Saturday, June 20, 2009

Berlin Holocaust Memorial

This place in the city of Berlin was amazing. I felt at once awed and overwhelmed with sadness that such a travesty could ever have happened. It is a very solemn place buzzing with tourists taking photos and children laughing, but the significance of the memorial is never lost. I don't know if you can see them in the picture above, but someone put a single tulip on each stone. They had already begun to wilt when we arrived, but they served as a reminder of each life lost. What a moment for me! I felt like weeping the whole time I was there, reading and remembering the books I have read and yes, even movies I have watched from this horrible era in history.
As evidenced by the paint job, this is a "Trabi" safari and is available for rent in Berlin. These are modeled after the old cars that were driven in the East. Wayne thought it was "cute" but for some reason didn't want to rent one.
I wish you could read this. It was, of course, at the site of the memorial and was quite complete in the narrative. It was written in German on one side and in English on the other.

This was quite a vast land mass right in the heart of the city. So many lives lost! And such a moving tribute to those people. Lest we forget.
The modern architecture (one striking building seen here) is amazing. And more amazing to me is how all the modern structures blend so well with the old..
I'll post more pictures next time as I weed through them all and relive my trip!

1 comment:

Lesa said...

Great post Polly! The pictures from the Holocaust Memorial are amazing! I'm really enjoying your journal documenting your trip!
I don't think I would have fit too very well in that car!