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Archive for the ‘Tête-à-Tête’ Category

Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate

Thursday, April 17th, 2014

The Brandenburg Gate–Brandenburger Tor–is Berlin’s most famous landmark. During its 200+ year history it has been a city symbol under many different regimes. At different times in its history, it has symbolized peace, division, and freedom and unity. Between 1961 and 1989, when the Berlin Wall divided East and West Berlin, visitors often climbed onto an observation platform adjacent to the Brandenburg Gate to get a glimpse of the world behind the Iron Curtain.

The Quadriga

Atop the Brandenburg Gate stands the sculpture of a chariot. It is pulled by four horses and driven by a goddess. The goddess was originally said to symbolize a courier of peace. Later it was reinterpreted to represent Victoria, the Roman Goddess of Victory. The Quadriga spent the years from 1806 to 1814 in Paris, France.

Brandenburg Gate – symbol of peace, division and unity

Brandenburg Gate History

The Brandenburg Gate witnessed many important events in German History:

1730s–Originally, the gate was one of 18 gates within the customs walls that once formed the entrance to Berlin.

1788-1791– King Friedrich Wilhelm II commissioned Carl Gotthard Langhans to rebuild the old city gate in the shape of the triumphal arch we see today. The design was inspired by the Propylaea, the Gateway to the Acropolis in Athens. Hence, Berlin has often been called “Spree Athen” (Athens on the River Spree).

1793–The Quadriga is erected on top of the Brandenburg Gate. (The goddess is said to represent a courier of peace.)

1806– After the French Army defeated the Prussians, Napoleon removed the Quadriga and carted off his spoils to Paris.

1814–The Prussian Army defeated Napoleon, occupied Paris and returned the Quadriga to Berlin. Afterwards, the monument was redesigned as a triumphal arch. The oak wreath on the goddess’ scepter was replaced with an iron cross and the Prussian eagle. (The goddess was reinterpreted to represent the Roman Goddess of Victory.)

1933–The National Socialists marched through the Brandenburg Gate in a martial torch parade and introduced Germany’s darkest chapter in history.

1945–The neoclassical sandstone arch suffered considerable damage during World War II. Berlin was divided into four sectors, and the Brandenburg Gate was now located just inside the Soviet Sector. But vehicles and pedestrians continued to travel freely through the gate.

1961– The Berlin Wall was erected in an arc just west of the gate, cutting off access from West Berlin. On the eastern side, a “border marker” cordoned off the Brandenburg Gate for East Berliners. On 13 August–the day construction of the Berlin Wall began–one crossing remained open on the eastern side of the gate. When West Berliners demonstrated against the Wall the following day, the East closed the only remaining checkpoint at the Brandenburg Gate. Traffic did not reopen until 1989.

1987–US President Ronald Regan spoke the historic words at the gate, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this Wall!”

1989–When the Brandenburg Gate opened again to traffic upon reunification, 100,000 people came to celebrate the occasion.

1994–U.S. President Bill “Clinton spoke at the gate about peace in post-Cold War Europe.

2000-2002–The Brandenburg Gate was restored to its former glory.

2013–U.S. President Barack Obama spoke at the Brandenburg Gate about nuclear arms reduction and U.S. Internet surveillance activities.

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: historic or current events, people, places or food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

Tags: Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate, Carl Gotthard Langhans, King Friedrich Wilhelm II, Napoleon, Quadriga, Spree Athen
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Max and Moritz: the terrible duo

Thursday, April 10th, 2014

Max and Moritz were two little boys, created by German humorist, poet, illustrator and painter, Wilhelm Busch. In 1865, Busch published an illustrated work entitled, Max und Moritz – eine Bubengeschichte in Sieben Streichen (Max and Moritz – A Story of Seven Boyish Pranks). The tale is told entirely in rhymed couplets. This satire, the first of its time that did not portray children as universally good and well-behaved, poked fun at the victims, rather than the culprits.

Max (left) and Moritz
two mischievous boys created by Wilhelm Busch (1832- 1908)

When I was a little girl, almost every parent read these tales to their young children. In 1866, only a year after first publication, Max and Moritz appeared in Danish. Today, it can be read in many languages. The terrible duo inspired Katzenjammer Kids, a cartoon strip that appeared in 1897 in the American Humorist, the Sunday supplement of William Randolph Hearst’s New York Journal. The Katzenjammer Kids were called Hans and Fritz.

Max and Moritz’ Pranks

Prank #1

The Widow – Max and Moritz tie several crusts of bread together in Widow Bolte’s chicken yard, causing the chickens to become fatally tangled.

