germany Keyword
Dachau
It is difficult for me to write about Dachau Concentration Camp. Opened in 1933 it was the first of it’s kind, refined over the years to Theodor Eicke’s grand design and becoming a template the many camps that followed during the Third Reich’s rule.
While not a death camp as such, later during the war the camp did get a gas chamber and crematorium built in it. There are no confirmed numbers of how many people were killed in the chamber however due to the poor conditions of the camp around 30,000 people are thought to have died while incarcerated here. Most of the people placed in detention here were “political prisoners”.
I don’t really want to write about the things I learned that occurred here as I don’t feel they are appropriate for this blog, but I suggest you read on in wikipedia to understand more.
Munich
Know worldwide for the Oktoberfest, Munich is the Disneyland of Germany. Heavily bombed during WWII practically nothing in the town is older than 60 years. Walking around the city though the place looks much older. This is because during the war the Nazi’s did massive amounts of photo cataloging of the buildings in Munich and from these reference photos Germany was able to rebuild the city to it’s original glory. It was also the center for the Nazi movement, being the setting for some of the biggest moments in the rise of Hitler into power (well kinda, his attempt at overthrowing the government while they had a meeting in Munich landed him in jail where he wrote Mein Kampf) and interestingly Munich is one of the few places of Germany where their dark past is almost completely covered up.
Munich, as Germany’s third largest city is famous for it’s beer halls and gardens, both of which I became very well aquanited with. The English Garden with its massive Chinese Tower looming above provided a great setting for an afternoon of massive steins and huge pretzels. Leederhosen are worn everywhere, just as Blue Singlets and Thongs are worn in Australia. The weather was turned on mightly and I was treated to three glorious days in the sun. It was not until we left the very enjoyable Wombat’s hostel that I encountered my first bit of bad weather in a few weeks.
Probably my best time in Munich was my last night, where a few randoms from the hostel and I decided to head out and find an oft mentioned beer hall. Stupidly I left my camera at home, but the night featured tuba players, leederhosen, much too many steins of beer, huge schnitzels, massive piles of snuff and raucous singing. Great times.
As usual, most of the photos you’ll see below are from a walking tour I took around Munich, but check out the party in the park where we danced to drums and drank black market booze. A fantastic day.
Berlin Pub Crawl
Here’s a tip to anyone who thinks being hung over on a bus is a good idea: it isn’t. There is no possible way to have a worse bus trip than fighting off the effects from a blinder the previous night.
With that out the way, the Pub Crawl I stupidly scheduled for the night before I left Berlin turned out to be a Blinder. Populated almost entirely by Busabout adventurers we hit some cool small and large bars around Berlin. Here’s another tip: just because you get a free shot of jager with every drink you buy in most clubs doesn’t mean you have to drink said free jager shots. We finished up at a club under my favourite part of the city and I wandered back through the cold, lost, hungry and alone. Was a fantastic night.
One day I’ll take my own advice, but for now: I am having just too much fun. Check the photos.
Kunsthaus Tacheles
Kunsthaus Tacheles is by far the most awesome place in Berlin. It is a Art cooperative, situated in a condemned building in one of the more ‘alternative’ parts of former soviet Berlin.
The Tacheles building was one of the first “department stores”. Built in 1908 it has seen many owners and usages (including a short period of nazi occupation), but it was heavily damaged in WWII and was slated to be demolished with portions removed in 1980. The remaining structure was scheduled for demolition in 1990. Just before this could occur however a group called Künstlerinitative Tacheles worked to have the building listed as a historical site, and succeeded.
Today the Tacheles houses interesting and confronting independent artists, studios, cool clubs and bars and some very strange characters. They are continually fighting redevelopment and I believe that everyone should experience this magical place before bureaucracy gets its dirty hands on it.
Ich bin ein Berliner
Berlin is a wonderful place. It is a place full of history. Of sadness. Of reconciliation, tolerance and acceptance. Its redevelopment and reunification has lead to the creation of one of the most beautiful, open and modern cities on the planet.
From the moment I walked into Berlin I felt welcome and relaxed. I spent pretty much the entire of my time in Germany wandering Berlin on foot, discovering something new to see around every corner. Everything has been created or redeveloped with the past in heart and with the future in mind. It is unfortunate then that Berlin has one of the highest rates of unemployment in Germany (almost 15%) and the city feels almost empty. For such a wonderful place to go so unpopulated and be struggling seems a tragedy.
WWII is of course a major focus of many of the attractions on offer in Berlin. All highlight the horror of the events that occured leading up to 1945, and many of the museums and exhibitions can be confronting. I am very into my WWII history, however I found the history of Berlin since the war, the formation of east and west Berlin, and the Wall just as interesting.
If you get a chance to visit Berlin you can’t miss the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, probably the most striking piece of architecture in the city. A visit to Check Point Charlie is an obvious shouldn’t miss although evidence of the Wall that divided the city into West (Allied) and East (Soviet) Berlin can be seen all over the city. In fact: I have a small souvenir piece in my bag right now. The city by night is beautiful and as always I suggest taking one of the free (or cheap) walking tours on offer to get a good feel of the place.
Last but definitely not least, take some time and visit the Reichstag Building and check out the “Transparent Goverment” at sunset. Wonderful. For all you history buffs out there, Berlin is not to be missed.
Enjoy the photos, taken during my two days of constant walking of the streets.