Berlin

Matt has loved this music band called "Big Country" since he was a young teenager.  They are not a country genre group, more rock/new age...very eclectic.  They don't really fit in too any genre.  Anyway, Matt has almost all their albums, even all the rare B-sides they put out.  So, when he found out that they were touring again, and coming to Berlin...he jumped at the chance to go to their concert.

They have a new lead singer, since the original passed away some time ago.  However, the new guy used to be the lead for a group called "The Alarm", and Matt actually liked them too.  So it was a win, win for Matt.  Having listend to Big Country's albums over the last 15 some odd years with my love, I thought the new guy did a pretty good job of staying true to the original, unique sound that is Big Country.

Since we had to drive the 3 1/2 hours to Berlin for the concert, we decided to stay the weekend and look around Berlin.  The sign below is left over from the East Berlin era, it was right outside the window of the hotel we stayed at. You can still find these signs up all over the city.  A reminder of how much better things are today, perhaps.

The infamous Check point Charlie.

They have actors standing in as guards that you can have your picture taken with.  I wish I had brought my passport with me, because they will still stamp it for you if you ask.  Symbolizing the crossing from West to East...or East to West.

Of course we had to see the Berlin wall.  There are only a few places in the city where the wall is still preserved as a monument.  We found one of them.  If you walk along this wall and continue to follow it, at the end where the wall is no longer is a path of unique cobblestones.  These cobblestone paths (about the width of the original wall) follow the original path the wall took...through parking lots and modern buildings that have been built since the walls fall.  I thought that was very thought provoking.

"Madness"

says it all...

Brandenburg Gate

Marks the entrance from East to West

Memorial to the German Resistance

In front of the Building

Years ago, Matt and I watched a film called "Valkyrie".

It centered on the German resistance within the German military itself.  There were several high ranking officials and officers in the German military that did not believe in what the Nazi movement was doing. They tried several times to assassinate  Hitler, but failed each time.  Towards the end of the war, they were all executed here, in the courtyard of this building.  Which used to be the Headquarters and offices of the German Army.  We really enjoyed the history of this movie, and researched the various people and components surrounding these events.  Since that time we have always wanted to come here.

The courtyard where the executions took place,

this building is now a small museum and apartments.

I don't know that I would want to live here...

A progressive timeline in pictures that leads up to the attempted assassinations of Hitler and eventual executions of these brave men.

The memorial wreath and plaque dedicated to these brave men.

To end the day we went up the Berlin Radio tower.

This was the kids favorite part!