Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Nikolaiviertel
Just southwest of the expansive open spaces that surround the Fernsehturm lie the
compact network of streets of the
Nikolaiviertel
. his old district was razed overnight
on June 16, 1944 but rebuilt by the GDR authorities in the early 1980s in an attempt
to recreate some of Berlin's
medieval
core. One or two original buildings aside, the
Nikolaiviertel consists partly of exact replicas of historic Berlin buildings and partly of
stylized buildings not based on anything in particular, but with a vaguely “old Berlin”
feel. Sometimes it doesn't quite come off, and in places the use of typical East German
Plattenbau
construction techniques, with prefabricated pillars and gables, isn't too
convincing, but all in all the Nikolaiviertel represents a radical and welcome
OSTALGIE
Nostalgia for the East, or rather
Nostalgie
for the
Osten
, has produced
Ostalgie
, a hybrid word
for a phenomenon that's emerged throughout the old East Germany. Though the sentiment
might originate with those who can remember the collapsed country, this nostalgia for the
iconography of communist East Germany has also proved immensely popular with visitors,
spawning a mini-industry in Berlin.
The meaning of
Ostalgie
is a little nebulous and has slowly redefined itself since the
Wende
.
What started as a melancholic craving for the securities of life in a communist state by the 16
million East Germans thrust into the turbulent and uncertain world of capitalism, became an
expression of both discontent and identity. It was a protest at the quick eradication of a unique
East German culture and its absorption into the West - a process that implied that all things
Western were superior, and tended to mock everything from the East as laughably backward.
Ostalgie
became a way of a
rming that some aspects of the GDR were worth celebrating, and
that - despite the many shortcomings of the state - it had also produced rewarding moments.
These days
Ostalgie
stretches far beyond political debates and the 2003 film
Good Bye Lenin!,
with its nostalgic and comedic celebration of 1970s GDR kitsch and innocence. Visiting Berlin
you'll come across a number of cult GDR icons, including the chubby, cheerful Ampelmann
from East German pedestrian crossings and the cute fibreglass Trabant car. There's even been a
revival of utilitarian GDR products, including foods, household products and cosmetics made
by companies that went out of business when Western goods flooded the market. Some pop
up in grocery stores and corner shops, but the entire range is most easily found online; try
Ossiversand (
W
ossiversand.de). Most of Berlin's
Ostalgie
shops concentrate on souvenirs,
particularly the Ampelmann shop (see p.230).
Most agree that
Ostalgie
is just a good laugh, but the sentiment has its critics. Some warn of
the dangers of posthumously glorifying any aspect of a totalitarian dictatorship and glossing
over a dreadful chapter of Germany's history. Among them is Berlin's mayor Klaus Wowereit
(see p.239) who bluntly warned of the “need to be careful that the GDR does not achieve cult
status”. Certainly, cheerful as the Ampelmann and Trabi may be, and as refreshing as cravings
for simple pleasures and a frugal existence may seem, a balanced view of East Germany is
essential. Some counterbalance may come from the film
The Lives of Others
, winner of the 2006
best foreign film Oscar, which reminded Germany and the world of the oppression, censorship,
secret police and intimidation that underpinned life in communist Europe.
OSTALGIE HOTSPOTS
Drive a Trabi
Unleash your inner Ossi behind the wheel of the two-stroke chariot and decide
for yourself if this old East German workhorse deserves its cult status. See p.25
Ampelmann Store, Hackeshen Höfe
You can buy a whole host of Ampelmann-branded
items at its flagship store, from deck chairs and diaries to T-shirts and toys - and even a bicycle
helmet. See p.230
DDR Museum
Explore daily life in old East Germany and pick up a copy of the funny satirical
film
Good Bye Lenin!
. See p.64
Verkehrsberuhigte Ost-Zone
This bar is decked out in GDR memorabilia. See p.209
Ostel
Nod off at the orange-and-brown furnished
Ostel
lodging. See p.181
Mondos Arts
The ultimate GDR shopping temple. They are currently selling online only, at
W
mondosarts.de.
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