Die Grenzenlage ist 20 Jahre nach dem Mauerfall fast vollkommen aus dem Berliner Stadtbild verschwunden. Die Erinnerungen jedoch sind geblieben. Vom 13. August 1961 bis zum 9. November 1989 umschloß eine 155km lange Mauer den Westteil von Berlin. Im Zickzackkurs durchschnitt sie die Stadt : eine etwa 3,60m hohe Wand aus Betonelementen, mit einer Röhre obendrauf. Auf der Ostseite verlief zudem ein breiter Grenzstreifen mit Signalzäunen, Sperren, Hundelaufanlagen, Lichttrassen, Wachtürmen und einen Kolonnenweg. Eine Hinterlandsmauer trennte den Todesstreifen vom Ost-Berliner Stadtgebiet. Im Laufe der Zeit wurde die Grenzanlage immer weiter ausgebaut, bis sie fast unüberwindbar war. An acht Grenzübergängen konnten Menschen aus West-Berlin nach Ost-Berlin reisen. Von den DDR-Bürgern durften nur Rentner und Personen mit einer Sondergenehmigung die Grenze überqueren. Reste der Berliner Hinterlandmauer stehen unter anderem auf dem Invalidenfriedhod, dem Friedhof St Hedwig und im Mauerpark. Überbleibsel der Grenzmauer findet man in der Liesenstraßa und der Niederkichnerstraße, das 200m lange Stück am Ausstellungsgelände der Topographie des Terrors wurde 1990 unter Denkmalschutz gestellt. Darüber hinaus erinnern zahlreiche Gedenkstätten, Installationen und Kunstwerke an die Teilung Berlins. Im Stadtzentrum markiert zudem eine 6km lange Linie aus Pflastersteinen den früheren Grenzverlauf. An vielen Stellen informieren Tafeln über den Bau und den Fall der Mauer, etwa in der Freilicht-Galerie am Checkpoint Charlie, im neuen U-Bahnhof Brandenburger Tor und am Berliner Mauerweg. Die lange Rad-u Wanderroute kennzeichnet den Verlauf der ehemaligen DDR-Grenzanlagen rund um West-Berlin. | Twenty years after it was toppled, the Wall that once divided Berlin has almost completely disappeared. But it is not forgotten. The Berlin Wall, a structure of concrete slabs topped by a concrete pipe, was erected on August 13, 1961 and parted the city until November 9, 1989. Up to 3.60m / 11.8ft high and 155km / 96mi long, the Wall zigzagged around the western side, totally cutting it off. On the East side, a floodlit no man’s land 30m / 33yd wide with electric fences, watchtowers, barriers, dogs, and a patrol path was separated from East Berlin city by a rear wall. Eventually the Wall became virtually impregnable. While West Berliners could enter East Berlin at eight checkpoints, only retirees and holders of special permits could cross into the West. Parts of the rear wall still exist at Invalidenfriedhof and St Hedwig cemeteries, and of the border wall on Liesenstraße and Niederkirchnerstraße; the 200m / 220yd section on the Topography of Terror memorial site became a listed momument in 1990. Many other memorials, installations and artworks recall the division of Berlin. A 6km / 3.7mi line of paving stones downtown marks the Wall’s path. Plaques at the open-air gallery at Checkpoint Charlie, in the new subway station Brandenburger Tor and on the Berlin Wall Trail tell the Wall’s story, from construction to fall. This long hiking and bike path traces the course of the former GDR fortifications that once encircled West Berlin. |
The German capital is celebrating : an array of exhibitions and events commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Fall of the Wall and the end of the divided Berlin, the historic event that ushered in the end of the Cold War. Berlin has developed rapidly since then. It has rebuilt its famous museums and transformed itself into a dynamic city. Morphosis offers you nine tips for an enlightening journey into the past. Click bold words below to be redirected to the matching website.
Memorials and galleries :
*East Side Gallery
in 1990, 188 artists from 21 countries created the longest open-air gallery in the world on a 1.3km / 0.8mi stretch of the Berlin Wall. They have just restored their original paintings and added a coat of protective sealant.
*Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer
The Berlin Wall Memorial shows the Wall’s true scale. Its Documentation Center retraces the Wall’s construction and the Chapel of reconciliation holds four weekly memorial services for victims.
*Gedenkstätte Günter Litfin
Jürgen Litfin has turned a former watchtower near Humbolthafen dock into a small museum and memorial for his brother and all those who died at the Wall.
*Mauermuseum
The museum is not exactly bright and modern, admittedly, but the exhibits are well worth a visit. A hot-air balloon, a powered kite and a mini-submarine are among the unusual means of escape displayed.
Exhibitions :
*Friedliche Revolution 1989/90
Uprising, revolution, unification ! The exhibition on Alexanderplatz recounts the story of East Germany’s peaceful revolution and self-liberation in word, image, film and audio recordings.
*Wir waren so frei
This exhibition includes fims and photos taken by private individuals between May 1989 and December 1990, as well as television reports from around the world.
Wall tours :
*“Geteilte Stadt“ Videobustour
Bus tour to original film locations with full guided commentary and on-screen shwings of excerpts from films about life in the shadow of the Wall.
*Berlin on Bike
A guided bike tour along 12km / 7.5mi of the former border, with visits to Wall remnants and memorials.
*Berliner Unterwelten
This tour takes you to the sites of spectacular, successful and also failed escape tunnel projects.
Memorials and galleries :
*East Side Gallery
in 1990, 188 artists from 21 countries created the longest open-air gallery in the world on a 1.3km / 0.8mi stretch of the Berlin Wall. They have just restored their original paintings and added a coat of protective sealant.
*Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer
The Berlin Wall Memorial shows the Wall’s true scale. Its Documentation Center retraces the Wall’s construction and the Chapel of reconciliation holds four weekly memorial services for victims.
*Gedenkstätte Günter Litfin
Jürgen Litfin has turned a former watchtower near Humbolthafen dock into a small museum and memorial for his brother and all those who died at the Wall.
*Mauermuseum
The museum is not exactly bright and modern, admittedly, but the exhibits are well worth a visit. A hot-air balloon, a powered kite and a mini-submarine are among the unusual means of escape displayed.
Exhibitions :
*Friedliche Revolution 1989/90
Uprising, revolution, unification ! The exhibition on Alexanderplatz recounts the story of East Germany’s peaceful revolution and self-liberation in word, image, film and audio recordings.
*Wir waren so frei
This exhibition includes fims and photos taken by private individuals between May 1989 and December 1990, as well as television reports from around the world.
Wall tours :
*“Geteilte Stadt“ Videobustour
Bus tour to original film locations with full guided commentary and on-screen shwings of excerpts from films about life in the shadow of the Wall.
*Berlin on Bike
A guided bike tour along 12km / 7.5mi of the former border, with visits to Wall remnants and memorials.
*Berliner Unterwelten
This tour takes you to the sites of spectacular, successful and also failed escape tunnel projects.
Berlin celebrates the Fall of the Wall today with witnesses, celebrities and guests from around the world. The Freedom Festival kicks off on Pariser Platz with Daniel Barenboim conducting Staatskapelle Berlin in an open-air concert followed by the symbolic tumbling of a roughly 2km / 1.2mi wall of giant dominos set up two days ago to mark the Wall’s position between the Reichtag, Brandenburg Gate and Potsdam Square. In the run-up weeks, a red staircase informing about “20 years after the Wall” events will be located in front of the main train station.
