Europe Trip 2011 #12: Checkpoint Charlie and Museum

It's drizzling today with occasional rain, which is actually a big relief! The cloud and drizzle has kept the temperature down to 21 degrees as of about 2pm - almost 10 degrees cooler than previous days! Yay for rain! :-)

I had intended to take today fairly easy anyway as I had been rushing around a lot the past few days, and I'm supposed to be on holiday, and therefore taking it easy :-) Yeah right! Today I have been to Checkpoint Charlie and to the Checkpoint Charlie Museum. Checkpoint Charlie is around 5 minutes walk from my hotel, so very close and convenient.

It is a bit "fake" in a sense [for example, there used to be a huge checkpoint here with 8 or 10 lanes in and out], and the poeple in US uniforms are genuine, original German actors :-) However, it's a good place to visit, in fact, one of the "must see" attractions. Around the area there are large areas of fences with information in several languages about the historical significance and happenings not only at this location, but also other places where the wall stood.

Similarly in the museum there are large number of exhibits and information displays about many of the awful, and brave things that occurred while the wall was up. There are many stories of escapes, and attempted escapes, as well as displays of artefacts from the era, from both side of the wall. Moving and very interesting. I didn't get a lot of pictures from inside the museum itself - there were very few cameras out and I didn't want to be that tourist looking for pictures but not taking anything in.

Anyway, on to a few pictures. firstly, 2 pictures of the checkpoint.

Next is a piece of the wall. note the post next to it. It says DEUTCHE DEMOKRATISCHE REPUBLIK [German Democratic Republic]. Democratic? Yeah right :-(

Next up is the outside of the museum, followed by two photos from inside. Click on the one with the picture of Stalin - it shows what people think of him these days! The odd contraption that follows is a home made aircraft [looks like a weight-shift trike] which was used in a successful escape. The caption beside it read as follows:

The first self-built escape aircraft until now. Manufactured components were only a Trabant car motor tank and wheels, all other parts, even the propeller were self-made. 100km/ 4. Aug. 84

Last photo is a bit different. It was raining hard for a few minutes after I got out of the museum... so hard that it even [temporarily] got between me and a tasty rostbratworst sausage... My stomach won eventually though :-)