Deliberated over from the comfort of her temporary bedroom in our cosy communist era Berlin apartment (whilst I pondered the all important matter of where we should eat dinner!), a certain history enthusiast in our family decided on two museums to visit in one day, both with much more serious collections for inspection, after the previous day’s frivolity of her brother’s choice of CurryWurst Museum.
We don’t need many reminders of just what a varied, dark and turbulent past (to put it mildly) Germany has, and Berlin has of course hosted quite a lot of it. Along with her photographic memory of huge chunks of British history, living here means Small Girl is quite clued up on German history too (and has in the past put me on the spot on quiet public transport innocently shouting things like “look mummy there’s one of the Zeppelins that did a lot of damage in the War” at an airship you can often see flying over the Allianz Arena, and recently gave a narrative worthy of tour guide status around the Eagles Nest!) so I knew we were in for a day of history consumption and a lot of walking.
First up the Topography of Terror Museum, which we walked to from Potsdamer platz, following a trail of colourful Trabants along the way…
This indoor/outdoor museum is based on the destroyed site of the headquarters of the SS and the Gestapo. Originally opened as an outdoor memorial site in 1987 in honour of those who had died there, it was expanded to include a documentation centre in 2010, charting the rise and fall of the Nazi Party.
As well as the documentation centre, it hosts several permanent exhibits including the very moving outdoor exhibit that covers the life stories of some of the victims of this horrific period. The longest surviving stretch of outer Berlin Wall serves as a backdrop here too if you are interested.
If you follow the wall to the farthest end of the Museum grounds and peer through the fence, you will see a line of bricks tracing where the wall once stood. Obviously not a museum for tinies, but useful for older children covering this period of history at school, and an important reminder to all. Niederkirchnerstrasse 8, 10062 Berlin, Daily from 10-8pm, Admission free Tel: +49 30 254509-50 info@topographie.de
And then on to the Mauer Museum just a few steps up the road from Checkpoint Charlie (The Berliner Mauer is the German name for the Wall), which was much more appealing to the Small Boy as it features lots of exhibits detailing the heroic efforts of residents to escape over, under, or even through The Wall over the years that it stood, as well as a detailed history of the Wall itself and artists interpretations of what life was like. Starting off as a two roomed museum when The Wall was first built, it now covers over 2,200 square metres (deceptively, it doesn’t look that big from the outside) and is quite maze like (Small Boy and I got separated from the rest of our party and didn’t actually see them again for another two hours!) . Look out for the various ingenious instruments of escape including a hollow surfboard, numerable adapted cars with people sized smuggling compartments in the engines, a home-made hot air balloon, and even home-made submarines. As the Museum itself states it serves as a “testament of the ingenuity of the human mind when faced with perilous circumstances”. Again, definitely not one for tinies, but interesting for ages 8 and above. No photographs allowed…. Friedrichstrasse 43-45, D-10969 Berlin Open daily from 9-22pm, Tel: +49 302537250 info@mauermuseum.de
All that history consumption and walking for miles and miles (mostly because we had to retrace our footsteps all the way back to the Topography of Terror Museum to find a lost cardigan dropped by Small Girl!) is hungry work, and so on to dinner.
I have yet to find a decent Korean restaurant in Munich (sorry Munich) but as it remains my favourite food of all time, and as this place has lots of gleaming reviews, we had to visit Kimchee Princess. The tagline of their website is “Let them Eat Kimchee” and I would be more than happy to do that every day as it has to be my favourite way to eat pickled cabbage (sorry Germany!), and the stuff they served here is excellent.
I can also recommend the pajeon (Korean seafood pancake) bibimbap (rice served in a volcanically hot stone bowl, and topped with vegetables, meat (if you wish) a raw egg (usually, although this one was disappointingly fried) and plenty of gochujang (chilli paste) which you mix together), and bulgogi (marinated slices of pork) which you barbecue at the table. In fact there was so much of this we took it with us and ate it for breakfast the next day. Highly recommended, and you absolutely must book. Kalitzer Strasse 36, Manteuffelstr. 10999 Berlin – Kreuzberg Tel: +49 163 4850203 info@kimcheeprincess.com
I wish we had spent more time exploring Kreuzberg, but we will have to do that next time we go to Berlin… For there will be a next time, but now on to Amsterdam…
OOOH I love Berlin so mcc . I really enjoyed the museums when I was there . And I need to go back and visit these ones
They are great, I would really recommend them! :)
What an interesting place to visit! Another place to add to my ‘to visit’ list :)
Thanks Sonia :)
I really want to get to Berlin soon, I haven’t been there for years and would love to take the children. Your photos are brilliant.
