After an epic climb up Mont Blanc in France, I jetted up to Berlin, Germany for a quick stay. My longtime friend Petra happened to be staying at a friend’s vacant apartment the week I was there, so I stayed with her, and spent the week exploring and catching up with friends. This was my first time in Germany, and I had a great time overall. Very much looking forward to going back soon to explore the rest of the country.
Neue Wache. From Wikipedia: “The Neue Wache (English: New Guardhouse) is a building in Berlin, the capital of Germany. It is located on the north side of the Unter den Linden boulevard in the central Mitte district. Dating from 1816, the Neue Wache was designed by the architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel and is a leading example of German Neoclassical architecture. Originally built as a guardhouse for the troops of the crown prince of Prussia, the building has been used as a war memorial since 1931.”
Berlin Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. From Wikipedia: “The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe[1] (German: Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas), also known as the Holocaust Memorial (German: Holocaust-Mahnmal), is a memorial in Berlin to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, designed by architect Peter Eisenman and engineer Buro Happold. It consists of a 19,000 m2 (4.7-acre) site covered with 2,711 concrete slabs or “stelae”, arranged in a grid pattern on a sloping field. The stelae are 2.38 m (7 ft 10 in) long, 0.95 m (3 ft 1 in) wide and vary in height from 0.2 to 4.8 m (7.9 in to 15 ft 9.0 in). According to Eisenman’s project text, the stelae are designed to produce an uneasy, confusing atmosphere, and the whole sculpture aims to represent a supposedly ordered system that has lost touch with human reason. A 2005 copy of the Foundation for the Memorial’s official English tourist pamphlet, however, states that the design represents a radical approach to the traditional concept of a memorial, partly because Eisenman did not use any symbolism. However, observers have noted the memorial’s resemblance to a cemetery.[2][3][4] An attached underground “Place of Information” (German: Ort der Information) holds the names of all known Jewish Holocaust victims, obtained from the Israeli museum Yad Vashem.The Berlin Soviet War Memorial in Tiergarten. From Wikipedia: “The Soviet War Memorial (Tiergarten) is one of several war memorials in Berlin, capital city of Germany, erected by the Soviet Union to commemorate its war dead, particularly the 80,000 soldiers of the Soviet Armed Forces who died during the Battle of Berlin in April and May 1945.A robot writing a Torah at the Jewish Museum, BerlinGarden of Exile, Berlin.Jewish Museum, Berlin. This is the Holocaust Tower. From Wikipedia: “The first axis ends at a long staircase that leads to the permanent exhibition. The second axis connects the Museum proper to the E.T.A. Hoffmann Garden, or The Garden of Exile, whose foundation is tilted. The Garden’s oleaster grows out of reach, atop 49 tall pillars. The third axis leads from the Museum to the Holocaust Tower, a 79 foot (24 m) tall empty silo. The bare concrete Tower is neither heated nor cooled, and its only light comes from a small slit in its roof.”Naturally, no trip to Germany is complete without a few heaping helpings of currywurst. So delicious, and terrible for you!
Naturally, no trip to Germany is complete without a few heaping helpings of currywurst. So delicious, and terrible for you!
Jewish Museum, Berlin. This is the Holocaust Tower. From Wikipedia: “The first axis ends at a long staircase that leads to the permanent exhibition. The second axis connects the Museum proper to the E.T.A. Hoffmann Garden, or The Garden of Exile, whose foundation is tilted. The Garden’s oleaster grows out of reach, atop 49 tall pillars. The third axis leads from the Museum to the Holocaust Tower, a 79 foot (24 m) tall empty silo. The bare concrete Tower is neither heated nor cooled, and its only light comes from a small slit in its roof.”
Garden of Exile, Berlin.
A robot writing a Torah at the Jewish Museum, Berlin
The Berlin Soviet War Memorial in Tiergarten. From Wikipedia: “The Soviet War Memorial (Tiergarten) is one of several war memorials in Berlin, capital city of Germany, erected by the Soviet Union to commemorate its war dead, particularly the 80,000 soldiers of the Soviet Armed Forces who died during the Battle of Berlin in April and May 1945.
Berlin Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. From Wikipedia: “The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe[1] (German: Denkmal f
Neue Wache. From Wikipedia: “The Neue Wache (English: New Guardhouse) is a building in Berlin, the capital of Germany. It is located on the north side of the Unter den Linden boulevard in the central Mitte district. Dating from 1816, the Neue Wache was designed by the architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel and is a leading example of German Neoclassical architecture. Originally built as a guardhouse for the troops of the crown prince of Prussia, the building has been used as a war memorial since 1931.”
I just watched your video about your trip en route Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station and also the tour you did around the area. It was really amazing to see how huge that place is. I’ve always been fascinated of Antarctica ever since and wish I could have a chance to visit the station one day. I’ve read a lot about the expeditions of Amundsen and Shackleton. Also the Scott Expedition which ended tragicly.
It’s good to know that you visited Germany too and funny you mentioned that no trip in Germany is complete without tasting Currywurst , delicious and terrible to you. Terrible indeed but really yummy.
Thanks again about the interesting videos. I hope you’ll make some more on your upcoming trip back to Antarctica.
![Berlin Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. From Wikipedia: "The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe[1] (German: Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas), also known as the Holocaust Memorial (German: Holocaust-Mahnmal), is a memorial in Berlin to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, designed by architect Peter Eisenman and engineer Buro Happold. It consists of a 19,000 m2 (4.7-acre) site covered with 2,711 concrete slabs or "stelae", arranged in a grid pattern on a sloping field. The stelae are 2.38 m (7 ft 10 in) long, 0.95 m (3 ft 1 in) wide and vary in height from 0.2 to 4.8 m (7.9 in to 15 ft 9.0 in). According to Eisenman's project text, the stelae are designed to produce an uneasy, confusing atmosphere, and the whole sculpture aims to represent a supposedly ordered system that has lost touch with human reason. A 2005 copy of the Foundation for the Memorial's official English tourist pamphlet, however, states that the design represents a radical approach to the traditional concept of a memorial, partly because Eisenman did not use any symbolism. However, observers have noted the memorial's resemblance to a cemetery.[2][3][4] An attached underground "Place of Information" (German: Ort der Information) holds the names of all known Jewish Holocaust victims, obtained from the Israeli museum Yad Vashem.](https://i0.wp.com/www.jeffreydonenfeld.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/DSC02641-2014-08-24-Berlin-Donenfeld-Full-WM.jpg?ssl=1)
Comments
2 responses to “Exploring Berlin, Germany”
Hi Jeffrey,
I just watched your video about your trip en route Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station and also the tour you did around the area. It was really amazing to see how huge that place is. I’ve always been fascinated of Antarctica ever since and wish I could have a chance to visit the station one day. I’ve read a lot about the expeditions of Amundsen and Shackleton. Also the Scott Expedition which ended tragicly.
It’s good to know that you visited Germany too and funny you mentioned that no trip in Germany is complete without tasting Currywurst , delicious and terrible to you. Terrible indeed but really yummy.
Thanks again about the interesting videos. I hope you’ll make some more on your upcoming trip back to Antarctica.
Thank you! :)