Prank # 2

The Widow II – As the widow tries to cook her chickens, the mischievous boys steal them by pulling them up the chimney with a fishing rod. The poor widow suspects her dog.

Prank #3

The Taylor – The boys saw through the planks of Tailor Boeck’s wooden bridge in front of his house and cause the poor tailor to be swept away by the current.

Prank #4

The Teacher – While Teacher Laempel, is busy at church, Max and Moritz fill his pipe with gunpowder. When the teacher lights it, the blast knocks him unconscious.

Prank #5

The Uncle – The terrible duo collects bags of bugs and deposits them in their uncle’s bed. When their uncle feels the bugs walking on his nose, the poor man has a fit.

Prank #6

The Baker – When the boys want to steal pretzels from a bakery, they fall into a barrel of dough. The baker bakes them in his oven, but the breaded duo escapes by gnawing through the crusts.

Prank #7

The Farmer – Finally their pranks catch up with them when Farmer Mecke puts Max & Moritz into grain sacks, grinds them up and feeds them to his ducks.

The mill, by the way, really exists and can be visited in Ebergoetzen.

Tags: Ebergoetzen, Farmer Mecke, Katzenjammer Kids, Max and Moritz, mischievous boys, Tailor Boeck, Teacher Laempel, Widow Bolte, Wilhelm Busch
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Paulskirchenverfassung

Thursday, April 3rd, 2014

The Paulskirchenverfassung (Constitution of St. Paul’s Church) might have been Germany’s very first Constitution, had it not been for Friedrich Wilhelm IV, reigning King of Prussia. Drawn up by the National Assembly in December 1848, the Paulskirchenverfassung called for basic civil rights, freedom of the press and the abolishment of the existing privileges of the nobility. The King himself had ordered it to be drawn up. But it hadn’t been his desire for democracy that had led him to take this step.

Who was King Friedrich Wilhelm IV?

Friedrich Wilhelm IV reigned from 1840 to 1861 and was the eldest son of Friedrich William II of Prussia. Friedrich Wilhelm IV was known as a romantic who had been responsible for the erection of many beautiful edifices in Berlin and Potsdam. He had also sponsored the completion of the cathedral in Cologne. But politically he seemed out of step with the times. When revolution broke out in Prussia, having spilled over from France, Friedrich Wilhelm IV feared that it might cost him the throne. After first trying to repress it with the army, he quickly decided to recall the troops instead and place himself at the head of the movement.

Friedrich Wilhelm IV, King of Prussia from 1840 to 1861

King Friedrich Wilhelm IV refused

Friedrich Wilhelm IV convened a National Assembly in 1949, and ordered a Constitution be drawn up. He hoped that the move would shore up his position. But when the National Assembly elected him as emperor of Germany, the king flatly refused. His refusal did not stem from modesty however. To the contrary. Friedrich Wilhelm supposedly responded by saying, “I do neither want the consent of the princes nor the crown. This so-called crown is not a crown but a dog collar. It bears the smell of the gutter of the revolution–the silliest, stupidest and worst of this century.” Feeling secure again in his position, he then dissolved the assembly and ordered the army to reoccupy Berlin.

Failed Paulskirchenverfassung

The adoption of the Paulskirchenverfassung had failed. Three months later, the military disbanded the remaining parliament. In keeping with the king’s motto, “Only soldiers can help stop democrats,” fundamental rights were abolished again and popular uprisings squashed.

When one hundred years later, the Grundgesetz (The German Basic Law or Constitution) was created, much of the wording of the Paulskirchenverfassung of 1948 was incorporated.

Tags: Constitution of St. Paul's Church, Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia, German Basic Law, Grundgesetz, Paulskirchenverfassung
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Palace of the Republic

Thursday, March 27th, 2014

Berlin’s Palace of the Republic — Palast der Republik — was the seat of the legislature of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) from 1976 to 1990. Constructed between 1973 and 1976, the exterior of this cubic building was defined by its distinctive bronze mirrored windows and the interior by its unique multi-purpose concept.

House of the People

When the East German government decided to build the Palace of the Republic in the 70s, the country was hurting financially and could barely afford the construction. Nonetheless, East Germany built the most modern cultural building in all of Europe at the time. One part of the building housed the People’s Chamber, the legislature of the East German government. The other served a multitude of cultural purposes as the House of the People. Here citizens could visit art galleries, a theater, a bowling alley, a post office, a discotheque and thirteen restaurants. Cultural, political, academic, and social events at the Palace of the Republic included famous concerts and events, party congresses and even the state gala on the eve of the 40th anniversary of the German Democratic Republic in October 1989, which was attended by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. It is difficult to image nowadays that ordinary people would be allowed to be entertained within meters of government being conducted. I think it would be a security agent’s worst nightmare.