Thanks Nichola, glad you like the photos! :)
It just goes to show how much there is to do in Berlin. We need another trip to see more of it as we didn’t catch these museums during our visit. I think Rory would have preferred them to some of the more traditional/famous museums we traipsed round!
I bet MsCaroline will be salivating if she pops over to read about the Kimchi Princess.
I think she’s already booking a trip to Berlin! :D Yes, it’s a fantastic city to explore, you need at least 3 weeks to do the lot I reckon! :D
I love Korean food!! Having never to be Korea, I’m not sure whether I’ve had authentic versions but it was divine never the less. I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before but it took me years of chatting with German friends to realise that when they talked about the war and mentioned ‘the enemy’, they were actually referring to the UK and not themselves. Quite unfathomable but a funny misunderstanding.
One of my favourite cuisines. Get yourself to New Malden next time you are near London, best Korean food!! Funny the things you come to learn as an expat. I learned this week that Germans generally think David Cameron’s hair is hilarious. That made me laugh! :D
I was in Berlin the year the wall came down (yes I have a bit of it!!) and your pic of the trabant took me right back to that time. Love Germany, I must arrange to go back!
Thank you Steph. That must be a prized possession! :)
Oh what an interesting day that would have been. It is hard to believe that the Berlin Wall was down before my kids were even born. It is amazing how much history happened before our eyes.
Thanks Jen. It is isn’t it? I remember watching the Wall coming down as a child and not really understanding how important it all was…
I’m sure I paid for a photography pass at the Mauer Museum. I have lots of photos of the car and suitcases etc
I had to drag OH out of the Topography of terror – I was very annoyed with him in the end – he will insist on reading ‘everything’ which, with so much in there to read, it just not practical on a weekend trip!
We had a marvellous Vietnamese meal somewhere very close to checkpoint charlie.
I loved all of Berlin. Even every grey chunk of concrete and bullet hole!
You would definitely need at least 3 days in the Mauer Museum if you were to read everything! I completely missed out on a photography pass then, but that’s good to know… I love it too, it’s a brilliant city! :)
Hubby is desperate to visit Berlin as has a real fascination with WW1 / 2 and the Cold War. We are doing France first though as its slightly gentler for the kids. It does look fascination though
Berlin is a good place for all the family. Thanks Kara! :)
Your post makes me feel like I now know something ‘behind the scenes’ about Germany – I mean, not your usual tourist stuff! Very interesting.
That’s great! Thanks Nadine! (:
Wow – the history is incredible! My dad would love to be able to visit all these historical places. I’m very impressed with how your daughter knows so much and remembers it. The food looks yummy too (and the pictures are making me hungry!)
Thanks so much Louise. Yes, she’s always been a history geek (in her own words!) :D x
What afun and informative trip. I like breaks where you can explore different cultures and history
Me too. Thanks Nayna! (:
The Topography of Terror Museum sounds particularly interesting. I know my boys would be very interested in it. My eldest is always asking to go to Berlin, but it’s not the first place you think of for a holiday! Having read this, I think it would make a very good place to visit.
Perfect for a long weekend! Thanks Sarah! (:
You always have the best timing! Have been contemplating a quick weekend getaway and there is a direct Bristol-Berlin flight – your post may have pushed me over the edge into action! Several good friends of mine from Korea now live in Berlin, we will most definitely get in touch with them while we’re there, and will certainly check out Kimchi Princess. If there is a better Korean restaurant to be found in the city, my sources will know and I’ll pass on the info!
You must go, and yes please, do let me know about the Korean food! When I am back in the UK for a decent length of time, we should go to New Malden and “little Korea” :)