Art Everywhere

Encircled by the Iron Curtain, West Berlin was not for everyone during the Cold War.   Instead, it became a magnet for non-conformists in search of an alternative lifestyle. As a result, subcultures, squats and street art became an integral part of Berlin's culture.

When the Wall came down, many East Berliners moved West.  But many West Berliners also moved East.  Moving East allowed them to take advantage of the abandoned apartment buildings and complexes and freedom from strict oversight or regulation as government dealt with the bigger issues of reunification.

Although many of the Squatter residences that developed in the 90s have been pushed out in the last 10 years, a few have been grandfathered and remain operational today.  Interestingly, these residences have actually become more businesslike in their operations often offering theatre performances, bars and other services to the public in order to raise the necessary funds to keep up the buildings.

Street art abounds in the city and can be seen almost everywhere.  The art is often quite experimental, using different techniques and different tools such as paint, paper, tiles, stickers and the like.  Perhaps our favourite painting concept was when artists de-pressurized old fire hydrants, filled them with paint, and then repressurized them and sprayed with wild abandon.

Even big businesses have gotten in on the street art phenomenon, with global companies like Nike commissioning artists to create painted advertisements across the city.

There is naturally some tension between the artists and the business people.   Many of the artist quarters have been gentrified over the years, making them too expensive for the artists to continue renting in these areas.  As a result, many of the artists who made these areas appealing have been pushed further and further from the core of the city. In protest, many of the artists have retaliated by painting over some of their pieces that made areas so attractive and cool in the first place.

In an attempt to keep the culture alive, Berlin is now promoting itself as the Techno Capital of the world. This has definitely brought people to the city but many worry that it is bringing the wrong crowd, attracting Europeans who just want to party and get wasted.


Although Berlin, like most cities, struggles to find the balance between tradition and development, we hope that they find a way to maintain this gritty artist culture. It certainly has made the city what it is today and adds a depth and realness to the city that is hard to duplicate.

Two Sides of the Same Wall

Close to Checkpoint Charlie - the former main crossing between East and West Berlin - is the Asisi Panorama.

This art installation consists of a cylindrical rotunda that displays a panorama of what daily life would have been like on each side of the Wall.  Visitors can either stand at ground level and experience trying to peer over the Wall to the East or on a raised platform to compare the two regions side by side.

The Panorma was created by modelling a full-sized 3D version of the image - complete with real actors - and then taking photographs that were transferred onto a gigantic canvas wrap.  The lighting changes over time to show a transition from morning to night and has German commentary conveying some of the local daily activities on either side of the Wall.

The experience was genuinely haunting, causing goosebumps and a deep feeling of unease.  It was surreal to see neighbouring houses experience such different ways of life.

The viewer's proximity to the Wall's Death Strip and the boarded up buildings where the Wall cut through former residences, made the experience even more eerie and upsetting.

Although very heavy, Geoff managed to find one lighter spot when he quickly spotted the image of a man in the West throwing up on the sidewalk after a long night at the local tavern.  A much needed giggle in an otherwise very intense experience.

A Lasting Reminder

When the Berlin Wall started to come down at the end of 1989, many worried that the entire Wall would be removed, leaving no trace of its existence or what it represented.

In response, a few artists (from Scotland) called out to artists from around the world to meet and undertake a massive art installation on a large section of the Wall.

And so they met.  And they painted.

These paintings ensured the preservation of this long section of the Wall which now comprises the East Side Gallery Berlin.  The Wall showcases 105 different paintings, which express thoughts about the Wall, its role in the city and its impact around the World.

The East Side Gallery of the Wall is considered the largest and longest open-air gallery in the World and is located in Kreuzburg, along the Spree River.

Sadly, much of the artwork has been vandalized over the years, with many pieces completely destroyed.

There has been an attempted restoration, but this has been met with conflict.  Many of the artists are upset that part of the Wall was moved to facilitate the building of new condos and other development, and thus refuse to either participate in repainting their works or letting anyone else update them.

As such, the Wall now represents a new tension - between the artists and business people.

Shopping and History rolled into one...

Berlin's most famous department store, KaDeWe, is more than just a shopping haven with a great food gallery – it is a reflection of the endurance and survival of the city.

Opened in 1907 by a Jewish retailer, the department store served the affluent middle class of the Tiergarten district. By 1926, it was considered the largest department store in Europe.

After the National Socialists gained power in 1933, the store was boycotted and the owners were forced to sell their shares and ultimately leave the country.  The store, however, remained intact until a US plane crashed into it in 1943.

After the war, the store was rebuilt and re-opened in 1950. It stood as a symbol of the re-birth and resilience of the Berlin people and has become a treasured landmark.

After the Wall came down in 1989, the store was flooded with Easterners coming to experience a taste of the West.

One of the more recent additions to the store is a new Food Hall on the top floor.  And so we went to have a taste.  Although a bit chaotic with shoppers pushing through to the different food stations, the solarium dining area was open and airy and gave wonderful vistas of the surrounding areas.  A perfect break to an afternoon of shopping and history...

