Milica's chronicle
Ich bin ein Berliner
Travelling, the only thing that you spend money on that makes you richer. As I am writing this, I am on my way to Berlin - the capital of Germany and the city of such history as no other. From being divided by a physical border to becoming the synonym for freedom and diversity, Berlin has come a long way. Its story, and the story of countless families living in the same city but not being able to see each other for 28 years, should be a constant reminder to today’s politicians.
Europe has had a turbulent past. Countless wars have occurred throughout its history but none as devastating as the Second World War. After it the continent divided into communist East and democratic West. This “border” is commonly known as the Iron Curtain. Although the Iron Curtain mostly followed state boundaries, there was one country which was divided by it into two parts - Germany. Bundesrepublik Deutschland - BRD (West Germany) and Deutsche Demokratische Republik - DDR (East Germany) were two entities of the same nation under different political regimes.
Berlin is located in the former DDR but its west part belonged to the BRD. As West Berlin provided more opportunities and more freedom, many DDR citizens emigrated to it since they could easily walk to it and remain there. However, as thousands and thousands did this the DDR officials decided to build a wall overnight. This wall prevented East Germans from leaving the country and it remained standing until 1989.
Today, this city attracts numerous tourists who come for various reasons: some for shopping, some for nightlife and some for the history and culture. Although the Wall has been torn down, some parts of it remain as a reminder of not so bright times in German history. The remainings of it are now covered in graffiti and serve as an open air gallery. Besides that, there are almost 200 galleries and museums in this city - from II World War Memorials to Madame Tussauds and Egyptian art.
My 3 day visit to Berlin was short but I did get a glimpse into the city’s lifestyle. Great atmosphere, amazing food and art everywhere are just some of the things which characterise it. Ever since the fall of the wall, Berlin has been a symbol of freedom and peace. JFK said in one of his most famous speeches: “Two thousand years ago, the proudest boast was ‘Civis Romanus sum’. Today, in the world of freedom, the proudest boast is ‘Ich bin ein Berliner!’ “
