author Zheng Shiji
The "national gate" of the Berlin Wall
On the morning of May 10th, we went to visit The product of the Second World War-The Berlin Wall.
In May 1945,
the Soviet Red Army occupied Berlin, and fascist Germany announced its surrender. According to the Potsdam Agreement, the United States, Britain, France, and the Soviet Union, as victorious powers, established occupied zones in Germany and Berlin respectively.
On September 20, 1949,
the United States, Britain and France merged the occupied areas of the three countries and established the Federal Republic of Germany (referred to as Federal Germany or West Germany , the same below), with its capital Bonn. It established diplomatic relations with my country on October 11, 1972.
On October 7, 1949,
the German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany for short, the same below) was established in the Soviet-occupied area, with its capital East Berlin.
established diplomatic relations with my country on October 27, 1949.
Since then, Germany has officially split into two sovereign states. After World War II , the city of Berlin, like Germany, was divided into four occupied zones. The area occupied by the United States, Britain and France was called West Berlin , and in fact it became an enclave of West Germany in East Germany. The Soviet-occupied area was called East Berlin and was the capital of the Democratic Republic of Germany.
On August 13, 1961,
In order to prevent the free exchange of people between East Germany (including East Berlin) and West Berlin, which belongs to West Germany, the government of the Democratic Republic of Germany built a border wall (Berlin Wall) about 155 kilometers long around West Berlin.
Its official name is anti-fascist defense wall . It is a fully closed border defense system built around the border of West Berlin during the division of East and West Germany. There were originally seven crossing passages, which were the solemn and sacred "national gates" between the two Germanys. Now only one is preserved for people to visit. It is roughly the same as our common iron door made of welded with steel bars, about two meters high and one meter wide. This seemingly unremarkable iron gate was actually the territorial boundary and symbol of sovereignty between the two countries. You must have a complete passport to pass through.
I originally thought that the Berlin Wall was as tall and thick as a common city wall. In fact, it was only three or four meters high and not "tall and majestic." However, it was an important landmark building during the division of Germany after World War II and the Cold War, and witnessed the history of Germany's division and reunification. Today, most of the walls have been demolished, with only 1,200 meters remaining as a memorial on the bank of the Spree River. It has become one of Berlin's most eye-catching attractions, and tourists from all over the world flock to it for sightseeing.
On October 3, 1990,
the Democratic Republic of Germany officially joined the Federal Republic of Germany. The two Germanys, which had been divided for more than 40 years, were reunited as a unified sovereign state. We walked along the Berlin Wall. The uneven cobblestone paths on the ground showed the width and direction of the Berlin Wall. On the preserved section of the Berlin Wall, there are many art paintings known as the "Eastern Gallery", including a "Brotherly Kiss", which reproduces the scene of the former Soviet leader Brezhnev kissing the leader of the Democratic Republic of Germany Erich Honecker. Two unshaven, wrinkled old men kissed and hugged each other with their eyes closed, which made people feel very funny. Everyone couldn't help laughing and took pictures one after another.
The author and his wife took a photo at the Berlin Wall.
Berlin has a flat terrain, with an average altitude of of 535 meters. The Spree River runs through the city. The whole city is surrounded by lakes and rivers. It not only provides Berlin with abundant groundwater, but also makes Berlin's trees, flowers and plants grow luxuriantly, covering everything with dense shade, as if it is submerged in a sea of green.
The linden tree is a favorite tree species of Berliners, with its whirling leaves and fragrant fragrance. Berlin has long named the most beautiful street "Unter den Linden". It starts from Marx-Engels Square in the east and is two kilometers long. There are four rows of tall banyan trees on both sides of the street, like a verdant green corridor.We visited this famous European street on foot and went straight to the Brandenburg Gate in the center of Berlin.
The Brandenburg Gate is a building with a long history that imitates the gate of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece. It is entirely built of milky white granite . It is 60.5 meters wide, 11 meters high and 11 meters deep. It has 5 passages, the middle one is wider and is exclusively used by royal members. The grand city gate is supported by six large stone pillars, and at the top stands a bronze statue of the Goddess of Victory driving a two-wheeled and four-horse chariot. It is tall, majestic and majestic, fully demonstrating the dignity of the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia in its heyday, and also witnessing the rise and fall of the German nation. The Brandenburg Gate is both Germany's "Triumphal Arch" and a landmark building in Berlin. It is still an important place for various large-scale events in Germany. Since I have been here in person, whenever I see the Brandenburg Gate on TV, I feel familiar and friendly.
Berlin's urban architecture is majestic and beautiful. We visited the Parliament Building , where the Federal Parliament is located. It was after the Soviet army captured this Reichstag building and climbed to the top to tear down the fascist party flag that they announced to the world the good news of capturing Berlin and winning the final victory in the anti-fascist war on the Western Front battlefield.
Our tour bus was parked not far from the Parliament Building. There was a public toilet nearby. It cost 0.8 euros (equivalent to seven or eight yuan) per person to use the toilet. Before leaving Berlin, tour guide Jin Wei called everyone to use the toilet. Some people exchanged large amounts of euros, and some people went directly to the car because they were afraid of trouble. Jin Wei became anxious when he saw this, and immediately shouted to them in a loud voice: "It is more than 580 kilometers from Berlin to Munich . You can't stop on the way, and there is nowhere to stop. Today I am treating guests, everyone must go, no one is missing!" Everyone got off the bus and lined up to go to "Convenience", and Jin Wei paid per person. This is also a little tidbit about our tour group!
To be continued
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