Last Friday we went on a field trip to the Berlin Wall. Our tour guide was born in the former east and had tried escaping to the west until he was caught and put in jail. For those that don't know, the wall was not just one wall dividing the city. It was two walls with many obstacles in between. If you somehow were able to make it to the middle guards watching in towers would shoot to kill. Bellow you see me standing in this death zone. Today it looks like a an overgrown field, but if I was standing here thirty years ago I would not be posting this blog.
At a different place along the wall there is a memorial for a church that was demolished be the Nazis. the wall was build around the church, isolating it from the rest of the world. The reason for the demolition of the church was, it sat between two guard towers which blocked there view of escapees. On the inside of the memorial there is a piece of the original church. You can see the Nazis defiled the original church; carving away the most important biblical people.
Being there at the Berlin wall must have been very emotional. You can read about the horrors of the past, but I would think it really touches your soul to actually stand in the spot where so many were executed.
ReplyDeleteYes, most of the people on the field trips are very unappreciative. I try and imagine what it would be like even 30-40 years ago and I can't. To think that this city was once cattle trucked up and today I can walk around freely is crazy.
DeleteMiss you guys to! I'm sure there will be another grill session when i get back. Hopefully you all will be there.