Off to Berlin.

Tyler

Tyler

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Hey fellas.

Well, as the title states, I'm off to Berlin to partake in some German Christmas markets and festivals with the Misses for the Christmas break. We'll be there for 9 days, and apart from the regular toristy stuff; if you guys were going, what would you want to see? What kind of milsurp collector stuff would you look for that you can't easily find in Canada?

So far, the German Historical Museum and the German-Russian Museum at Berlin-Karlshorst are on the list. Any other suggestions?

I figured I would post this here, as I'm looking for some historic tourist sights that are off the popular map. As far as I know, the Germans aren't too proud of their recent history, and from what I've heard, they have gone to some lengths to cover over that part of their history, the Führerbunker being one example. So I can appreciate that some things will be hard to find.

So, if any of you could go, what would be on your list?

P.S. I'll be sure to take lots of pictures.
 
Be sure to eat some Curry Wurst for me when you are strolling down Unter den Linden! ;)

Check out the Seelow Heights museum when you are there also.

Küstriner Straße 28a, 15306 Seelow
http://www.gedenkstaette-seelower-hoehen.de/

Also, there is the Gestapo Headquarters memorial right down the strasse from the Brandenburger Tor. It is neat. You can also view a nice picture there of a German citizen registering his hunting rifle with the SS Sicherheitsdienst! :D See, registration works! :redface:
 
there are WWII tours, they take you to the apartments where the Fuhrerbunker was, now a parking lot. Similar other ones too. Just not sure what youll find in the winter season.
 
Take your wife to the KaDeWe on Tauentzienstraße, an absolutely amazing shopping center. It even had a wine and cheese tasting counter right in the store, if you enjoy that kind of thing. The KaDeWe is also very close to the ruins of the Kaiser Wilhelm church which are a must see if you're in the area.

When I was there I took a van tour of WWII and post war sites, it covers everything you can imagine within the city limits. I believe the tour cost 32 Euro per person (in 2007) and was well worth it.

As far as "off the map" sites I'm afraid I can't help; I was only in Berlin for less than 2 days and didn't have much time to explore.

Berlin is amazing, have a great trip!
 
Get a tour of the S&B plant, actually go se every firearm/military equipment manufactures plants...lol.

Have a nice trip..

Merry Christmas!
 
Desert_Fox said:
Be sure to eat some Curry Wurst for me when you are strolling down Unter den Linden! ;)

Check out the Seelow Heights museum when you are there also.

Küstriner Straße 28a, 15306 Seelow
http://www.gedenkstaette-seelower-hoehen.de/

Also, there is the Gestapo Headquarters memorial right down the strasse from the Brandenburger Tor. It is neat. You can also view a nice picture there of a German citizen registering his hunting rifle with the SS Sicherheitsdienst! :D See, registration works! :redface:
Click to expand...

Take a picture of that picture too. then post it for everyone.
 
I've been to the German Historical Museum.

We tend to obsess about the Hitler era, but there is a lot of history in that country going back to the stone age we never hear about on this side of the pond. The whole Roman era for example.

The number of exhibits is astounding.

There is part of Napoleon's uniform there, and a beautiful tent captured during the crusades. Some cool ancient firearms from the time too.

And they fully acknowledge the Nazi history.
 
Potsdamer Platz, Sony Center, Berlin Philharmonica, Bunker Tour, Potsdam tour, Sans Souci Palace, Stauffeberg Strasse, etc.

Ich hoffe dir eine gute Reise! Du hast viel Spass! Und du isst viel Schnitzel und Wurst fur mich!
 
Check out the checkpoint charlie museum if you haven't seen it before, I guess it's probably on all the touristy "things to see" list but I thought it was extremely interesting! Don't forget to have coffee at the starbucks at Brandenburg Gate after you visit the Reichstag! LOL

Here's the address for Checkpoint Charlie Museum:
Friedrichstraße 43-45
D-10969 Berlin-Kreuzberg
 
Cross into the East and look for bullet holes. There are lots of places where the damage has not been repaired. In a picture of my wife and I enjoying beer just of Museum Island I noticed the UBahn overpass was just totally pockmarked with bullet holes. Seriously, just keep your eyes open and you will see some pretty amazing stuff. As far as tours go, splurge for a private tour of WWII sites, it was well worth it. And go North to see Sachsenhausen concentration camp. It was a model camp where the Nazis tried all kinds of things out, including ovens. Try to ignore the Soviet era propaganda hat only talks about socialists killed in the camp.
 
Thanks for the tips so far guys!

I had totally forgotten about the old palace, and I didn't know there was a concentration camp so close to Berlin. We've rented a car for 4 days and day trips to Dresden and Poznan are in order as well.
 
I was in Germany for a month in Nov-Dec 08. Got a weekend in Berlin and went to most of the places that are mentioned here. Yes there is still bullet damage noticeable on various buildings and monuments.

I stayed in the old Eastern side at a Holiday Inn that was across the street from the last Flak tower left in Berlin which was interesting to walk around.

IIRC the tours for the underground tunnels around the area are not open to tourists this time of year, but you can always check into it.
 
The Bendler Block houses a museum of the Resistance to National Socialism, which is very interesting, especially when you know the history of what happened there.

Schloss Charlottenberg is impressive, notably the Emperor's tomb.

Climbing the Siegessäule is worth the price of admission. It is one monument riddled with bullet damage as another poster mentioned.

A trip to the massive KaDeWe department store is also a good bet.

I've been to Berlin twice and have yet to take in the Egyptian museum, but I figure I'll be there again. As a rule I like to pub hop down the Ku'damm shortly after getting there.
 
Brandenburg Gate, Bauhaus, museum of modern art, The Hoff Bar. All good places. I also found the East German History museum to be worthwhile. Leave yourself 4x as much time as you think for the German history museum. It's amazing.
 
If you head just down the road from the Sony Centre and follow the sidewalk the lego giraffe is displayed you come to a rock park with all sorts of weird carving in it, if you cross that and head up the street there is a building that was never repaired post war and has amazing damage to it still. The above ground bunkers bear most of the scars still too.
 
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