National Socialist Party was formed, what policies its leaders pursued and who fought to bring down that dictatorship.
Memorial to the victims of the Holocaust.
The T-4 Memorial, a center dedicated to the victims of forced sterilizations by the Nazis, is included as one of the key points of this visit that will take you to the terror experienced in the twentieth century in Germany.
The Sachsenhausen concentration camp is another essential site to visit in Berlin, a place that claimed the lives of more than 600,000 people.
The most alternative Berlin
Finally, if you want to know the alternative legacy of Berlin and its transformation into a modern, tolerant and culturally diverse city, we recommend this free tour of the alternative city. You will discover an unconventional area and see the importance of urban art in the city, where you can see reflected different subcultures and ways of life, while strolling through the streets full of colorful, graffiti and street art. Internationally renowned street artists have left their mark in Berlin.
If you want to learn more about Berlin's recent history, explore its most important streets and monuments accompanied by a local guide. Join one of our free tours in Berlin by booking for free at FREETOUR.com.And don't forget that around the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall the city has prepared a big festival with exhibitions and outdoor events, which will take place from November 4 to 10, 2019. In addition, there will be concerts of national and international artists, whose music is closely linked to the fall of the Wall.
By Irene Lara.
07
October,
2019
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