TRAVEL
BERLIN
Back against the Wall
Brandenburg Gate
Courtesy of German Tourist Association
More than a decade
since the Wall came down, Janet Leigh Foster revisits a Berlin full of potent memories.
November 1989. Walking into the
television screen, I stood behind the anchorman reading his lines in front of the
Brandenburg Gate, the grand arch topped with Victory' chariot, trapped in a no-man's land
behind the Berlin Wall. People from all over the world were converging upon the site to
bear witness to the imminent fall of the Wall, an impenetrable barrier that had divided
East and West Berlin for 29 years.
 The wall came tumbling
down
The Wall had taken on a medieval, almost religious aspect. People warmed their hands over
bonfires, faces glowing orange in superb Rembrandt style. The graffiti on the Wall,
elaborately painted over years of protest, was eerily illuminated by an infinite number of
candles that lined the base of it. People stood alone or in groups, working with hammers
and chisels as though possessed, tearing down the Wall pebble by pebble. The sound of
metal against concrete echoed above the murmur of the crowd.
People lined up to peer through newly-chiseled holes. Something was too good to miss, so I
took my place in line. Whatever it was that could be seen through the openings held the
same fascination for viewers as children express when admiring a fantasy world
encapsulated in an Easter egg fashioned out of sugar. The sight was so riveting,
spectators had to struggle to pull themselves away. The man in front of me took a full ten
minutes before stepping aside and solemnly motioning me to the marvel.
The scene glistened and sparkled, illuminated by searchlights. East German police could be
seen marching two abreast and when they passed the hole there was a second of total
darkness, like the closing of a camera shutter. Beyond them a crane hovered. The East
Germans were dismantling the outer edge of the eastern section of the Wall.
 |
Remains of the dismantled Wall
await removal
© Alexander Diez 1990 |
Despite the fact that it was
past midnight and freezing cold, the crowd continued to swell. The scuttlebutt was that
there was going to be a hole in the section of Wall at Potsdamer Platz near the
Brandenburg Gate.
Beams of light as bright as day highlighted the indicated section, ironically graffitied
with the word "Blick", meaning "view" or "glance" in German.
The sound of the drill rang out, but all that could be seen was smoke rising into the
night sky. I expected the concrete to give way at once and expose a gaping chasm, but
that's not how it happened.
A small hole appeared with the head of the drill peeking through, like a chick's beak when
it first penetrates the shell. The crowd roared at the sight of the five-inch spectacle.
Something was hatching. No one was quite sure exactly what it was, but it was bound to be
something marvelous.
Berlin today
Eleven years after the Fall, circling on final approach to Berlin's Tegel Airport, the
skyline over the city center (Mitte) is still dominated by the former communist television
tower (Fernsehnturm). But where a view of the Wall once offered a preview of the drama
below, stunning modern architecture now rises up to greet the eye. Reunified Berlin, with
two opera houses, two philharmonics, and an overabundance of museums, theaters and
eateries, provides a multiple serving of attractions that make the city a fun place to
visit.
Trying to follow the course of the former Wall is today virtually impossible as most of
what was a no-man's land is now occupied by pristine modern architecture. The Reichstag
(German Parliament Building), which once bordered the Wall, now stands in an open space
and is topped by a glass dome designed by Sir Norman Foster. The dome, open and free to
the public, provides a tremendous vista of the city as you wind your way up along curved
sky-walks.
The view includes the new Potsdamer Platz, no longer a Cold War hot-spot, but the site of
SONY's impressive European headquarters. The complex houses an IMAX theater, restaurants,
a luxury hotel and a shopping plaza. Rising up nearby are the corporate headquarters of
Daimler-Chrysler's computer services division.
 |
The Wall at Adalbertstrasse in
Kriezberg, today replaced by a row of apartment blocks
© Janet Leigh Foster |
From the Reichstag it's a
short walk to the Brandenburg Gate, restored to its former status as gateway to Mitte, the
city center. This area, seemingly dominated by department stores and hotels, boasts the
elegant Deutsche Staatsoper (Opera House), the Berliner Dom (Protestant church), and the
Pergamon Museum which houses not only its namesake (the great altar of Pergamon), but also
an impressive Babylonian Gate.
Where once the Wall provided a canvas for some of the most prominent artists of the '70s
and '80s, Mitte, particularly the area around Hackescher Markt, hosts a plethora of
galleries where art enthusiasts can now feast their eyes upon a vast sampling of the
world's cutting-edge creations. (Pick up a free copy of Berlin Mitte Gallery Guide,
available at most galleries.)
After a day of hard-core shopping and sightseeing in Mitte, you couldn't be better
situated to head for a drink in neighboring Prenzlauerberg. Located just to the north of
Mitte, Prenzlauerberg is the happening spot for Berlin's legendary nightlife, having
replaced Kreutzberg to the south of Mitte.
Kreutzberg displays scant evidence of its former status as counter-culture enclave. The
Wall, which was its impetus, has been replaced by streets lined with the latest Mercedes
and Audis. In that respect, the old neighborhood continues to serve as a reflection of the
city. Out of chaos, a new Berlin, modern and chic, has arisen and continues to rise.
 |
The Wall in Kreuzberg was known for
its mural by renowned artists of the '70s and '80s, including Keith Harring and Jean
Michel Basquiat.
© Janet Leigh Foster |
Where to stay:
The Hotel Inter-Continental Berlin (Budapester Strase 2; Tel: +49 30-26020; berlin@internconti.com) has standard rooms from
around 350DM.
The Hyatt situated next to the main musical theater and Germany's largest casino
(Marlene-Dietrich Platz 2; Tel: +49 30-25531234; concierge@hyatt.com)
has rooms ranging from 360DM to executive suites for 1590DM.
In the center of the city on KurfEstendamm is the Hotel California (KurfEstendamm 17;
Tel: +49 30-881-8083). The quirky hotel, located in a turn-of-the century building, has
rooms from 190DM.
Getting there:
Lufthansa (0120-051-844), ANA (0120-02-9333) and JAL (0120-25-5931) all have daily flights
to Berlin from Narita via Frankfurt. |
