Hooligans

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Sunday marked the date of Hertha BSC Berlin’s home football match against Wolfsburg. We attended the game as a class, and despite the 0-0 draw outcome, the game was an exciting and entertaining experience. Though last year both teams were highly competitive in the Bundesliga, neither team has performed very well this season. The Olympiadstation, a location of staggering history, holds a maximum of 74,000 fans, and only about half of the available seats were filled for the Sunday matchup.

Hertha does not hold a monopoly on Berlin football; Union Berlin, a football club originating in East Germany, is also popular. In addition, the 2009-2010 season marks the first year Union Berlin has competed in 2. Bundesliga, which is Germany’s second-best professional league. Making things more interesting, Hertha’s poor performance this year could mean a demotion to 2. Bundesliga, resulting in league competition between Berlin’s two teams!

Bringing a Jewish Past to Present-Day Berlin

Thursday, October 22, 2009

On Thursday our class made an excursion to the Jewish Museum in Berlin. This museum consists of two buildings which appear separated from the above ground, but are connected by underground tunnels. The oldest building was constructed as a courthouse in the 18th century; the newer building, designed by Daniel Libeskind, was finished and opened in 2001 (nearly a decade after its design).

The newer portion of the Jewish Museum is well known for its unique architecture, though some of its more interesting and complicated architectural features were changed or abandoned during the construction process to cut costs. The structure of the building is supposed to have an effect upon those inside of it. In fact, when the amazing structure was finished, debate arose over whether or not the building should remain empty and serve as a memorial instead of being filled with relics to function as a museum. Eventually the decision was made for it to become a museum as intended.

Upon first entering the museum I was not significantly affected by the architecture; though I thought it was very creative, it did not communicate a specific message to me about Jewish experience. This changed, however, upon my entering the Holocaust Tower. This structure stands apart from the remainder of the museum structure but remains connected to it by a hallway called the Axis of Holocaust. I remember being suddenly aware of the darkness and the cold when I stepped into the tower. Even the slightest noise made within echoed for several seconds. The only source of light was a small opening at the top of the tower, though the light entered indirectly, discouraging the idea that this was a possible way out of the tower. I felt trapped and alone, despite the presence of some 30 other tourists within the Tower. I now understood the hype about Libeskind’s architecture, which truly affected me.

Berlin's New Synagogue

On Thursday, October 15th, our class took a tour of what might be called the Jewish quarter of Berlin, where much of Berlin’s Jewish population was concentrated before the Holocaust. We visited several sites of importance to Berlin’s Jewish heritage, as well as the resistance to Nazi deportation of Jews. One such site was Otto Weidt’s old brush factory where blind and def Jews were employed and protected from deportation during WWII. Otto Weidt’s story is much like that of the famous Spielberg film, Schindler’s List. Because his trade in the brush industry was labeled as necessary for the war effort, Weidt was able, through bribery and conspiracy, to obtain documents allowing many Jews in his employ to avoid deportation to concentration camps. We took a short tour of the small factory, now set up as an exhibition paying tribute to Weidt’s noble deeds. We were also able to meet with the director of the exhibition, who revealed its origins as a school project! Next, we made our way to the New Synagogue on Oranienburgstrasse. Constructed in the early 1860s, this Synagogue became the Jewish community’s center in Berlin, until it was almost completely destroyed by bombs during WWII. The synagogue has now been partially restored, and remains a cultural center for the Jewish community, its role however, has expanded, as the synagogue has opened its doors to the public, as a museum of the synagogue’s history, and that of the Berlin’s Jewish community. A large part of the synagogue has not been restored however, though the Jewish community has been offered the funds to rebuild, it has deferred this decision to future generations, claiming that the Jewish population in Berlin has not yet recovered to the point that it could fill the fully restored building. Thus, the partially restored synagogue remains a symbol of an only partially restored Jewish community in Berlin.

