Sorry I fell asleep when writing this blog and never finished before posting. I believe it is finished now.
Is their a certain infatuation by man that we must honor the past? Is their ever a point when our history should be left in the text book only? Why must we rebuild buildings to evoke the simulacra of a lost era?
Its hard to find authentic Berlin. Germany has a lengthy history of turmoil, that dates back before the Holy Roman Empire. Many conflicts have been resolved in the streets of Germany that left it in ruins,such as Franco-Prussian War, World War I, and World War II to name a few. It's a place where an identity has tried to be forged, but ends just as abruptly as it begins. Recently we have seen many "historic" buildings, but in reality they are symbolic of the past. They represent a time line of events that have been intertwined with present day Germany. These buildings exist today only as replications of the lost.
I'm having a hard time understanding why to rebuild the old. I feel that one must embrace the past to create the future, but is Germany really doing this? To me it seems as if they are creating a false identity of a legacy that does not exist. Better yet recreating a legacy. These building do not function as part of present day society. Yes they wonderful to look, but the beauty is only skin deep considering that majority of these building are twenty years old. They portray a false acquisition of the past. They don't not affect day to day life of the average person. They are tourist attractions, landmarks, boundaries, and districts. Could society function with out these building? Yes. I'm not trying to convey that Germany should be leveled, but rather acknowledge your past and create a meaningful place for society today.
The benefit to hind sight is a certain level of understanding for things that have affected or even influenced you life. After being here for almost two weeks. I think I am beginning to find an understanding to the German story. I don't believe its a story that can be told or recreated, but something that you come in contact with. It's found within every person that calls this land home. I hate to make this comparison but on certain scale and in the right context its similar to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in South Louisiana to the History of Germany. And I feel Chris Rose said it best, "We’re a fiercely proud and independent people, and we don’t cotton much to outside interference, but we’re not ashamed to accept help when we need it. And right now, we need it. Just don’t get carried away."..."When you meet us now and you look into our eyes, you will see the saddest story ever told. Our hearts are broken into a thousand pieces. But don’t pity us. We’re gonna make it. We’re resilient. After all, we’ve been rooting for the Saints for 35 years. That’s got to count for something. OK, maybe something else you should know is that we make jokes at inappropriate times."..."Everybody loves their home, we know that. But we love South Louisiana with a ferocity that borders on the pathological. Sometimes we bury our dead in LSU sweatshirts. Often we don’t make sense. You may wonder why, for instance – if we could only carry one small bag of belongings with us on our journey to your state – why in God’s name did we bring a pair of shrimp boots? We can’t really explain that. It is what it is."
St. Mary's Church
Carl Gotthard Langhans
Circa 1270
The church is located on Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse in central Berlin, near the Alexanderplatz. Its exact age is not known. It was originally a Roman Catholic church, but has been a Lutheran Protestant church since the Protestant Reformation.This building has a mix of gothic and classical elements. The oldest parts of the church are made from granite, but most of it is built of brick, giving it its characteristic bright red appearance. Although this building received heavy damage in world war II it still stands today. East Germany order the restoration in the 1950's.
Nicholaikirche
Circa 1230
The Church of St. Nicholas is the oldest church in Berlin, the capital of Germany. The church is located in the eastern part of central Berlin, bounded by Spandauer Strasse, Rathausstrasse, the Spree River and Muhlendamm, is known as the Nikolaiviertel, Nicholas quarter. The church was built between 1220 and 1230. The Church of St. Nicholas as seen today is largely a reconstruction, since the original church was reduced to a burnt-out shell by Allied bombing of Berlin during World War II. Three plaques recall the church's history and destruction. After the war the ruins were in East Berlin, and it was not until 1981 that the East German Democratic Republic authorities authorised the rebuilding of the church, using old designs and plans . Today the church serves again mainly as a museum and occasionally as a concert venue. The Nikolaikiche was also closed the day we toured.
Brandenburg Gate
Carl Gotthard Langhans
Praiser Platz
1791
The Brandenburg Gate consists of twelve Doric columns, six to each side, forming five passageways. Citizens originally were allowed to use only the outermost two. Atop the gate is the Quadriga, a chariot drawn by four horses driven by Victoria, the Roman goddess of victory. The Gate's design is based upon the Propylaea, the gateway to the Acropolis in Athens.
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