The murals on the East Side Gallery of the Berlin Wall is a fascinating display of past, present, and future. Though the wall is covered in vibrant colors and eye-catching art, they can’t hide the city’s history. It’s engraved on, within, and beyond that wall.
Today, the remnants of the infamous Berlin Wall still stands along the bank of the River Spree on the Kreuzberg side. It’s a reminder for everyone to see that Walls don’t work. 😉
In 1961, East Germany started constructing the Berlin Wall to get rid of the “fascist” from West Germany to enter the East. Anyone who would escape from the East would be shot dead. A total of 171 residents who tried to flee didn’t make it. The Wall was dismantled on November 9, 1989, when people from both sides of the Wall were allowed to walk/cross freely again in both territories. However, the reunification between the East and West Germany only happened officially on October 3, 1990.
By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander
Hello from Berlin! Just like New York, Berlin now feels like home to me. I spent enough time in the city over the past few years to know my way around, to navigate the comprehensive transportation network (buses, trams, overground trains, underground trains) without getting lost, I have favorite coffee shops and even a co-working space here. And this time, I even found the way to my AirBnb apartment without a map after my Google Maps app stopped working. I’d almost say that after New York, Berlin feels like my second home now.
And just like last summer, I proudly showed off this awesome city to a visitor – my first of two visitors from NYC! And this one is joining me for the fourth time this year, which I am stoked about! We must have walked at least 20 miles all over Berlin this weekend, exploring my favorite neighborhoods, devouring traditional German breakfasts, strolling over weekend flea markets and taking in German history at the Berlin Wall.
And the best way to learn about Berlin’s complicated history? In combination with some street art! A walk along the East Side Gallery, Germany’s longest still standing piece of the Berlin wall, nearly a mile long (1.3km) was of course the highlight for two street art lovers, and traveling with a fellow photographer also meant playing with our cameras a little more than I’ve been doing on recent trips, and I was excited to pursue a little Polaroid project that I had been wanting to do for a while – you’re getting a little sneak peek here.