Healthy Coke?

Perhaps it is available everywhere now, but Berlin is the first place where we have seen"Coca Cola Life". This "healthy alternative" uses sugar cane and stevia instead of sugar in its drinks. 

Taste-test Conclusion:  Not sure the health factor is enough to make Geoff buy it again...

The Diversity of Berlin

Although at the center of WWII, Berlin suffered far less structural damage than expected.  Of course, many buildings were heavily damaged beyond repair. But many, especially some of the key historical sites, were able to be restored, suffering minor structural damage or bullet holes.

In contrast to these historical landmarks, Berlin’s re-building after the war has a totally different feel.

The East Berlin Communist buildings are enormous  and showcase equally sized and spaced windows, heights and entranceways, with buildings repeated numerous times down numerous streets.

The Post-Communism architecture takes a contrasting approach –  each building feels individual and custom and many embrace the use of glass (perhaps to represent openness and light).  Many of the buildings also brilliantly incorporate both historical and modern design elements.


Key landmarks such as the Brandenburg Gate and the Berlin TV Tower anchor the city's architecture, but each community offers a wealth of beautiful architecture to explore.  From the Sony Center Complex in Potsdamer Platz, to the Government Buildings and the updated Reichstag, to the Oberbaum Bridge to the squatter residences and artist communities, Berlin certainly offers architecture to please all tastes.

A great introduction to the variety of architecture and the very different neighbourhoods is by cruising down the Spree.

Gutentag Berlin!

Trying to remain calm when our luggage did not arrive with us in Berlin, we became slightly more concerned when we arrived at the airport's "lost luggage" desk to find it had been permanently closed and replaced by a random 1-800 phone that didn't work.  With few options, we left the issue unresolved and headed into to the city to get settled, hopeful that our bags would arrive at some point.

The apartment we rented (at the corner of Wilhelmstrasse and Wilhelmstrasse!) was in the heart of Mitte and within walking distance to several key sights.

We had chosen this apartment in part because of the location and also because it had many amenities that are often rare to find in rentals - both a washing machine AND a dishwasher!   We were unfussed by the fact it didn't have air conditioning because, after looking at the monthly average temperatures, we figured we wouldn't need it.

This turned out to be a miscalculation.

Although our first week in Berlin saw frigid temperatures - people were wearing ski jackets and scarves - our second week saw the complete opposite. Berlin was in the 30s every day and even hit a record breaking 40+ day.   Go figure that this was one time when we were both absolutely swamped with work and needed to stay close to home!

Needless to say, by midday the top-floor apartment was roasting and we felt on the verge of heat exhaustion. When even the local Starbucks didn't offer the necessary refuge - open doors was simply not breezy enough for us - we found ourselves frequent visitors of the nearby Marriott hotel's cafe, ordering numerous cold drinks and enjoying the air conditioning while we typed away on our computers.

On the weekends, however, we managed to get out and enjoy some of the city.

Museum Island

Our first stop was the DDR Museum to learn more about the Communist way of life in East Berlin. We were lucky to have booked tickets online as when we arrived, the ticket line-up was around the block.  Note to Self:   When all shops are closed on Sundays, museums are sure to be packed!

The Museum was incredibly well put together, highlighting the different aspects of Eastern life in the city from jobs and wages, to consumer goods and fashion, to vacations (including the nudist holiday movement!) and the social scene, to home decor and eating habits and, of course, propaganda and politics.

Although crowded, the Museum provided a really great overview.  We were most surprised to learn that it wasn't that people couldn't afford to buy the latest gadgets, it was rather that the city had a prohibition on them.   Perhaps most disturbing was that children were taught to count and spell etc. using military weapons and phrases in order to instill at a young age the need to fight and be at war for their country.

Near to the Museum, we hopped on a Spree River Tour to see more of both East and West Berlin.

The tour passed by Museum Island  and then the site of the old Palace, which was torn down and replaced by the Palace of the Republic (a place for everyone) during the Communist era.  It was recently discovered that the new Palace was full of asbestos so it too has been torn down.

Getting out of the main tourist quarter, the residential East side of Berlin sported a number of riverside "hole in the ground" bars as well as many recently-built luxury condos.  This has caused some controversy in the area as many artists and less affluent people are being pushed out and forced to relocate further away from the city center.

The new buildings in the East are unusual and cutting-edge, with many successfully embracing the blend of old and new design approaches.  Sculptures also line the water, as does the longest section of the remaining Berlin Wall.  

Much of the land abutting the waterway has remained parkland, attracting lots of locals and tourists who come to stroll or cycle along the water and pull up some grass to lounge in the sunshine.  

The Western side of Berlin also feels quite new, offering a modern parliament complex, including the Reichstag, with its new glass dome.  Although Beth tried to go and climb the Dome one day, she received a troubling email the morning of her visit to say her ticket had  been cancelled.   She tries not to think about why this was the case.

  

People had recommend that taking a boat tour provides the best overview of the city and we agree - it was awesome to see the unusual and attractive architecture and get a better sense of the different communities as we sailed from one part of the river to the next.