Where everything remains different

A song by Germany's legend Herbert Grönemeyer called "Bleibt alles anders" (=everything remains different) song perfectly captures the vibes of the city of Berlin. Nowhere else is change so permanent, almost ordinary. Berlin has a lot to digest and is nevertheless - or precisely because of this - extremely aware of its history. Time to reflect.

Oh, Berlin. This octopus of a city that is constantly changing. Consistency is simply not its thing. Apart from the weather, perhaps, because the nasty January wind that whistles through the streets, parks and across the squares is something we are very familiar with from previous Berlin moments.

Berlin is not finished, perhaps it never will be. Berlin lives in the moment. And yet history is more present in this imperfect metropolis than in almost any other place. If you walk through the heart of the political center, you can't help but notice the traces and influences of two past German dictatorships. You simply have to.

 

Our starting point is Potsdamer Platz, one of the most easily accessible transport hubs in the capital and also well equipped with hotels, restaurants, bars and shopping facilities. Yes, Berlin has more charming districts, hip basement clubs, countless streets whose shabby chic is often copied and never equaled. But that's not what we're after this time.

 

Memory made easily accessible

 

Our first stop is just a short walk from Potsdamer Platz. About halfway to the Brandenburg Gate, this symbol of German awakening, is the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, often referred to as the Holocaust Memorial. A little less than 3,000 concrete blocks commemorate this dark abyss of German history - of human history. It's a place that everybody should visit eery once in a while, especially in times when the ideologies that made this memorial necessary in the first place are once again gaining momentum. We are amazed for the first time on our Berlin weekend, because the memorial is extremely well attended despite the icy winter cold. Berlin travelers from different parts of the world are interested in the cruelly simple architecture, stroll through the labyrinth and capture the atmosphere and the place's special light with their cameras or cell phones.

 

Up and down. The German capital is (unfortunately) familiar with the concept.

Occasionally, someone climbs onto one of the blocks and is gently invited back down to the ground by the security staff. We also move between the blocks across the undulating, icy ground, occasionally slipping and sliding and simply taking in the surroundings. By the way: just a few meters away from the Holocaust memorial are the memorials to the homosexuals murdered under National Socialism and to the Sinti and Roma murdered under National Socialism. And remind us of what we so rarely remember.

Along the former course of the Berlin Wall, in the middle of the former death strip where the GDR regime shot its own citizens as they fled, we move on to the Brandenburg Gate, mingling with the hustle and bustle of tourists, demonstrations and police officers. We wonder if there is another capital city whose political personality is so visible at all times. We walk on, past the Bundestag, along the Chancellery, back towards Tiergarten. The crunching of our footsteps in the snow is interrupted by the soundtrack of honking tractors and trucks, because even on this cold weekend, farmers are demonstrating in the heart of the capital.

 

A quiet moment in the Tiergarten park, in the middle of the city.

Big questions, everywhere

 

In search of some distance and time away from the big political issues, we make our way to Kreuzberg and come across, of course, the big political issues. As we stroll through the wonderfully diverse Oranienstrasse, we notice another demonstration. This one seems to be about the concerns of the Palestinian community - the sea of flags is clear, the demonstration loud but peaceful. We later learn that a vigil for the Israeli Hamas hostages is taking place at the same time in another part of the city. Ah, Berlin. Contemplatively, we sip a hipster coffee in a hipster coffee shop near Kottbusser Tor and come to the conclusion that this is exactly how democracy works.

It's getting dark and the Berlin air is getting colder and colder in our faces. The perfect time for a hot shower. But we still have one more stop on the list, because even if it's a cliché, a stay in Berlin simply can't be complete without a currywurst. So off we go in the direction of Prenzlauer Berg, one "curry fries" for 6 euros, to be enjoyed in style under the train tracks.

Like a Hopper painting, but with currywurst and fries for 6 euros.

The terror of political extremes

 

The next morning, we're read for the cold. Wrapped up, well-fed and warmed up, we set off. Our destination on this freezing January day is the memorial site with the somewhat unwieldy but very precise name "Topography of Terror". This site used to be the headquarters of the Gestapo, Himmler's headquarters and the headquarters of the SS security service. A preserved section of the Berlin Wall also runs along the current site. The traces of two dictatorships.

What we encounter is a very simple information center where numerous school classes - we hear Spanish, Italian and English, among other languages - discuss history and become increasingly quiet as their visit progresses. We also come across a part of the site that has been deliberately left empty. We take in the emptiness covered in a little snow. Nothing can be as loud as the reproachful silence of an empty space.

 

Reproachful emptiness.

We take a stroll through the city center, seriously wondering whether we are the only ones who find the GDR nostalgia offers such as "Trabant" tours (the GDR's version of a car) or the sale of GDR flags right next to the remains of the Berlin Wall violently cynical and come to Checkpoint Charlie, where the American part of Berlin bordered the Soviet part during the occupation. A place where ideologies clashed. Today, we find a Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet and an Insta hotspot with a queue of people.

 

Well.

Showing colors against fascism

 

Along Friedrichstrasse, we reach the grand boulevard Unter den Linden and warm up with a coffee in the middle of the parliamentary district. The coffee bar we head for starts to fill up - and many of the people around us are carrying banners, flags or cardboard with slogans written on it. They are preparing for a demonstration on a grand scale and are protesting against the new and extremely ugly fascist fantasies on the right fringes of the German party landscape - just like hundreds of thousands in other German cities. We think Berlin is a worthy place to join such a demonstration - right in front of the German Bundestag, under the eyes of the parliamentarians. Because La Vie en Route believes in diversity, we like it colorful and we know that the extremes of history have never led anywhere. So we mingle with the 300,000 demonstrators and experience goosebump moments. We are only interrupted by our smartphone, which reminds us that a flight to Zurich is waiting for us soon. So off we go to Berlin Airport (which is better than its reputation, by the way) - and hope to be back soon in this reliably volatile city.

 

Oh, Berlin.

 

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Good to know

From Zurich, Berlin can be reached several times a day with Swiss and Easyjet. A train journey is also an option with a little more time, for which you should allow around nine hours. A car journey takes the same amount of time.

In terms of accommodation, Berlin probably has something for everyone. We opted for the Grand Hyatt on Potsdamer Platz because of its easy accessibility and decent offer and were extremely happy with our choice.

There are plenty of bars, snack bars, pubs, cafés and restaurants - what's hip in Berlin changes practically every week. The only thing that is 100% sure: don't believe the travel books in this respect. What we remember from this stay includes Konnopkes Imbiss, the Ama Café in the government district and Café Três in wonderful Kreuzberg.