Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Wannsee
Of the many lakes that dot the Grunewald, the best known is the
Wannsee
. he main
attraction here is the
Strandbad Wannsee
, a 1km-long strip of pale sand that's the largest
inland beach in Europe, and which gets packed as soon as the sun comes out. From here
it's easy to wander into the forests and to smaller, less-populated beaches along the
lakeside road
Havelchaussee
. he main tourist destination around the Wannsee is,
however, the
Wannsee villa
. Nearby, the infinitely more pleasant
Pfaueninsel
, once a
royal island playground, is now a bucolic park roamed by peacocks.
10
Strandbad Wannsee and the Havelchaussee
In essence Berlin's seaside, the
Strandbad Wannsee
has changed little in character since
Heinrich Zille sketched the working classes at play here in the late nineteenth century.
It's a busy commercial beach scene; if you're looking for a quieter sandy spot by the
water, head north along the shore, following the
Havelchaussee
. Usefully, bus #218
from S-Bahn Wannsee and Nikolassee goes this way, running along 6km of quiet,
sandy coves. his area is also good for a spot of
hiking
- both along the lakeshore and
inland into the forest.
Grunewaldturm
4km north of the Strandbad • Daily 10am-10pm • €1
One possible start or terminus of a hike is the
Grunewaldturm
, a 55m-high observation
tower right next to the Havel. Built at the end of the nineteenth century as a memorial
to Kaiser Wilhelm I, it has a smart restaurant and fine views out across the lakes.
Wannsee villa
Am Grossen Wannsee 56-58 • Daily 10am-6pm • Free •
W
ghwk.de • #114 bus from S-Wannsee to “Haus der Wannsee-Konferenz” stop
While not the most enjoyable of sights, one place that should on no account be missed
on a trip to the Wannsee is the
Wannsee villa
(Haus der Wannsee Konferenze)
overlooking the lake, where, on January 20, 1942, the fate of European Jewry was
determined (see p.257). he deeply moving exhibition here shows the entire process
of the Holocaust, from segregation and persecution to the deportation and eventual
murder of the Jews from Germany, its allies and all the lands the hird Reich
conquered. Many of the photographs and accounts are horrific, and the events they
describe seem part of a world far removed from this quiet locale - which, in many
ways, underlines the tragedy. Particularly disturbing is the photograph of four
generations of women - babe-in-arms, young mother, grandmother and ancient
great-grandmother - moments before their execution on a sand dune in Latvia.
he room where the conference took place remains as it was, with documents from
the meeting on the table and photographs of participants around the walls; biographies
show that many lived to a comfortable old age. Even seventy years after the event, to
stand in the room where a decision was formalized to coldly and systematically
annihilate a race sends shivers down the spine.
Pfaueninsel
Museum
April-Oct daily 10am-5.30pm • €3 •
W
spsg.de • S-Bahn Wannsee, then bus #218, then a passenger ferry (daily: March & Oct
9am-6pm; April & Sept 9am-7pm; May-Aug 9am-8pm; Nov-Feb 10am-4pm; €3)
Designed as a royal fantasy getaway on one of the largest of the Havel islands, the
Pfaueninsel
(Peacock Island) is now a conservation zone with a flock of peacocks
stalking around its landscaped park. No cars are allowed on the island (nor are dogs,
ghetto-blasters or smoking). Attractions include a mini-Schloss, built by Friedrich
Wilhelm II for his mistress and containing a small
museum
. Most enjoyable, though,
are the gardens, landscaped by Peter Lenné, the original designer of the Tiergarten.
