Berlin Experts!
 

Hi there

I'm taking my brother to Berlin for a belated birthday present. At most we will have 2 days (maybe 3 if I take a day off work). He is an expert on WWII and am planning at the very least to do the Berlin Walk on the subject. I'm sure there are other spots we should go to - I'm trying not to be lazy in my research but I was wondering if any of you experts in WWII sites in Berlin could point me in some direction?

I'm trying to plan where to stay in Berlin. I love the look of Hotel Bleibtreu, which I believe is in Wilmersdorf and looks really special. I don't think this is a good location for sites in East Berlin and I assume I should stay in Mitte? Or can we stay there and use U-bahn? My brother's girlfriend (also coming) is not keen on Berlin at all and I would like us all to stay somewhere nice to keep her- and me - happy!

Also, I read that the photographer Helmut Newton has donated much of his work to the city of Berlin. Do any of you know if the exhibit is open??

thanks so much, allypally

I've been to Berlin several times but, unfortunately, cannot offer much help in terms of any actual WWII "sites" as such. I would say, though, that the U-Bahn/S-Bahn system is one of THE most extensive/comprehensive of any city I have ever visited so no matter where you stay if you're within walking distance of a station then getting around shouldn't be a problem. If you are going to use the system extensively you might look into purchasing one of the day passes which is good for either two or all three of the "zones" (A+B cover most of the city whereas C will also cover a trip out to Potsdam if you are going to visit one of the roal palaces out there).
A lot of folks, including myself, have enjoyed the Checkpoint Charlie Museum although it is obviously more Cold War-oriented (than WWII). Also of note is the site of the former Gestapo Hq which is now basically in ruins.

I know there was a Helmut Newton exhibit commemorating his 80th birthday back in 2001 I believe and I also think there may have been an exhibit earlier this year but do not know any details, unfortunately. Enjoy your trip.

Thanks Intrepid, that is just the answer I was looking for! I think the Berlin Walk takes us past the Gestapo headquarters. Then again, my brother will know more about it than me!

Bleibtreustrasse is off of Kudamm which I understand is the big 'shopping' area of Berlin. Would you recommend we stay here or head out East? Obviously i'm interested in the hotel but as we have such a short time there, would we spend much of our time on the U-Bahn/S-Bahn?

thanks!

Unlike a LOT of others who frequently post here we tend to stay in the area near Wittenberg Platz which isn't too far from the Zoo, etc., and in a Best Western property (the President)at that..which is often derided by many but we like that area for convenience to shopping, the U-Bahn, etc. Don't know when you are planning to be there...some of the hotels aren'
t air conditioned..in fact some of the rooms in the place we always stay aren't but we always opt for one that is. Have you looked in any of the guidebooks either print or on-line? I would suggest the following websites:
www.berlin.de
www.berlin-tourism.de
www.berlin-info.de
which may give you a better idea as to touring options, etc.

Thanks for the websites. I'm working my way through the 8 billion articles on Berlin on Tripadvisor as well! The more I read on Berlin, the more it seems like London or Paris in terms of not having a real centre and therefore you have to pick your area. I gather that Mitte is very trendy but I'm not sure I want to stay there.

I'm a bit of a fan of boutique hotels and am always searching out the 'little gems'. I'm not interested in 5 star luxury. I'm after quirky and interesting and, most of all, pretty. I'm a bit of a girl and hate all the new modern hotels that are so popular at the moment. I like the fact that Bleibtreu has a florist in its lobby. I know that sounds like a stupid priority but that's just me. Therefore, I'm happy to revisit Berlin's Nazi past with my brother as long as I can stay somewhere attractive!!

Oh well, we shall see...

We're going in mid-September, by the way

Ally- In addition to the sites already mentioned consider a trip to the Spandau Citadel. It is easily reached via the UBahn (@ 15 Minutes). It is a typical fortress dating back to the 13th C. and more recently, I believe, was where Hess was incarcerated. It is now an excellent small museum. From there it is a short stroll along the lake to the delightful old town of Spandau. So close to Berlin, but so different! It still retains its old-world charm! We return there on every trip to Berlin - for a quite interlude.
Also worth seeing with some historical ties to WWII are:
1) German Resistance Memorial Center. It was the Plotzensee Prison where Stauffenberg was executed along with many others who opposed the Nazis.
"www.gdw-berlin.de/start-e.html/
2) Neue Wache on UdL. It houses the "Pieta" by Kathe Kollwitz. I find it a more emotional sculpture than Michelangelo's
3) Neue Synagoge
4) Jewish Museum - a remarkable structure housing exhibits on the history of Jews in Berlin.
5) Just a stroll through the Tiergarten in the early morning mist, realizing that it was devoid of trees shortly after the war - as they were cut down by Berliners for fuel.
Take an extra day and really enjoy Berlin - so much to see and do!

