The Berlin Wall

We have traveled through many amazing cities and learned a lot of history.  But no city has had the impact of Berlin.  Walking past Checkpoint Charlie and past the Berlin wall, it still felt a bit ominous, even all these years after the wall came down.  The fall of the Berlin wall happened on November 9, 1989.

Checkpoint Charlie was one of the main border crossings during the cold war.  It represents the separation between east and west.  Across the street from Checkpoint Charlie, there is a free outdoor display of old photos, timelines, and information.  You could spend a long time reading through the historical panels.

Summer and Luie stand near a small portion of the wall.

We went to a museum called the Mauer Museum, that is full of history about the Berlin wall.  The museum is also full of stories of people’s many creative ways to escape.   We also read about many who lost their lives while trying to get over the wall.

But it was inspiring to read and see exhibits about the determination, persistence, and spirit that helped many people find a way to freedom.

One women hid inside two suitcases.

 

A man built a mini sub that helped him transport the 16 miles to Denmark in his 1968 escape.  He was then hired by an international company to develop more of these devices and he now holds 3 patents.

 

Someone replaced their large gas tank with a hidden chamber and a very small gas tank.

 

Another man carved out two surfboards and smuggled his fiance across the border with the surfboards tied to the roof of the car.

These are just a few of the many amazing stories we read about.

 

There are small segments of the wall that still remain, scattered around the city.   A larger section of wall is only a 5 minute walk from the Mauer Museum.  More than 20 years after the fall of the wall, these segments still serve as a reminder.