Sign in with Facebook"Margie Bang in Berlin" Berlin by MissyWQ
Berlin Travel Guide: 6,866 reviews and 15,332 photos
Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedachtniskirche, a church destroyed during the war whose bombed-out shell stands next to the modern octagonal church that replaced it,
Took a train ride to Berlin through East Germany Jan. 1961. U.S. Military Police guarded shaded windows so no-one could look at Communist East Germany. How ridiculous!
I managed to get a bus tour in a Mercedes bus into East Berlin. Following us were horse carts and wagons even in 1961. I remember Stalin-Alle which was a boulevard built with rows of fascade-fake buildings with only fronts. (Behind was all rubble still there after World War II.) The boulevard was for Soviet Union propaganda news photos. West Berlin cleaned up the rubble and made a park with "rolling green hills." At night, the view from the top of the Hilton Hotel was spectacular with night lights on the West Berlin, but the East Berlin was sadly dark.
On August 13, 1961, the German Democratic Republic (GDR) decided to block off East Berlin and West Berlin by means of barbed wire. Streets were torn up, and barricades erected. Rail lines and the subway between East and West Berlin was torn up.
People of East Berlin and the GDR were no longer allowed to enter West Berlin disrupting 60,000 commuters who were employed in West Berlin. Within the year, construction work began to build a solid wall separating the two cities. The rest is history. But on November 9, 1989, the wall came down.
The Berlin Airlift memorial remembers the 77 servicemen who died in the effort to supply West Berlin between June 1948 and May 1949 with provisions.
Address: Platz der Luftbrücke , 12101 Berlin-Tempelhof
Public Trans: U-Bahn Platz der Luftbrücke(U6)
The museum is not the only memorial to the Airlift crews, particularly to the Allied airmen who lost their lives in trying to keep the city supplied with enough food and fuel for the winter. The Luftbrucke Memorial is a representation of an unfinished bridge, draped in the flags of the three nations.
We stayed at the U.S. hotel across from the "Luft-Brucke memorial. Our friend, an U.S. Army Col. had flown many trips into Templehof Air field years before. He brought coal and vegetables into isolated West Berlin until rail and road travel was restored by Russia. They built the infamous Berlin wall later that year and the rest is history.
MissyWQ's Related Pages
Berlin Travel Guide
Member Travel Pages
- "More than the capital of Germany"
- "Berlin"
- "Berlin, Berlin - wir fahren nach Berlin!"
- "Berlin in my way"
- "Wunderbar Berlin"
- "Berlin - the whole world in one town"
- "Berlin .... und das ist gut so!"
- See All...
Categories
- Things to Do in Berlin
- Hotels in Berlin
- Transportation in Berlin
- Nightlife in Berlin
- Restaurants in Berlin
- Shopping in Berlin
- Warnings and Dangers in Berlin
- See All...
Nearby Travel Guides
- Berlin Travel Guide
- Großer Wannsee Travel Guide
- Pfaueninsel Travel Guide
- See All...
Badges & Stats in Berlin
- 0 Reviews
- 2 Photos
- 0 Forum posts
- 67 Comments
- 1,328PageViews
- See All Stats
- See All Badges (2)
Have you been to Berlin?
Share Your TravelsLatest Activity in Berlin
- Posted in Travel San José Forum "Cruise ship coral princess..."
- Commented on one of Yaqui's Berlin travel pages
- updated a Berlin Travel Page "Margie Bang in Berlin"
- Uploaded a Photo to "Margie Bang in Berlin"
Top 10 Pages
-
Santa Barbara
Intro, 6 reviews, 7 photos
-
Norway
Intro, 2 reviews, 9 photos
-
Nürnberg
Intro, 4 reviews, 6 photos, 1 travelogue
-
Reno
Intro, 2 reviews, 6 photos
-
Las Vegas
Intro, 4 reviews, 2 photos
-
Frankfurt am Main
Intro, 2 reviews, 4 photos
-
New York City
Intro, 2 reviews, 3 photos
-
Tokyo
Intro, 4 reviews, 1 photo
-
Washington D.C.
Intro, 1 review, 4 photos
-
Santa Ynez
Intro, 4 photos
Latest Berlin hotel reviews
- Boulevard Am Kurfuerstendamm Hotel
- 1 Review & Opinion
- Adina Apartment Hotel Berlin Checkpoint Charlie
- 446 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 18, 2013 - AGON Aldea Hotel Berlin
- 220 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 9, 2013 - ArtHotel Connection
- 59 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 1, 2013 - Westin Grand Hotel Berlin
- 637 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 16, 2013 - Crowne Plaza Hotel Berlin City Centre
- 342 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 15, 2013 - Hostel am Friedrichshain
- 2 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Mar 17, 2013 - Nh Berlin-Mitte
- 215 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 17, 2013 - Hotel Markischer Hof
- 17 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 2, 2013 - Derag Hotel Grosser Kurfuerst
- 186 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 18, 2013 - Green Eggs and Ham
- 4 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jul 25, 2010 - Top Derag Hotel Koenigin Luise Berlin
- 34 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 14, 2013 - Aparotel Berlin
- 19 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 3, 2013 - Spreebogen Hotel Berlin
- 89 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 14, 2013 - Businesshotel Berlin
- 9 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Mar 11, 2013
Comments (61)
The Luftbruecke certainly was a godsend for my aunt and uncle who were living there during this tough time..
Interesting insight into Berlin. I think it is about time to revisit it now to see all the changes. :o)
Agin great and interesting personal experiences. Berlin is a reborn and proud city - still with many problems but a wondeful place to spend time. I live 15 mins walk from Tempelhof!
Well, Berlin has changed since 1961 :)! Although I've been living here for more than 15 years now I hardly have any pics...shame on me! Will try to change that soon though
Hi there, It's about time you came back for another visit to Berlin. Things have changed since 1961. Please check out my new tips on Berlin. Bitte.. Nigel
The Cold War was indeed a dangerous time. Just as now: We have a Dirty War. Thanks for a fine account.
did u try kit kat night club???
Very changed city today. You need to get back & compare
Berlin in 1961 - certainly an interesting time to visit ...
My son would love that plane! Berlin is one of my favorite ci