Day 23 - Berlin, wir Kommen!

We left Hamburg bound for Berlin at around 1pm and we arrived , after tackling the Stau on the road, around 6:30pm.

Of course there is lots to do in Berlin but I'm really interested in the history of the Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie.  Our lovely budget hotel is just round the corner from Check Point Charlie.  So will have photos of that tomorrow.

Now today is a bit of a history lesson for you ....... or you may already know this and then it's just a history lesson for me :)!  I didn't study history in high school but I really find it very interesting and Europe is one of the best places to experience it. 

After the war Germany was divided into East and West Germany and also Berlin was divided into East and West Berlin - by the conquering forces.  See map below:  

The red area is East Germany and East Berlin and they were controlled by Russia.  West Germany and West Berlin were initially controlled by Britain, USA and France.

Click here for more information about the Berlin Wall and here for more information about East and West Germany.

West Germany and West Berlin became federated in 1949 while Russia still controlled East Germany and East Berlin in a major way.  The wall was built around West Berlin so that the East Germans couldn't flee to the west and that the west couldn't influence the east.

Berlin was originally the capital of Germany.   After WWII Bonn became the temporary capital of West Germany and East Berlin was the capital of East Germany. 

This photo says it all!

The wall came down is 1989 and Tony was living in Hamburg then.  It would have been an amazing time for him!  Berlin then became the capital for the whole of Germany again.

I particularly found the story below very interesting.  Click on the picture and it will take you to more information.

Tomorrow we are going to Checkpoint Charlie, Topography of Terror and also catching up with a friend of Tony's.