Berlin today?...

[steve h]

A good day to you all. in April '18 i shall be popping over to berlin for 5 days.It's a place i have always wanted to visit, and want to do my research before arriving. so to cut to the chase...

What would berlin residents/people who have visited and know the city reccomend please?.

Obviously, WW2 is what i want to see, i have already pencilled in a trip to sachsenhausen. i will be accompanied by my 19 yr old daughter and she really wants to go there, i have already been to the site of bergen -belsen, but she really 'feels' the need to visit the site of one of the camps, so that's one day accounted for.

i would like to see the old 'ministry' buildings, flak towers, hidden gems etc etc.

so come on guys!. hit me!!.

[Lutfen]

Hi Steve

I was there back in 2013 for my birthday and loved the place, having originally visited in 1989 just before the wall came down. As a treat, I stayed at the Adlon, overlooking the Brandenburg Gate - both iconic locations. From there, I headed out to the Humbolthain Flak Tower and also travelled to the Wannsee villa where Heydrich hosted the meeting that discussed the 'final solution to the Jewish question'. Generally, the old Russian sector, East Berlin, displayed a lot of visible scars from the war - as seen on the victory tower, the Siegessäule.

Michael

[Lutfen]

Flak Turm and Wannsee.

[Lutfen]

Siegessäule, with battle damage.

[Lutfen]

Another obvious location is the Reichstag. And for sustenance, I liked the Teehaus im Englishen Garten - great beer and food (it had schnitzel...) - located in the Tiergarten.

Michael

[KLMKsunbunny]

Hi Steve, so much, so little time..!

Top of my list is the tour inside the Humboldthain Flak tower, tours re-start in April, but depending on the weather. You can see the outside though, head to the Gesundbrunnen station and take the Brunnenstrasse exit from the platform. Across the road you will see a park, flakturm is in there on top of the hill overlooking the railway lines. its not always easy to see from the road, depending on the vegetation.

Tours: https://www.berliner-unterwelten.de/en.html

The ww2 bunker tours are also recommended, and they often put a human spin on the stories, so theyre good for non military nuts too

Personally I like to visit the Soviet war memorials, you will find one near the Reichstag, with two T-34's and artillery. It is the last resting place for some 2000 Soviet soldiers who died during the fighting in Berlin. There is also the massive one in Treptow park, complete with Reichs Chancellery marble.

I have pics, but I use an outside host so I'm not sure if I can add them here..?

So many others..!

Before you go, study Geoff Walden's excellent site:

http://thirdreichruins.com/berlin.htm

And pick up this handy little book to take out with you:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Past-Finder...40_&dpSrc=srch

[jager100]

Fascinating Place, definitely on my bucket list

[Woolgar]

Great pics

I am going back there in April, the first time since 1980! I'm sure I will notice a few changes

Nick

[Tom B]

My last trip was in 1988. The wall was still up. The Reichschancellery area was still an open field and it was a few months before the "Bunker" was dug up. Went to HG's Air Ministry complex which was very interesting. Tom

[Mil-Archive]

I'd recommend the Third reich walking tours, I've done different ones over the years & far as I recall there is a 1/5 day one which takes in lunch and sounds overkill but it's all interesting. The 'Then and Now' series of books will be useful too.

For Hotels I'd recommend the Park Inn at Alexanderplatz. If you fancy a small excursion Sachsenhausen is in close striking distance too.

[Geoff Walden]

It's outside the "city" proper, but if you have the time I recommend the Olympic Stadium area. It's very impressive, even after the remodeling, and there is MUCH to see right around there (if you go, don't miss the bell tower, original bell, horse holder statues, etc.)

[Rakkasan187]

I was stationed in Berlin from 86-90, had a great time there. The city is so rich with history.. If you get the chance there is a great Cold War museum in the old American sector across the street from "Clay Compound" which was the US sector headquarters, also "Andrews Barracks" which was an SS Liebstandarte barracks and after WW2 the US occupied the compound. It now houses the bundesarchives I think. The red brick buildings were still there when I left but that was in 1990 after the wall came down. Just down the street from Andrews was McNair Barracks, which I believe are all but gone now except for the clock tower. This was also an American barracks for the infantry units stationed in Berlin.

I have not visited since I left so I am sure the sights I was used to seeing have changed and when the US Forces left in 1994, most of the buildings were torn down or repurposed..

The Soviet Cemetery in Treptow Park is incredible, as well as many of the other locations on the Ku'Damm and other parts of the city..

You will have a great time

Leigh