For the weekend of October 9th, our class headed south to Leipzig for a fieldtrip. October 9th marks the 20 year anniversary of the Monday Demonstrations in Leipzig which eventually snowballed into people’s demands for democratic reform throughout the GDR. Highlights of the trip included visiting the St. Nicolai Church, where the Peace Prayers and Monday Demonstrations originated, and the St. Thomas Church, where J.S. Bach composed and performed his music for 27 years. Both of these churches hold important historical significance. However, I was more impressed by the largest monument in all of Europe, the Völkerschlachtdenkmal or Monument to the Battle of Nations, which I visited on October 10th with several classmates during our free time. Originally the monument was built to on the 100th anniversary of the battle to commemorate Napoleon’s defeat and the end of his campaign in Europe. However, my interest in the monument stems not from its original purpose, but from its use as a symbol in the decades since its construction. The evolution of the Völkerschlachtdenkmal’s symbolism parallels the evolution of the German people and its government, as each regime in power used the implemented the monument in its own propaganda and rhetoric. The Völkerschlachtdenkmal was a favorite location of Hitler’s when he made speeches in Leipzig, as well as a symbol of Russo-German unity for the GDR. Today its original status as a symbol of German unity would seem appropriate once more, though this monument will forever remind us of the legacy of nationalism which prevailed in Germany for centuries.

Above is a picture of myself and a few classmates in front of the Völkerschlachtdenkmal

Saturday Afternoon, October 3, 2009
After the emotional reuniting of the giants, a few classmates and I made the long detour north around Brandenburg Tor and then west to enter onto Straβe des 17. Juni about halfway between the Gate and the Victory Column. We then began to wade through the crowd back towards Brandenburg Tor. We visited the various booths lining both sides of the street, filling up on bratwurst hacksteak, and waffles, as we made our way to the enormous stage which was set up on the west side of the Gate. As it grew dark the stage lit up and an incredible concert began. Hosted by MTV, the concert featured several popular German artists whom I had never heard of before; despite this, the music was awesome and I had a great time. I was surprised by the diversity in the ages of those who attended the concert, though I would normally expect only the Berlin youth to attend the event, I saw people of all ages enjoying the music – these older Berliners had probably attended the dramatic festivities of the afternoon and were simply not ready to head home when there was still so much to see. After the concert, I discussed the days events over a beer with a few friends who from Berlin. When I left to head home in the wee hours of the morning, the night was still beautiful, and I decided to pay one more visit to Brandenburg Tor now that the crowds had dispersed. When I arrived, all was quiet except for the subtle sounds of the two slumbering giants, the smallest of which rested on the lap of the larger. The pair was silhouetted eerily against the lights on the Brandenburg Gate. I snapped one last photo of the incredible figures, and then resumed my journey home.
Above and to the right is a photo I took of the west side of the Brandenburg Gate, during the rock concert. Left is a picture from the east side of the Gate, where the giants slumbered.

Unity Day 2009

Saturday Afternoon, October 3, 2009
Germany’s national holiday, Unity Day, takes place annually on October 3rd to commemorate the anniversary of German Reunification in 1990. On this day most shops and stores close and people take to the streets to enjoy a variety of festivities. In the afternoon, I made my way to Brandenburg Tor; this was easier said than done, due to the closing of major streets and the rerouting of public transportation to accommodate the thousands of pedestrians pouring into the historical center of Berlin. Had I been a complete stranger to the city I would have easily found my way to Brandenburg Tor as everyone was caught up in the river of people flowing down Unter den Linden. The most emotional moment of the day came when the two giants, who had been winding their ways through the streets of Berlin for the past several days, finally came together. I could barely see the action above the crowd but the atmosphere was electric. Though the reaction of the people was overwhelmingly positive, I could not help but think of those amongst them who had lived in the GDR and whose hopes and dreams for a legitimate, socialist democratic East Germany were crushed by Unification with Western Germany. Surely the annual celebration of Unification brings up conflicted feelings of both the happiness of being one people again, and nostalgia for the East Germany of which they were citizens for four decades. This was a cultural experience I will never forget, though I did not fully understand the metaphor of the two giants - the crowd clearly identified with the symbols of unity.

Pictured above is a photo I took on Friday October 2nd. The smaller of the two giants is pictured slumbering peacefully, surrounded by interested onlookers. In the background is Humboldt University where I am currently attending classes.