This day was never going to be easy and it’s important that Adam sets it in context with his lecture this morning, bringing our German history up to date from World War I to the evolution of the Third Reich and its profound influence on the physical and psycho-geography of its capital, Berlin.
Steps away from the hotel is the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, often known simply as the Holocaust Memorial. Alongside Peter Eisenman’s Field of Stelae—the concrete cenotaphs representing 6 million murdered Jews - are memorials to the elderly, homosexuals, Roma and other ethnic minorities, who were also ‘euthanized’ in the name of National Socialism.
Our next stop is the Topography of Terror site, from 1933-45 home to the Secret State Police better known as the Gestapo, as well as Himmler’s SS and the Reich Security Main Office, with its own prison. This was where the ‘Final Solution’ policy was formulated and the Nazi killing machine was controlled and refined.
For Dana & Adam, a trip to Berlin would not be complete without a pilgrimage to their falafel & kebab shop for lunch. Turkish immigrants have introduced Turkish foods to Germany, notably döner kebab, and it is estimated that there are 1,500 döner kebab shops in Berlin! Join them for a quick lunch, it’s not fancy, but it is sooooo good.
This afternoon is free, and you may want to lighten the mood, by visiting one or two of Berlin’s superb museums or shopping. Here are some suggestions:
Visit the outstanding Gemäldegalerie, home to the State Museum’s collection of European art from the 13th to the 18th centuries, with some exquisite works by the old masters.
Next door to the Gemäldegalerie is the intriguing Museum of Musical Instruments.
Those you who wish to pursue the day’s theme should not miss the Jewish Museum. The contents are, despite the context, overwhelmingly positive, with exhibitions of Jewish life and culture, the Jewish presence in Berlin before World War II and a busy program of temporary shows and events.
Or how about just strolling the historic shopping drag, Unter den Linden, with its handsome 18th-century buildings, full of shops and cafes. But don’t overdo it too much, because there is fun ahead this evening…
Clad in our finery, we gather up at the hotel bar where Craig will prepare us for tonight’s performance. Whether a seasoned concert goer or a total novice, what could be better than having a glass in one hand and Craig’s masterful concert cheat-sheet in the other? We then stroll to the celebrated Berliner Philharmonie for a concert—schedule will be out in 2022.
THE HOTEL ADLON KEMPINSKI BERLIN (B,L,R)