The Wall

First Hand Information

Who has not heard of the Berlin Wall? Many have heard but the versions may differ or the facts revealed inconsistently. Then one may ask "what' s with the wall?" Why the fuss? Marchita was a good narrator.

The choir team together with some mothers were excited at the prospect of seeing the wall; whatever that is left of it. After all, people made purposeful trips to have a real feel of history. These students are indeed very fortunate to have supportive parents who will go the extra mile to provide the opportunity for them to travel and learn about the world through exploration. Esther asked me over lunch today why I did not send her to art classes when she was younger; that a contemporary of hers was given special coaching under a renown artist and was extra expressive in his architectural drawings; that she envied him. I told her I did not know that she was going to do architecture to which she replied that it was a lame excuse. Finally I told her it was too expensive to maintain tuition classes for so many of them; the real fact.

The Brandenburg Gate is one of the main symbols in Berlin. Located at the intersection of Unter den Linden and Ebertstrasse, west of the Pariser Platz. It is a gate where one formerly entered Berlin before the wall collapsed. The gate symbolises freedom and the desire to unify the City of Berlin.

This is the West side of the wall; it is the seat of capitalism then.

This is the East side of the wall; it embraced communism.

Marchita related that the cold war between East and West Berlin came about when East Berlin witnessed an exodus of her people into the West. In 1961 it lost 2.5 million people as more wanted to be in the capitalistic capital. Desperate to keep the outflow, East Berlin built the wall and divided Berlin into two. The wall was built in haste and it seemed overnight the nightmare began. People form the East could not move to the West and it must have created broken homes and family ties. Much sadness resulted and people were displaced. Marchita also said that people from the East who tried crossing in most cases failed and were killed at the the span of land ...no man's land... and many died under arms while trying the escape. Sad.


After 'civilization' surfaced with protests and world pressures crushing in and realizing the futility of such inhumane acts, the wall came down in 1989. So today, part of the torn-down wall is maintained as a reminder of the past and hopefully history of this nature will not happen again.

This is indeed a chance I am appreciative of; an opportunity to see and feel this part of Europe.

Remnants of this famous wall are grim reminders of separation, deaths, pains and heartaches.

The children too had a chance of their life time touching and feeling the wall; to be part of history. Let's hope the memories are to keep for them .

Apparently, the span of land between the 2 walls are no man's land but most of the time death occurred when people tried to move from the East to the West. Marchita did not relate of anyone escaping from the West to the East.

We also saw Charlie's Checkpoint. This was the check point where diplomatic corps and Allied forces moved in and out and foreigners visiting Berlin could cross from West to East and back again.

Marchita later related that though the wall has been torn down people of East Berlin have not quite got used to the capitalistic economy. Somehow they still seem to be poorer and many approach us for monetary help when we were there. So much for the history of the wall; a wall erected to separate 2 different economies for 2 different worlds of people; though blood ties were not easily torn apart.

Surrounding the wall we also saw the museum. Marchita proudly led us to the rest rooms; no payment was required. Rare.

The teacher, mother and students all want to be seen in front of the building; keep the memories intact.

On the eastern side of the wall, figurines of the German force were erected; but one is a real person. So you pay as you pose with him. Part of the tourism package.

Pretty Iman posing with the German soldier ; a penny for you.

Dressed as a commoner or maybe a peasant of the day, the very tall figure drew a lot of attention too. The principal cheekily remarked; "you are very special" and he gave us a big hug .

Encik Rahim and the boys were mesmerized with the bikes; it is a rare sight here. People do not seem to travel on bikes. Or did we miss them?

Of course, common to most European tourist spots; the horse ride is a main tourist attraction.

Berlin; the city that has seen tremendous development after 1989 when the wall came down.

Just outside the Berlin wall, we again were told about this massive graveyard, memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe. Constructed not too long ago, it was opened to the public on May 12 2005 where 2700 concrete slabs placed in a grid pattern. We were informed that the common people were allowed to walk in between the slabs to feel the impact of the aftermath of such ruthless acts. That it will never happen again in this era; life is precious and not to be taken away in this manner.

The Berlin Experience.