Mrs Muck is off on a girlie weekend in June.

I thought I would take advantage of the opportunity to nip to Berlin and do some WW2 digging and take loads of interesting photographs.

Now I have to say that Mrs Muck does normally tolerate my WW2 interest so much to the extent that she helped me find a Japanese POW camp in Australia

Anyway I have lots of ideas for places to visit in Berlin, plenty of history books too but having never been there I was hoping maybe some of you will have some great and interesting suggestions on places to visit based on your own experiences.. Link that with what I know, should make an interesting weekend.

I will probably be travelling alone. Flying in and staying somewhere in central Berlin. Suggestions for well located mid priced hotels gratefully accepted.

Thanks

Muck

I've stayed a couple of times at an inexpensive little hotel called Hotel Bregenz. Clean and comfortable.

The last time I visited Berlin I finally saw the Bebelplatz, where the book-burning took place. The memorial is unobtrusive, since it is nothing more than a white-painted underground room filled with empty bookshelves. The memorial is covered by a thick plate of plexiglass. You might have to look around a bit to locate it. I couldn't find it until I saw a teacher with a group of high school age students, all looking down at what turned out to be the memorial.

There are some sights I haven't seen but have promised myself that I'll see the next time I go to Berlin. Among them are the Bendlerblock, where leaders of the abortive Stauffenberg assassination of Hitler were executed. There's now a museum to the Resistance there. I also want to go to the Haus der Wannsee Konferenz, where the "Final Solution" was decided upon. It now is a memorial to the Holocaust.

I would also like to visit the Filmmuseum Berlin. They have a room dedicated to the work of Leni Reifenstahl, who made the famous documentary about Hitler, "Triumph of the Will."

I also want to go on the "Infamous Third Reich Sites" tour, which focuses on the sites of major Nazi buildings in central Berlin.

I've spent other Berlin visits seeing museums and palaces, but next time I promise it's WWII for me.

The Topography of Terror Center is outstanding.

Berlin is a city full of world class museums and galleries, you might wish to enjoy something other than WWII sights for two days.
Visit the beautiful Gendarmenmarkt, go for a walk by the river.
see the Bundestag Dome..
I recommend hotel Melia in Mitte. Stayed twice and liked the location very much.

Mucky

You've already had some great suggestions but I'd also add the short train trip out of the city to Sachsenhausen Camp.

Also, I recommend getting hold of a book called Berlin Then and Now by Nick Gay. It has 140 odd pages of photgraphs showing buildings, locations, areas at the time of WW2 and what's there now. I found this really useful and was a 'best buy' for me on my first visit.

An online site that shows similar 'comparison' images is this one:

http://www.thirdreichruins.com/berlin.htm

Joe

Mucky, I hear you. I am another WW II history buff. In my opinion a must see while in Berlin is nearby Potsdam which is to Berlin what Versailles is to Paris. This area was in the Soviet sector for decades after the war and has only been renovated in recent years. You must visit Cecilehof Palace nearby where Truman, Stalin, and Churchill signed the Potsdam agreement which determined the partition of Germany after their surrender. The “castle” was built during WW I in the style of an English Tudor style country home.
Today, the castle is an historic memorial, in which the conference room and the working rooms of the participants in the Potsdam Conference can be visited. Sanssouci Palace, originally build in the days of Fredrick the Great, is also of interest.

Plotenzee

Sachnhasuen Camp at Orangieburg, S-Bahn about 45 minutes

Topography des Terrors

and Soviet Denkmal near Treptow Park

Olympic Stadium

but really Nurnberg has the most complete relics of the Third Reich, as it boasts, in the Nazi Parade Ground and stadium with Der Fuhrer's box from which to Overload the military goose-stepping cast of thousands parades of Nazi troops.

I think if you really want some good information as well as finding and visiting the many historic sites, consider a 3rd Reich walking tour. There are several companies offering this in Berlin and the price is certainly low, averaging 12-15 euro per person. Or, hire a private guide as many of the guides there are absolute experts on this subject.

We have had good luck with Insider tours. They also do tours out to Sachsenhausen, and their tour guides do an excellent, respectful job of presenting this place of horror.

Thank you all so much, I am digesting the information. Back soon.
Am I right in saying that Berlin has 2 international airports?

Which is the most suitable from Cardiff or Bristol?

Sorry not researched this bit yet, but a heads up would be good.

Thanks

Muck

Usually you have no choice. Depends on which airline you choose where you will land.

Schönefeld (SXF) airport is on the Southern edge of town, and mostly serves by low-cost carriers like easyjet or Ryanair.
Tegel (TXL) airport is closer to the Western city center, and a destination for signature airlines.
Both are connected to public transport and the difference in time and costs is not huge. Only taxi rides are significantly more costly to SXF airport (assuming your hotel is in a central Berlin location).

You can check whichbudget.com to see which airlines serve your nearest airports. It looks as if easyjet is the only non-stop service from Bristol, and that there is none from Cardiff.

You will also find WWII related exhibitions at the German Air Force Museum on the former Gatow airfield.
And all kind of mostly military aircrafts, displayed outdoors on the abandoned taxiways and runways. Even though it is post-WWII, Gatow airfield has a strong British history as in 1945 it became the airbase of the British troops stationed in Berlin.
http://www.luftwaffenmuseum.com/index.php?lang=en

Mucky:

Excellent advice you have got so far. The following tips may interest you:

Easyjet flies to Berlin Schönefeld (SXF) from Bristol. This may be your best option. SXF is connected to the city centre by regional trains (RB line 14 to Nauen), A train leaves every 30Minutes, travel time abount 20 minutes to Alexanderplatz. Single fare is €3.00.

As to reasonably priced hotels: Motel One (www.motel-one.com/uk/index.html) has several locations in Berlin with rates starting at €49. Their properties are quite new, rooms are small, but very clean and comfortable.

You may want to check this site: http://berliner-unterwelten.de/home.1.1.html.

This organisation offers underground tours to bunkers from WWII and the cold war.

Hope this helps.

Enjoy your trip.

Phil.

Hi Mucky ! Not sure about Cardiff but I think Easyjet flies to Schoenefeld (sp?) from Bristol. We've been to Berlin three times so far and love it, although I'm afraid I don't share this particular interest of yours Here's a link to a report of our first 2 trips in case anything else in there is of interest - http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34614269

Btw, en route to the PILs last week we took a detour to Six Bells to see 'The Guardian', having seen a documentary about it on BBC4 the week before - we really liked it although wished we'd taken our wellies !!

Hi caroline,
thanks for the report, will digest.
Flights are £111 seems reasonable.

Mrs Muck booked flights to Amsterdam for the girlies so its all systems go.

Just need to check a friend can come too, if he can't I'll book tomorrow.

Thanks for the info, going to get a Berlin map and start working out where I want to go.

Can only find the book "Berlin Then and Now" by Nick Gay in hardback. Is paperback available? I may want to take it with me.

Cheers

Muck

Waterstone's website only seems to list that book in hardback.