Thanks for the pointers CharlieB! I had NO idea about the Tiergarten. My knowledge of Berlin is completely zilch but the more I read, the more interesting it becomes.

I'm really looking forward to seeing the 'new' Berlin. It's completely understandable that Berlin isn't focusing on the past and with so much of it being destroyed in the war, it seems that true WWII sites are a little scarce. Oh well.

btw, what is that red beer called in german? thanks!

It's called "Weissen mit Rote Schuss (sp?)". It is wheat beer with a shot of Raspberry syrup. Very refreshing on a warm summer day. There is also a green version which I believe contains woodruff. An acquired taste. Have a "Rote" for me and enjoy!

The Olympic stadium, on the U-Bahn
The Wannsee Conference house between Berlin and Potsdam: bus from Wannsee S-Bahn station
The Topographie des terrors, Stresemannstrasse 10, near Stadtmitte and Kochstrasse U-Bahn stations
Plotzensee Prison, museum of the Resistance, where Stauffenberg and the colonels of the 1944 attempt on Hitler were tortured and killed. I am afraid I do not know the nearest U-bahn station
Sachsenhausen concentration camp north of Berlin by U-Bahn to Oranienburg

You could pack things in thus. None of the places I list are open on Mondays. Ask your hotel to phone to find when the Olympia stadium opens, go by S-Bahn, visit the stadoum, S-Bahn to Charlottenburg, change, S-Bahn to Wannsee, bus 114 to the Haus der Wannsee-Konferenz and back, S-Bahn, view of the Reichstag, Friedrichstrasse station, drop to the U-Bahn, Kochstrasse, see the Topographie (open Tues to bSun 10 to 6), Friedrichstrasse station, S-Bahn to Oranienburg, bus to Sachsenhausen (45 minutes from central Berlin, open Tues to Sun 8 to 6), end of two days tour.

Don't miss, or forget, Treptower Park on the eastern edges of the city. It's a short trip on the s-bahn and a bit of a walk from there but it's worth every second. Hidden away in the trees is a large park and statues built by the Soviets with marble taken from the Reichs Chancellry interior and ivory engravings on each side tell the story of the Russian march to Berlin. Well worth the trip. Until '89 there was an eternal flame burning in the base of a Russian soldier statue stamping out a swastika. It's been a few years since I've been there and it might be in some disrepair as it was commemorating the Soviet victory, but it's worth a shot. Also, if I remember correctly, the building directly to the right of the Brandenburg gate towards Unter den Linden is the old Reichsluftfahrtministerium (Hermann Gorings Air Ministry) It's one of the few Gov't ministry buildings to survive the war. There's the old Bendlerblocke, I forget the modern street name where the old General Staff HQ was, near where Stauffenberg was actually executed with Beck. Of course there's the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedachtniskirche which you can't help but see on the Ku'damm. The 'Topographie of Terrors' on Stressemannstrasse in the basement of a building that was next door to the Gestapo HQ on Prinz Albrect Gelande. There's a story of the Brandenburg Gate that says that at the end of WWII, the sculpture of Victoria on her chariot was so badly damaged that the Soviets had to repair it. When placing it back on the gate, the faced it towards the west(instead of facing east like it had)to symbolize the eventual march to the Atlantic. have fun.

And, to add to the great WWII lists of other posts, Hitler's bunker, which you can't see but is still there. The site is no secret, but don't expect any markers. Debate rages on whether to demolish it or preserve it. It lies under an open field between Brandenberg Gate and Potsdammer Platz.

I was in Berlin last year and stayed at Hotel Art Noveau, a small boutique hotel on the 4th floor of an art deco building. It's within easy walking distance of Sauvigny Platz, KuDamm and various forms of transportation. I very much enjoyed my stay there and found the owners to be very pleasant and helpful. Its web site is hotelartnouveau.com. Good luck.

Thanks for all the tips, especially Ben, Charlie and Vagabond. This is very exciting indeed. I think I will stay in West Berlin, as the girlfriend needs to be appeased and the transportaton links look good.

Best
Allypally