Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
scenes of the new Berlin spiral into your view—
Potsdamer Platz,
marked by the conical
glass tower that houses Sony's European headquarters. Continue circling left, and find the
green chariot atop the
Brandenburg Gate.
Just to its left is the curving fish-like roof of the
DK Bank
building, designed by the unconventional American architect, Frank Gehry. The
MemorialtotheMurderedJewsofEurope
stretchessouthoftheBrandenburgGate.Next,
you'll see
former East Berlin
and the city's next huge construction zone, with a forest of
300-foot-tall skyscrapers in the works. Notice the TV Tower, the Berlin Cathedral's massive
dome, and the golden dome of the New Synagogue.
Follow the train tracks in the distance to the left toward Berlin's huge main train station,
the
Hauptbahnhof.
Complete your spin-tour with the blocky
Chancellery,
nicknamed by
Berliners “the washing machine.” It may look like a pharaoh's tomb, but it's the office and
home of Germany's most powerful person, the chancellor (currently Angela Merkel). To re-
mind the chancellor who he or she works for, the Reichstag, at about 130 feet, is about six
feet taller than the Chancellery.
Continuespiralingup.You'llpassallthesamesightsagain,twice,fromahighervantage
point.
NeartheroadinfrontoftheReichstag,enmeshedinallthesecurityapparatus,isamemorial
of slate stones embedded in the ground. This row of slate slabs (which looks like a fancy
slate bicycle rack) is a memorial to the 96 members of the Reichstag (the equivalent of our
membersofCongress)whowerepersecutedandmurderedbecausetheirpoliticsdidn'tagree
with Chancellor Hitler's. They were part of the Weimar Republic, the weak and ill-fated at-
tempt at post-WWI democracy in Germany. These were the people who could have stopped
Hitler...so they became his first victims. Each slate slab remembers one man—his name,
party (mostly KPD—Communists, and SPD—Social Democrats), and the date and location
ofhisdeath—generallyinconcentrationcamps.(
KZ
standsfor“concentrationcamp.”)They
are honored here, in front of the building in which they worked.
• Facing the Reichstag, you can take a short side-trip to the river by circling around to the
left of the building.
Admire the wonderful architecture incorporating the Spree River into the people's world.
It's a poignant spot because this river was once a symbol of division—the East German re-
gimeputnetsunderwatertostymiethosedesperateenoughforfreedomtoswimtotheWest.
When kings ruled Prussia, government buildings went right up to the water. But today, the
