Berlin was unexpected, artistic, historical and best of all, it was cheap!
The biggest thing that became apparent in Berlin was its rich and cultural history that shapes the entire city from its architecture, its graffiti, its museums, art galleries, to its monuments.
For all the history buffs reading this article, I cannot recommend Berlin enough. History is everywhere! First, I would recommend taking a walking tour of the city as soon as you get there, and a big money-saving hack is looking for the free ones. After all, we’re all students on a budget.
On the tour, I learnt the key differences between East and West Germany, communism and how the city of Berlin was segregated and completely in the middle of the divide. I learnt about World War II and the fight for Berlin. We walked past German Parliament, Brandenburg Gate, Berlin Cathedral, Checkpoint Charlie, the TV Tower and even visited Neue Wache, the central memorial for the victims of war and dictatorship.
Walking around Berlin, what struck me the most is how the city and Germany in general tackles and handles its dense, complex history. Its buildings, trains, walls, streets are full of political artworks and graffiti that show the importance of learning from the past and not repeating it. Actively, the city remembers the Holocaust, the symbolic fall of the Berlin Wall and recognizes the atrocities committed. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe pays tribute to the Holocaust, and is directly in the middle of the city, just 100 metres from Berlin’s main architectural symbol, Brandenburg Gate. It almost seemed odd to walk around such a liberal-minded city and then think back to the Cold War and WWII which, in the grand scheme of things, aren’t that long ago. Similarly, East Side Gallery is the longest expanse of the Berlin Wall that remains standing and boasts striking images, where artists invoke their ideas of freedom. The wall is covered by approximately one hundred graffities by artists from different nationalities and is an inspiring must-see on your visits to Berlin.
My food on this day, and throughout most of my time in Berlin was German bread. My hostel was next to a Lidl supermarket and every morning I’d go in and try a selection of all the different breads on offer. Yes, it was extremely carby but it tasted so good. I even brought German bread home with me despite eating it everyday in Berlin. Not to mention the amount of money I saved on breakfast and lunch!
With my love of German bread and adventuring on a budget, on the next day I had a picnic with my friends in Treptower Park. We bought groceries from local German supermarkets and made our own picnic before heading to the Soviet War Memorial, a memorial and military cemetery in the middle of the park. The memorial is the largest Soviet war memorial outside of the Soviet Union and was built in the Soviet Realist style favoured by Stalin. It is dedicated to the memory of 80,000 soldiers of the Red Army who fell during the Battle of Berlin. Weeping willows line an avenue to the memorial, alongside two huge Soviet flags with two grieving soldiers standing guard. In a vast open area, sixteen sarcophagi line the memorial with an imposing statue of a Soviet soldier which is the focal point of the monument. The statue is 12 metres tall and the base of the soldier is a crypt, which is decorated with a mosaic of grieving Soviet citizens. Not many travellers know about Treptower Park and the Soviet War Memorial. I was advised to visit it by someone who gives tours around Berlin — it is somewhat of a hidden gem. To feel the enormity and immense sorrow of the memorial is something you really must experience for yourself and its grandiose style is nothing short of impressive.
After a long day I needed food, but I wanted the best local food you could find. I went to Curry 61, a quality, fast-food family business. They sold the best Currywurst and catered for vegetarians and vegans. They only use fresh ingredients and make the most wholesome and flavoursome Currywursts to die for, perfect if you have a taste for spice too!
I would also recommend going to Clarchen’s Ballhaus, Berlin’s most legendary dance hall where they serve food and dancing along the side. The dance hall opened in 1913 when there was a love of tango. Miraculously, it has survived two world wars, communist spies and was also part of a Quentin Tarantino film. If you want to dinner with some dance entertainment, then there’s no place like it. I ate a traditional German dish “K sesp tzle mit Bergk se, R stzwiebeln und Schnittlauch”, which is a creamy cheese pasta with roasted onions and chives. Hearty and yummy.
On my final day, I visited Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. Although this isn’t everyone’s idea when they think of taking a holiday or a city break, it genuinely was the best experience of my trip and in general, it was the most informative, educational experience I have ever been on. It definitely wasn’t a fun day but it was the most important and memorable part of my trip.
Around 40 minutes from the city centre of Berlin, we arrived at Oranienburg station and began the 20-minute walk to the camp which many prisoners of war, homosexuals, homeless people, gypsies, Jews and many others opposing the Nazi regime took. The Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp was originally a working labour camp but in later years it was conceived as a model extermination camp. Between 1936 and 1945 over 200,000 prisoners were locked away in the camp. As the tour continued, I discovered the atrocities and terror committed in the camp. In August 1945, Sachsenhausen became a Soviet Special Camp three months after World War II ended. The Camp was used to imprisoner Nazi soldiers who did not agree with Soviet ideals, propelling the cycle of terror even more. The Soviet camp became the largest in the area until it was dismantled in 1950 and approximately 60,000 prisoners were held in the camp of which 12,000 died. The concentration camp does not leave its visitors indifferent. After exploring the barracks, the museum, the infirmary, you’ll come to face to face with the horrors of totalitarianism, the daily labours of prisoners and the dreadful conditions the prisoners endured. My time at Sachsenhausen was nothing short of moving, emotional but most of all it was so important.
I find it difficult to end this article after discussing the sorrow of Sachsenhausen. Visiting a concentration camp is something most people choose to do once or twice in their lifetime, but it is so important if we are to move forward. In our current political climate of fear-mongering, lies and manipulation, it is so important to hold those to account and face up to injustice as much as we can. For me, the biggest realization after Sachsenhausen is the desire to help the lives of people suffering and stand up for those most need in order to avoid atrocities like those committed in Sachsenhausen. And that is why I have shared with you my experiences in Berlin, because I believe that we must learn from the past and not repeat it. There is no better way to end this article and summarise my thoughts than in the profound words of Martin Niemoller:
First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me
Written by SJ Callender
SJ Callender is an MA student studying Global Literature and Culture. Her interests include on-screen representation, especially of minority groups, world literature and middle eastern politics.
