Berlin Wall Memorial

Today we visited the Berlin Wall Memorial.  It's a well done exhibit highlighting the impetus for the wall, its history, its horrors, and the people's victory over it.  The Memorial includes a fine museum of personal stories, lots of multi-media from the time, heartbreaking pictures, and a walk through the strip of land (no man's land) between the East and West.  We stood there on the lovely green grass knowing that 31 years ago we would have been shot for being there.  It's a little sobering.

So, you're walking along the street, and there's what's left of the wall.

Yep.  that's where it was.

A bronze tableau of the Burgtrasse - the only street in Berlin that is still divided by the wall.

You can see a bit of the wall on the right, and the rebar still standing as it leads to the left.

The view to the East-side wall.

Looks like a pretty park today.

This is the view from the museum - looking down onto a preserved area with an original watchtower.

Looking the other direction - beautiful fall foliage.

August 16, 1961, the wall officially closed.  This picture of women letting their children reach across...all the feels.

This picture of an East German soldier sneaking a child across to freedom.

The beginning of the fall.

Victorious.  Walls CLEARLY don't work.

Oh, and we had pizza for lunch - served with our own cutter.  

Tomorrow, the Brandenburg Gate!