Comments for My Trip to Berlin

Comment on So Many Stairs by fitzage

fitzage — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 22:25:51 +0000

Developing a taste for beer, eh? Congratulations!

Comment on Holocaust Memorial by Stephanie Bowyer

Stephanie Bowyer — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 06:33:22 +0000

@Michael Henreckson
I think all the atrocities of that time period are something extremely difficult, if not impossible, to imagine. Listening to some of those stories and seeing the places and the pictures made everything so much more real, and this was absolutely shocking. In a few cases, it was downright sickening and I had to close my eyes for a minute. The audio guide, I felt, did an excellent job of making you experience all the horrors without going into so much detail that you can’t take it anymore.

The whole experience was not just sobering, it was absolutely shocking.

Comment on Holocaust Memorial by Stephanie Bowyer

Stephanie Bowyer — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 06:27:44 +0000

@Dad
According to the little information brochure, the memorial “was built between 2003 and 2005 according to a design by the architect Peter Eisenman. This design represents a radical approach to the traditional concept of a memorial, partly because he does not use any symbolism. The grid pattern, consisting of 2,711 concrete stelae, which can be walked through from all sides, leaves it up to visitors to find their own way in and out of the complex.”

I think the stelae are just a design concept, without specific symbolism attached to them. The audio guide talked about the design a little bit, but that was at the beginning of the tour, and everything after it was so involved that I don’t remember it very clearly.

You can walk in between them. The last picture up there is a view from between them, looking up toward the sky.

The ground underneath them is very uneven, which is supposed to be more symbolic of the Jewish history, I think. The middle of the memorial dips down quite a bit, so the stelae are very tall here. From the outside, they don’t look that much taller, though. The stelae appear to only vary a little bit in their heights, which makes you feel like it is in fact the ground that varies.

Comment on Holocaust Memorial by Michael Henreckson

Michael Henreckson — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 03:28:49 +0000

It’s just chilling to think of the horrors of that time period. It’s hard to imagine that hate is so powerful. It seems impossible that the events of WWII could ever be repeated. Then again, Russia was just invading Georgia, which is suspiciously like what Hitler did by invading Poland in the ’30s.

Comment on Holocaust Memorial by Dad

Dad — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:11:49 +0000

What is the symbology behind the stelae? They look like big concrete blocks, but what do they represent? Why are some taller than others? And can you walk around between them?

Comment on S-Bahn Ring by Stephanie Bowyer

Stephanie Bowyer — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 22:56:25 +0000

@fitzage
Yeah, it’s everywhere here. I’ll have to get some pictures.

Comment on S-Bahn Ring by fitzage

fitzage — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 22:52:56 +0000

When we were in Swizerland, I noticed some really artistic grafiti near some of the train stations.

Comment on God Is Good by Michael Henreckson

Michael Henreckson — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 00:37:57 +0000

Poor girl, stuck in Berlin. I’d think that realizing how blessed you are to have that experience might help with the home-sickness and hanging out at church should help too. Have fun.

Comment on Photo Attempts by fitzage

fitzage — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 23:27:04 +0000

I really like the first two, especiall Brandenburg Gate.

Comment on For My Birthday by Belated Posting « My Trip to Berlin

Belated Posting « My Trip to Berlin — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:54:02 +0000

[...] I suppose I didn’t post all day yesterday, did I? Must have been distracted by my brand new, 700-page book. Fortunately, I’m a very fast reader, and have finished it already. It was excellent, and a [...]