Former Stadtschloss

The Palace of the Republic was not the original building on this site however. The location had once been home to the former Berlin City Palace–Berliner Stadtschloss–an edifice dating back to the Prussian-era. In 1950, the East German government demolished this heavily World War II-damaged building to make room for the Palast der Republik. But just prior to German reunification in 1990, the modern monument to the people had to be closed to the public because of asbestos contamination. By 2003, the asbestos was declared removed, but soon more was found. It was then that the German parliament voted to demolish the Palace of the Republic altogether. The action ran against the opposition of many former East Germans, and what was to be constructed in its place became the subject of many heated debates. http://www.walled-in-berlin.com/j-elke-ertle/the-palast-der-republik-lives-on/

Humboldtforum

Eventually, the German government decided to rebuild the Prussian-era Stadtschloss, not the Palace of the Republic. Its last vestiges were removed in 2008. Construction of a new Stadtschloss began in 2013. It will be called the Humboldtforum http://www.walled-in-berlin.com/j-elke-ertle/berliner-stadtschloss-to-humboldt-forum/and house the Humboldt collection and gallery of non-European art. Three facades of the new palace will be exact replicas of the Prussian-era Stadtschloss, but the interior will be a modern one. Construction is in progress and is expected be completed in 2019.

Tags: Berlin City Palace, Berliner Stadtschloss, House of the People, Humboldtforum, Mikhail Gorbachev, Palace of the Republic, Palast der Republik, People's Chamber
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Life is like a kite

Thursday, March 13th, 2014

Life is like a kite in many ways. A paper kite must be anchored in order to be able to soar into the sky. In much the same way, our lives must be anchored so that we may enjoy a happy, healthy and productive existence. Let’s take a look at the similarities between the two:

Colorful kites

Paper kite

A paper kite consists of three parts: the wing (which is the body), the kite line and the anchor. So that our kite may soar high into the sky rather than come crashing down to earth after a tentative roll and pitch, it must be tethered to an anchor system. Tethering is necessary so that tension can develop in the kite line. That tension will convert to lift and drag. Lift is generated when air flows over and under the kite’s surface, producing low pressure above and high pressure below the wing. Drag is generated along the direction of the wind. The kite line must be tied to an anchor, which can be static (pitched into beach sand, turf, or attached to a tree) or dynamic (a person running, a boat, or a car). Kite line and anchors are the two components that keep our paper kite in the air.

Life

Similarly, we need a kite line tethered to an anchor to keep our life from rolling, pitching and crashing. Some people’s lives are tied to spiritual anchors; others are anchored in their family; still others are moored to their work, their achievements, their pets, or their hobbies. Just as the kite line and anchor keep the paper kite in the air, we need an emotional and mental anchor that lets us build resilience and gives us the ability to cope. Just like a well-anchored paper kite will soar beautifully, so will an emotional anchor help us face family tragedies, set backs, disappointments, and peer pressure. No doubt, we will face strong winds at times, and there will be plenty of lift and drag along the way. So, what is your anchor?

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on the home page of http://www.walled-in-berlin.com. Walled-In is a story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War.

Tags: anchor, drag, kite, life, lift, pitch
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Temples of science closed to German women

Thursday, February 27th, 2014

The temples of science remained closed to German women until 1900-1909. The reasons were two-fold: (1) By the late 19th century, the university student bodies had turned increasingly middle class. Educators and demographers began to fear that entry of women into universities would further strengthen this “downward” trend. (2) Professors held the socially equivalent rank of a minister at the time and did not wish to see their rank diminished by bluestockings (intellectual woman). Prussia, in particular, was known for its opposition to women matriculating at university.

Pressure Grew

Initially, women’s groups called for demonstrations. Then an extensive survey of scientists, writers and artists came out in favor of the educational interests of women. In 1891, the German Reichstag placed the question of admitting women to universities on its agenda.

Hearing (auditing) students

By 1896, a number of German universities allowed women to hear (audit) university courses. But even at that, admittance remained difficult. A woman who wanted to enroll in a university course had to first obtain permission from the State, the university, and the professor. If permission was granted, then her choice of courses was limited to those that readily lend themselves to female attributes (nursing, teaching). Since auditing students were denied graduation, many women audited classes only for their personal benefit.

