Friday, October 3, 2014

It's time to celebrate: Day of German Unity


Finally, I am officially done! I unpacked all the boxes, arranged the new and old furniture, hanged the frames and pictures, covered the terrace with floor decking, organized the shelves in the basement, attached all the lights and now I can start enjoying the city!!!

 
"The Divine Comedy" by Dante Alighieri - illustrated by young Giuseppe




We celebrated the event with a brunch at a café in Friedrichshain, now one of the trendiest districts in Berlin, although formerly it was one of the industrial areas among the most badly damaged by the Allied bombers. You can still recognize the signs of the transformation to which this area was exposed, from an emergent and vibrant district following the fall of the Berlin Wall, to an area mainly occupied by squatters due to the low rent, to the actual reputation of one of Berlin's most fashionable areas, with shops, galleries, restaurants, bistro, pubs and cafés. 

We ordered our Frühstück (breakfast) at Cayetano, enjoyed the rare atypical sunny morning, sipping coffee and planning the rest of the afternoon with Antonia, our guest from New Jersey (and Paris, and Naples..). 


Later on, we strolled around Boxhagener Platz, where a flea market is held every Saturday since 1905. In addition to fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, bakery and other specialties from abroad, we admired vintage objects, art, and some eccentric handicrafts. We even had the unexpected chance to taste one of the best coffee in the world (according to our specialist Antonia): Caffe’ Passalacqua, with its perfect blend of Robusta and Arabica, impossible to find in stores..unless you live in Naples or Mexico!



Josh had his moment of sparkling joy when he found some low-end micro-forceps for his kit-modeling recreational time. A real bargain. I wonder if they were actually previously used in surgery….



We wandered around the neighborhood until we reached Mühlenstraße, on the east bank of the river Spree: here we admired the East Side Gallery, which is the longest open air gallery in the world, with its 105 large format images painted directly on the last remaining 1,3 km of the Berlin Wall (out of the original 160 km that divided the city for more than three decades). I can’t deny it: it’s a striking and remarkable memorial. Although several paintings are critically damaged by erosion and shamefully mangled by graffiti and vandalism, this site stands as an enduring tribute to the courage of all those who fought for freedom and against persecution. 






During our tour of the East Side Gallery, we were not alone: actually, in addition to the customary tourists from all over the world that stop by this site every day, thousands of Berliners pay visit to this location on October 3rd, each year since 1990. 


On this day, since the past 24 years, the Germans celebrate the "Day of German Unity" (Tag der Deutschen Einheit), commemorating the country’s peaceful reunification when the German Democratic Republic (GDR) officially joined the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG).  It’s the only official national holiday, whereas all other holidays are managed at a federal level. During this day, politicians make their TV political speeches, most public services (school, banks, public offices, shops) are closed, so the Germans gather together in the streets, in the public parks, or along the riverbanks. Here they organize picnics, enjoy live bands, horseback riding, a big wheel with great views over the Tiergarten, karaoke, theatre performances, dice games, merry-go-rounds, street party for the whole family, a traditional concert at the Berlin Cathedral, and other fairground attractions.

I read in the newspapers that the passengers arriving on this day at the Frankfurt Airport receive as souvenirs original fragments of the famous Berlin Wall in small transparent bags, along whit the certificate attesting its authenticity.  In the past few years, a new multicultural tradition has started: leading Mosques across the country open up to the general public, to underline the contribution of Islam to modern German cultural identity. The Oktoberfest, which usually finishes on the first Sunday in October, this year has been extended to the following Tuesday to include Unity Day. More beer for everyone!!!!


I was especially intrigued by the selection of this particular day, October 3rd, rather than November 9th, as the day to celebrate such an important moment in history. It would have probably made more sense: after all, it was on November 9, 1989 that the Berlin Wall came down, it was on that night that one million people came to celebrate at the Brandenburg Gate, on the very same spot where Ronald Reagan in 1987 had called on Gorbachev to “open this gate”. In addition, November 9th coincided also with the anniversary of the proclamation of the German Republic (1918) and with the defeat of Hitler’s first coup (1923). Why not select November 9th as the Day of German Unification?
Here is the reason: November 9th is also the anniversary of the first large-scale Nazi-led pogroms against Jews in 1938, the infamous Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass): during that hideous night, 7500 Jewish shops were destroyed, 191 Jewish temples were set on fire, 76 others destroyed by vandalism, 30.000 Jews were deported in concentration camps




Understandably, the day was considered inappropriate as a German national holiday. Therefore, October 3rd, the day of formal reunification, was preferred instead. 

By the way, in a similar way, also the American Declaration of Independence was approved on July 2nd, 1776. The 4th of July was just the date at the top of the document when the announcement was finalized and printed. As a matter of fact, even John Adams wrote to his wife, predicting that "But the day is past. The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America"..



The lesson learned today: who cares about the calendar? Let’s just celebrate! 

As usual, we came home by metro. As usual, I was stunned by the beauty of another Metro station here in Berlin: the Heidelberg Platz Bahnhof, which was originally built in 1883. The city of Wilmersdorf as a builder of the railway was anxious to express the subway prosperity, and established that all stations in the urban area should have no steel, but stone pillars. In the case of this subway station, the responsible architect designed the station in such a way that it  resembles a cathedral. The hall itself is a double row of cross vaults, whose squat columns are arranged on the platform center. The ceiling of the platform was created as a groin vault, with panels made of stone and partly of tiles: this features is responsible for its unique gleaming bright decoration.   







In addition massive chandeliers give the building a sacred atmosphere, although the variety of creepy creatures decorating the architrave are sinister.  



Fascinating, especially once you learn that the entrance was turned into a nightclub for quite some time..."Eyes wide shut"?

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