City views

Germany, Berlin, December 24, 2016

Today I circled around the Breitscheidplatz, with the Gedächtniskirche and some sky high modern buildings as focus point. The light wasn't all too good and in the early afternoon the rain chased me away. It was time to head home anyway - I still had to go to the groceries. 

Garden city Staaken

Germany, Berlin, December 23, 2016

Today I went to the garden city Staaken in the very west of Berlin. This cosy residential estate was built between 1914 and 1917. The architect Paul Schmittener was inspired by various styles. There are Dutch like facades, classical facades, the typical saxon like buildings and rows of the same houses, where people try to apply some individuality.

A walk in Zehlendorf

Germany, Berlin, December 22, 2016

Today I went to a residential estate called "Studenten Dorf" - Student village. Nearby was a colourful estate and the beautiful Waldfriedhof Zehlendorf - Forest Cemetery. Part of it is an Italian War Cemetery. There is also a large field with graves of residents of Berlin who died during the siege of the city in 1945.

The revenge of history

Germany, Berlin, Krumme Lanke Siedlung, December 21, 2016

Today I went to Waldsiedlung Krumme Lanke a historically charged residential quarter of cute, country-style cottages and terraced houses. A bit disrespectfully said, it all looked rather like Hansel and Gretel.
In 1939, when it was finished, it was known as the Kameradschaftssiedlung der SS. Only members of the SS were allowed to live in the estate.
The project was initiated by Heinrich Himmler, who, in 1937, expressed his desire to create a residential quarter providing "satisfactory and healthy housing particularly suited to the raising of (SS) families".
Unsurprisingly, the entire undertaking was heavily imbued with Nazi ideology. A competition was held to find suitable names for the new streets, with winners including Führerplatz, Siegstraße (Victory street) and Dienstweg (Duty Way). Those names were changed at once after the fall of the Nazi regime.
Nowadays it is a much sought estate to live in. It is an idyllic place. Quiet, lots of space, cosy and the forest at your doorstep. Nothing reminds you of the dark past. Some residents, like the owner of one of the houses, know who once lived in his house, many don't. Knowing or not knowing doesn't change to joy of living in this estate.

Berlin today

Germany, Berlin, December 20, 2016 

Today, the day after the attack, I went to a residential estate at the most western outskirts of Berlin, strangely called Neu Jerusalem - New Jerusalem. It was designed between 1923 and 1924 following the style of New Objectivity and built for air line pilots.

Most houses are in a pitiful state and some are inhabited by squatters. Some houses are restored in all their splendour. More information about the estate: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neu-Jerusalem

On my way back home I had to change at Bahnhof Zoo, which is next to the place of yesterdays attack.

Corbusier and some other things

Germany, Berlin, December 19, 2016

Today I went to a cemetery to do some work for a project - which is at too early a stage to show something of it - and to my surprise the famous Corbusier house was at its doorstep. So I did some walking around the building and its surroundings.

Gleis 17

Germany, Berlin, December 18, 2016

Today I went to the station of Grunewald. From here, at Gleis - Track - 17 thousands of jewish citizens of Berlin were deported to camps like Theresienstadt, Riga, Lodz and Auschwitz. 

Walking on the platforms I couldn't stop wondering what people are doing to each other for whatever reason. 

We commemorate what happend in the past, saying:"Never again".

But it is still happening at so many places in the world.

More information about Gleis 17: http://www.memorialmuseums.org/eng/staettens/view/338/Mahnmal-Gleis-17-%E2%80%93--Berlin-Grunewald