Matriculating students

Baden was the first German state to allow women to graduate. The year was 1900. Bavaria followed in 1904, Wuerttemberg in 1904, Saxony in 1906, Thuringia in 1907, Hesse and Prussia in 1908, and Mecklenburg in 1909. Still, the road to a higher education remained strewn with boulders for German women for years to come. Public, and often private sentiment, maintained that women did not have the necessary mental or social prerequisites for university entry and were generally better suited for family life.

Tags: Baden, bluestockings, German Reichstag, Prussia
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Black-Red-Gold: The colors of the German Flag

Thursday, February 20th, 2014

Black-Red-Gold are the colors of the German national flag. Why? The choice may date back to the Middle Ages. The coat of arms of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation contained a black eagle with red claws and beak set against a golden background. King Friedrich I walked on a black, red and golden carpet at his coronation in 1152. And Friedrich II wore a black, red and yellow cape when he was crowned King of the Germans in 1212.

Black-Red-Gold, the National Flag of the Federal Republic of Germany

Black-Red-Gold during Napoleon

Although these seem logical explanations for choosing Black-Red-Gold as the colors of the German flag, the choice most likely has its true origin in the 1813 liberation wars against Napoleon. German soldiers–the Luetzow Free Corps–wore black uniforms with golden buttons and red emblems on their shoulders. http://www.fahnen-flaggen-wappen.de/nationalflagge-deutschland_fid41.html/

The colors signified the progression from servitude (black) through bloody battles (red) to the light of freedom (gold).

Black-Red-Gold under pressure

In 1850 the Prussian King, Friedrich Wilhelm IV, abolished Black-Red-Gold and introduced black, white and red as the national colors. Following WWI In 1919, Black-Red-Gold was reintroduced, but in 1933, the Nazis abolished it once more and introduced a black and white flag with the red swastika.

Black-Red-Gold in modern times

On 23 May 1949, Black-Red-Gold was adopted as Germany’s official flag by the Federal Republic of Germany and a few days later by the German Democratic Republic (East Germany).

Ten years later, however, East Germany added their National Emblem to the flag. It consisted of a hammer (workers) and a compass (academia), surrounded by ears of corn (farmers). With this modification East Germany was able to differentiate itself from the Federal Republic of Germany and avoid having to swear on the flag of the West.

Tags: Black-Red-Gold, Luetzow Free Corps
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Hotel Adlon Part 2

Thursday, January 23rd, 2014

To read about the history of Berlin’s Hotel Adlon from the time of the German Empire through World War II, visit http://www.walled-in-berlin.com/j-elke-ertle/hotel-adlon-part-1/. Today’s post will bring the reader to the present-day.

Hotel Adlon during the Cold War

In the division of Berlin, the surviving wing of the Hotel Adlon ended up on the east side of the city. In 1952, the East German government demolished the damaged parts of the building along with all the other structures surrounding Pariser Platz. The one remaining Adlon wing was renovated in 1964 but closed to hotel guests in the 1970s. It remained in use until 1984 by providing housing to East German apprentices who were learning the hotel business. Then it was demolished as well.

Hotel Adlon reopens

The new Adlon reopened on 23 August 1997, seven years after German reunification. This new building occupied the original site plus some adjacent land. However, the new Hotel Adlon is not a replica of the old pre-WWII building. The new Hotel Adlon was constructed with lower ceilings and more floors to allow for additional rooms. Operated as Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin, two new wings have been added since reopening. One new wing opened in 2003 and is known as the Adlon Palais; the other opened in 2004 and is known as the Adlon Residenz. Presently, the Hotel Adlon offers 382 rooms including 78 suites. Its 5-room presidential suite includes top security, a personal butler, and limousine service.

The current Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin

Hedda Adlon’s wish

Hedda Adlon, widow of the last owner of the hotel, wrote her memoir in 1955. It is entitled, “Hotel Adlon” and was published in the German language. It has been republished many times, including in several English language versions. Hedda closed by saying “I want to rebuild the Hotel Adlon, but only when East and West are reunited again and only on the spot where it originally stood und where I spent the happiest time of my life: in the heart of Berlin at Unter den Linden 1.” At that time, no one dreamed that reunification would become a reality soon.

Hedda passed away more than 20 years before the Wall tumbled in 1989. Her wish came true with the exception that the address is now Unter den Linden 77, not Unter den Linden 1. That is because the grand boulevard was originally numbered starting at the Brandenburg Gate. In the East German era, it was renumbered, starting from the other end.

