Palenque

I was on a train coming out of Basel into Germany when German Re-Unification took effect - well after the Wall fell and the conductor sighed with relief - the long wait is over he muttered or something to that effect.

Seems all Germans wanted divided Germany to be United Germany once again but political re-unification does not translate always to emotional re-unification and i suspect it will take a long time for all Germans to have an equal sense of being German and not Ossies or whatever.

spassvogel

"Seems all Germans wanted divided Germany to be United Germany once again"

How did you figure that out?

The human rights violations etc etc etc etc - not taking into consideration: I could have lived with 2 "Germanies" for the rest of my life. I have never felt that "we" had much in common - besides the language.

SV

daveesl

Well, all I know is this thread made me feel old. When I first saw it today, all I could think of is...


"Geesh, has it really been 20 YEARS?"

danon

'Germany is glued together by mutual detestation. Seriously."

Just like many other countries in Europe ( and beyond)!

WSL

The date of the big celebrations in Berlin is November 9. The evening celebration, the Festival of Freedom, will be a finale to various other events. The festivities begin with a concert, followed by knocking over 2 km of large "dominos" (symbolizing the fall of the wall); dominos were made by German school children. When the last domino falls, there will be fireworks at the Brandenburg Gate. See: http://www.mauerfall09.de/en/portal/...rlin-wall.html. I am not traveling to Berlin specfically for November 9; just happen to be there that day and will cetainly be taking it all in.

Passerine

I have to agree strongly with Ingo and quokka--IMO, Leipzig is the place to be. The story of the the peace movement and the role played by the church is profound and unfortunately overlooked in all the hoopla about the Berlin wall.

(Ingo, if you happen to come back to this thread, I will get my trip report posted. The Westin was a fine hotel. But if you want nice digs at a good price, I'd recommend the new Motel One, just 60 euros a night, almost directly across the street from St. Nikolai and right down the street from Bagel Brothers--a perfect breakfast spot.)

The church is just one of the many things that make Leipzig interesting. On our recently completed trip to Saxony, I liked Dresden a great deal--but I expected to. Leipzig, however, was an unexpected treat and well worth a return visit.

DAX

Passerine, I'm looking forward to your trip report as I'm heading back to LEIPZIG next week. I also found LEIPZIG to excede my expectations when I last visited that's why I'm going back! What did you actually get to see & do in Leipzig?

I can hardly believe that you recommend Motel One over the Westin. Was your stay at the Westin OK?

Ingo

(Hi DAX!)

Passerine, thanks for the info. The Westin is booked now, so it's too late ... but you're right, I saw the Motel One when I was in Leipzig two weeks ago and wondered if it was a good choice. I recall when they built it last year. I don't think it compares in any regard to the Westin, but the locatin is definitely better. Btw, I checked rates and the Motel One is 59 Euro excl. breakfast - I got the Westin for 84 Euro per night INCL. breakfast, so it doesn't make a big difference.

I.

Palenque

Apart from the Wall anniversary there is so much to do from a Leipzig base - nearby gems like Naumberg, Eisenach (Castle where Luther stayed and saw the Devil as witnessed by ink stains from the ink well Luther allegedly flung at the Devil), Weimar (one of the nicest cities in the old DDR i would surmise from what it looked like just after the Wall opened) and Erfurt, for starters - and not to mention Leipzig, whose attractions are far more than its world's biggest train shed or one of at least.

quokka

NaumBURG

Further, Wittenberg and Torgau, Saale and Unstrut wine region, Eisleben, the hidden gems of Halle, Merseburg cathedral, the castles/palaces of Weißenfels, Zeitz, Altenburg...

Palenque

I wonder if there is a place called Burgberg? Or Bergburg?

Ingo

Bernburg

Not to mention Delitzsch, Grimma, the castles of Colditz, Rochlitz, Kriebstein, Mildenstein (Leisnig), Gnandstein ...

Eisenach would be a bit too far IMO.

I.

Palenque

and except for the Luther Burg Eisenach IMO was a dump - of course that was just after the border opened but huge car plant - maybe gussied up but would not put it in a league with others i went to.

Pegontheroad

I don't care who detests whom. For me, the wall was symbolic of a divided Europe, and it was fantastic when it came down. I never, ever thought such a thing would happen.

I did have a teacher from the GDR who told us what it was like for him and the people whom he knew during the time of these protests.

Passerine

Dax, the Westin was an excellent property, we have absolutely no complaints. However, my traveling companion's mobility was much more severely limited than expected, so we couldn't walk from the Westin to the old town, we had to take taxis everywhere in both Leipzig and Dresden. Staying at the Motel One would have saved me quite a few euros (for that same reason, we had to cancel our room at the Gewandhaus in Dresden).

Aside from that, I'd stay at the Westin again in a heartbeat. For most people, it's an easy walk from the hotel to the train station or to the heart of the old town.

quokka

"Burgberg"? I don't know a town with that name, but it is the name of many hilltops which have a castle on them.

DAX

Passerine, sorry to hear about your partner's walking limitation, sounds like it's more of a challenge than expected. I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed staying at the Leipzig Westin as I will be staying there next week. Looking forward to your report on Leipzig and Dresden.
Hello Ingo! Hope your business trip is going well!

Palenque

BBC had an interesting report on this whole 20th anniversary hoopla - or actually the lack of hoopla in Germany itself - and they said younger folk in the former DDR seem to know little about the old DDR - they interviewed some in Berlin and they said though their parents had told them a few things they really had little idea of life in the old DDR - but some said their parents had told them that everyone had a job, guaranteed job, etc and they thought that may have even been better. the kids were sitting in front of the DDR Museum in Berlin and said they had never been to it, nor the Wall Memorial, STASI museum, etc.