We started our day off in Nuremberg, visiting the Toy Museum, where toys from the centuries and various countries are on display. From there, we took a train to the Berlin suburbs, where we’re staying in a German couple’s home. We spent some time looking around the center city, got caught in pouring rain, and came back to watch the movie Valkyrie.
Toy Museum
The idea of going to a toy museum isn’t one I probably would’ve considered on my own but I’m super glad we went. It was neat to see toys categorized and displayed, spanning at least 3 centuries. We learned about how toys play an important part in understanding cultures across time and space. What gets made into toys reveals a lot about what a society values. It was interesting to see the transitions across decades from paper and wooden toys focused on teaching kids their household duties (tiny kitchens for girls and farm stuff for boys) to tin toys built around the important machinery of the industrial revolution (cars, trains, cranes) to the plastic disposable toys of consumerist today. Each decade since just before WWII showed a very drastic change in what toys were made of, what objects were chosen to turn into toys, what the intended play was, and who the intended audience was. The simple transition of toys in the last 30 years alone said a lot about how we as a society have changed, especially (in my opinion) for the worse.
Berlin
After taking the train to Berlin, we went to see some of the outdoor sites in the city center. I was shocked to find that Berlin isn’t overcrowded, filthy, or sketchy like Munich. I definitely imagined a New York feel, but it’s much tamer. A very nice city so far.
The first stop was the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. It’s a massive erection of concrete pillars across a city block in the location of Joseph Goebbels’ office. He served as the propaganda minister for Germany leading up to and during WWII. The concrete blocks seemed like an odd choice of a memorial. However, they did an excellent job of creating emotions reminiscent of those we feel when we hear about the Holocaust. For example, the bleakness of the field mirrors the bleakness of the historical fact of the Holocaust. As you descend further into the blocks, they grow much taller and more intimidating around you, just as the more you dive into the horror of the Holocaust, the more it grows and becomes overwhelming. The maze of blocks also creates a sense of unease about what might be around each corner, just as the Jews likely felt living out their time before their arrests by the Gestapo. All in all, I found it to be a very interesting and meaningful addition to the city.
Next up on our visit list was the location of Hitler’s Berlin bunker, the Fuehrerbunker. Today, it’s a parking lot for an apartment complex. When I initially learned of that, I was a bit sad to hear that an important historical landmark was not preserved. However, just like at Eagle’s Nest, the Germans did not want to preserve any site that might become a pilgrimage location for neo-nazis. They also want to ensure that we move on from the past, only remembering the important things. Not the unholy ground of the dictators. I appreciate their sentiment. For a man that thought so much of himself that he could cause the deaths of millions, it’s fitting that his grave is nothing but a place to trample on.
Last on our brief tour of the city was the Reichstag, the important center of the German government since before WWI. I’ll talk more about that on Monday when we visit it though. We got caught in an absolute downpour right as I was taking pictures too! It made for a fun adventure.
Tomorrow
I can’t remember what we’re doing tomorrow. Berlin is huge and full of amazing things. Guess it’ll be a surprise for all of us!