Tags: German reunification, Hedda Adlon, Hotel Adlon, Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin, Pariser Platz
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Hotel Adlon Part 1

Thursday, January 16th, 2014

The palatial Hotel Adlon, located only steps east of the famous Brandenburg Gate in the heart of Berlin, Germany, has a fascinating history. Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF) – Second German Television – aired a three-part family saga early last year about the hotel, its owners, and its guests (some fictional characters are also included). The series covers the period between the last German Empire and the Berlin Wall.

Hotel Adlon’s beginnings

In 1905, Lorenz Adlon, a successful wine merchant and coffee shop owner, purchased a prime piece of land in the heart of Berlin. The property was located next to the British Embassy in the Wilhelmstrasse and faced the French and American Embassies on Pariser Platz. Important government offices stood only blocks away. Lorenz Adlon chose this desirable location to build an opulent hotel. It opened on 23 October 1907. Its address was Unter den Linden 1. Hotel Adlon soon became one of Europe’s most renowned establishments.

Hotel Adlon’s famous guests

The Adlon quickly became the social center of Berlin. Inside, its accommodations were the most up-to-date in all of Germany at the time. The hotel offered hot and cold running water and had its own electricity-generating power plant. In the hotel’s early years, many of the rich and famous, including Emperor Willhem II, the Tsar of Russia, the Maharajah of Patiala, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Henry Ford, Herbert Hoover, John D. Rockefeller, Enrico Caruso, Marlene Dietrich, Josephine Baker, Charlie Chaplin and Greta Garbo frequented it.

Hotel Adlon, 1926
(Bundesarchiv photo)

Hotel Adlon during World War II

But when Hitler came to power in 1933, the Adlon gradually lost its international clientele. It continued to operate throughout World War II, having added a bomb shelter and a brick wall to protect its guest from flying debris. During the final days of the Battle for Berlin, parts of the hotel were converted to a field hospital. However, on the night of 2 May 1945, after all fighting had ceased already, a fire engulfed the Hotel Adlon. Intoxicated Russian soldiers had started the fire in the hotel’s wine cellar. The inferno destroyed most of the building. Only one wing survived.

Also read about the post World War II history of the Hotel Adlon at http://www.walled-in-berlin.com/j-elke-ertle/hotel-adlon-part-2/

Tags: Battle for Berlin, Brandenburg Gate, Hedda Adlon, Hotel Adlon, Lorenz Adlon, ZDF
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Berlin’s Museum Island

Thursday, January 9th, 2014

Berlin’s Museum Island – Museumsinsel – is one of the city’s most visited attractions. Smack in the center of the German capital, it is located in the northern half of an island in the Spree River. In fact, Museum Island occupies the site of Berlin’s former sister city, Coelln. In 1307 Berlin and Coelln merged into a single town and retained only the name of the former. Today, Museum Island forms a complex of five internationally known museums. During World War II, close to 70% of the museum buildings were destroyed. Following the war, the Allies removed some of the collections. The remainder was split between East and West Berlin. Restoration and modernization of the five museums began following German reunification. In 1999, Museum Island was designed a UNESCO National Heritage site.

Pergamon Altar at the Pergamon Museum on Berlin’s Museum Island

Together the five museums on Berlin’s Museum Island cover 6,000 years of culture and history. Artifacts stretch from civilizations of the Ancient Egyptians and the Ancient Middle East to Greek and Roman Antiquity. On exhibit is also Christian and Islamic art of the Middle Ages and European art of the 19th century. The museums house the following treasures:

— Altes Museum (Old Museum) – Greek and Roman art objects on the first floor. Exhibitions held on the second floor.

— Neues Museum (New Museum) – archaeological objects and Egyptian and Etruscan sculptures. They include the bust of Queen Nefertiti.

— Alte Nationalgallerie (Old National Gallery) – 19th century paintings. Upon completion of the restoration program, it is anticipated that the gallery’s painting collection will be moved to the Bode Museum.

— Bode Museum – sculpture collections and late Antique and Byzantine art.

— Pergamon Museum – ancient architecture. It houses a collection of Greek and Babylonian antiquities, including the 6th century BC Ishtar Gate of Babylon and the 2nd century BC Pergamon Altar, and the 2nd century AD Roman Market Gate of Miletus.

Tags: Alte Nationalgallerie, Altes Museum, Bode Museum, Ishtar Gate of Babylon, Market Gate of Miletus, Museum Island in Berlin, Neues Museum, Pergamon Altar, Pergamon Museum, UNESCO National Heritage site
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