BERLIN–GERMANY– ‘Psychiatric help 5 cents’

Quote – Charles Schultz & Lucy van Pelt from the Peanuts cartoon and her psychiatry booth

The views expressed in this blog are the personal views of the author

and readers are encouraged to form their own opinions,

think their own thoughts and are welcome to disagree with my views.

(and if more world leaders used that as a mantra then the world would be a less messy place) 

Today we went on a 4 hour guided walking tour of the city.

ABOVE: The contrast of the Brandenburg Gate and the new Potsdam Platz

We started the tour near the Museum Island – there are 5 museums on an island formed by the river.

ABOVE: The Holocaust Memorial to the Jews.

This was also the site of the Palace of the Kaisers. When the East German Regime took over this part of the city they blew the Palace up. They then replaced this with another Palace. Apparently a very ugly building for one of the East German bigwigs which in turn was demolished after the wall came down. (Once they sorted out the asbestos issue). Here's the punch line – they are now going to rebuild the original Palace on this site at great expense…..Hmmm I think this is a little silly, but its none of my business and I am not a Berlin tax payer.

But, it has raised questions in my mind about why. Are they trying to wipe out their history – They have built so many new buildings, or have buildings built to look old, are they trying to prove something? Is covering the past healing them?

Because I find Berlin a very sad place for the following reasons….

• The Wall and the tragedy of making people prisoners in their own city.
• The once ‘I’m better than you’ attitude of the East vs West.
• WWII and the crazy man who thought he would make Germany the capital of the world at all costs. He brainwashed his people and destroyed his country – he did not love Germany, he only cared for the love of power and the love of self.

• The Cold War and the stand off at Checkpoint Charlie. The Soviets and the USA who both thought (and think) they are right, and were prepared to defend and prove they were right by destroying the world.

Its seems like a city with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and they are trying to heal by wiping out the physical remains of the past?

ANYWAY – enough of my morose reflections.

 

Berlin is a very interesting place and good to visit as I now appreciate how lucky we are to live in a free country like Australia.

Here I am below with an enormous Steiff Bear! ( It really has the Steiff stud in its ear – I checked)

23rd Sept 2011 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Until next time, Kim