Berlin (1-2 April 2006) Part 3 - Third Reich sites

Berlin is the capital of Germany, and thus Hitler's capital during the Third Reich. There are still many traces of the Third Reich's buildings, some even used today.

The former Luftwaffe Headquarters is now the Federal Ministry of Finance, while the Reichstag is presently the seat of parliament in Germany (I will talk about the Reichstag in a seperate post). The former Gestapo and SS Headquarters were demolished and an open-air exhibition called "Topographie Des Terrors" (Topography of Terror) is now held there. There is also the Bendlerblock, former Headquarters of the Wehrmacht which is now a museum to commemorate the exploits of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg and other brave people in their attempts to assasinate Hitler and/or depose the Nazi regime. Hitler's Reichskanzlei was destroyed, but the famous Führerbunker remains, although it has been sealed off completely.

There is also the Holocaust Memorial, built on the site of the Reichskanzlei. Designed by Peter Eisenman, the memorial is constructed using 2711 concrete slabs, of varying sizes, arranged in a grid pattern with an uneven surface. The purpose of the design is to give the visitor a sense of disorientation as you lose your bearing in the maze, while giving you the lack of security that the Jews faced during the war. It was only opened recently in May 2005. An interesting scandal is that the builders wanted to coat the concrete slabs with a chemical that will make it much easier to wash graffitti off, but it turned out that the company that manufactured this chemical is the same one that manufactured Zyklon B, the very gas that was used to kill the Jews! Amazing isn't it? How it was resolved, no one knows, not even my colleagues.


Site of the main entrance to Hitler's Reichskanzlei, now a Chinese restaurant


Sign for Topographie des Terrors


Built on the excavated remains of the Gestapo HQ


Open-exhibition concept


The Bendlerblock - former HQ of the Wehrmacht


Dedication plaque at the entrance of the Bendlerblock, that's my guide explaining.
"Hier im ehemaligen Oberkommando des Heeres organisierten Deutsche den Versuch, am 20. Juli 1944 die nationalsozialistische Unrechtsherrschaft zu stürzen. Dafür opferten sie ihr Leben." (Translation: “Here in the former Army High Command, Germans organized the attempt to overthrow the lawless National Socialist regime on July 20, 1944. For this they sacrificed their lives.”)


Plaque dedicated to Ludwig Beck, von Stauffenberg and others in the assasination attempt on Hitler, 20 July 1944. "Hier Starben für Deutschland" (Translation: "Died here for Germany")


Plaque on the ground of the Bendlerblock, reads "Ihr trugt die Schande nicht Ihr wehrtet Euch Ihr gabt das große Ewig wache Zeichen der Umkehr Opfernd Euer heißes Leben Für Freiheit Recht und Ehre(Translation: You did not bear the shame. You fought back. You gave the great, Forever tireless Sign of change, Sacrificing your glowing life For freedom, Justice, and honor.")


Plaque dedicated to victims of the T4 Euthanasia Programme


Former Luftwaffe HQ, now Federal Ministry of Finance


Holocaust Memorial from across the road


You can see the concrete slabs...


And the uneven surface