Things I Think I Think: Europe 2019: Jewish Memorial

Europe 2019

Jewish Memorial

Berlin, Germany

Just south of the Brandenburg Gate you will find what is technically called "The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe". Opened in 2005, it consists of 2711 rectangular blocks laid out in a grid pattern over about 200,000 square feet. They're all the same length and width but vary in height from less than a foot to over 15 feet. It's architecturally stimulating, if not spectacular. There is also an underground section that I don't have any pictures from.

That's the easy part. The hard part is commenting on the meaning / spirit / effect of the structure. I'm not Jewish, and I'm not German. I didn't live this nor am I generationally attached to what happened in the 30's and 40's here. I don't deem myself qualified to make any profound comments on this memorial. Our guide did a very good job of relaying the good and bad feedback it has received over the years and putting it all in perspective. For me it had a solemn and sort of confusing feel to it, and perhaps that is what the designer intended.

While it has a certain "cemetery" look to it, people don't treat it like one. Everyone walks around taking pictures and even sit on the stones to have lunch and rest, and that's apparently just fine with everyone. I'm fine with it too. It's a reminder of a horrible part of this countries past and it works for that purpose without having to be "controlled". We purposely didn't plan any "dark" visits on this trip like concentration camps, etc. because Samantha was with us. I'm not one of those parents that believes in shielding my children from reality, but she's four. I have a hard enough time trying to explain to her why Anna was the real hero in Frozen and why Elsa "had issues". I'll wait a couple years before tackling the holocaust.

Sam actually really enjoyed this stop. She thought it was just the coolest place to run around in ever. I had to slow her down though because as much fun as she was having running down these lanes of giants, there could be cross-traffic and every corner was blind.

We didn't see any graffiti while we were there, but they've coated all of the stones with something that is supposed to resist it. I think it's sad that they even have to worry about it, and the architect (American Peter Eisenman by the way) didn't want them coated because he felt what happened to them might continue the story and struggles to this day.

Certainly not a fun stop, but one you should make when in Berlin since it's literally about a two minute walk from the Brandenburg Gate.

After spending some time here we continued to walk south and passed this location:

Under this parking lot and apartment building is the former location of the bunker where Hitler, and others, ultimately committed suicide at the end of WWII. It's meant to look like nothing for a reason, but they did actually put up the board in 2007 that you see people reading in the picture to identify the spot. Germany always seems to be in a struggle to decide whether they should forget their past or remember their past or ??. My personal opinion is that ignoring the past is not the way to go. Trying to pretend something didn't happen shows a lack of emotional intelligence and can be dangerous. Learn from it. Anyway, lunch.....