A trip to Berlin in 2005

**Adrian Stevenson** · 08-09-2009, 10:57 AM

Hi Guys, I decided to post a thread about our living history group's (2nd Guards) trip to Berlin four years ago now as Nick has been asking questions about going to Berlin. I took a lot of pics and I am sure many of you will find them of interest and might inspire you to go there yourself? Lez and I would certainly go back.

Our trip naturally focused on the battle and where the Red Army fought and the memorials etc.

We went in April in order to be at the same places just 60 years later. We were only there for 3 days but we packed in all we possibly could.

The first thing which struck me was the sheer amount of battle damaged buildings to be seen. Chunks of masonary were missing on all of the old buildings. I found that fasinating, so I took many pics of this.

OK, first few pics. This was of a govt building flying the town flag of the Berlin bear. But at a distance the red/white/black flag was almost a reminder of an earlier flag!

Cheers, Ade.

**Adrian Stevenson** · 08-09-2009, 11:05 AM

Here we are at Treptow Park. I will show a lot of pics from here as this is the big memorial to the Red Army in Berlin.

Note the Order of the Great Patriotic War on the entrance way.

The red granite used on the big arch design ( really it is a stylised Soviet flag) was taken from the Reichs Chancellry.

Work was taking place while we we there is relaying some of the paving.

**Woolgar** · 08-09-2009, 11:07 AM

Ade,

Is it true there is graffiti on the Reichstag walls from the conquering Russian soldiers that can still be read today?

Nick

**Adrian Stevenson** · 08-09-2009, 11:08 AM

Hi Nick, there certainly is. I will show it later

**Adrian Stevenson** · 08-09-2009, 11:11 AM

As with many Soviet monuments, size is huge!

**Adrian Stevenson** · 08-09-2009, 11:16 AM

Down each side of the park are these large plaques depicting in typical style scenes from the war.

**Adrian Stevenson** · 08-09-2009, 11:17 AM

Last few

**Adrian Stevenson** · 08-09-2009, 11:26 AM

We now move onto the main focus of the memorial. The huge statue of a soldier standing on a broken swastika protecting an orphaned child. Inside is a mosacic lined room. In the roof is a representation of the Order of Victory.

You can read more about it here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_...Treptower_Park)

**Adrian Stevenson** · 08-09-2009, 11:36 AM

While we were in the Park, we heard what was a familiar engine sound. We looked up to see a WW2 Dakokta fly over.

**Adrian Stevenson** · 08-09-2009, 11:42 AM

Our next port of call was the old school house at Karlshorst. It was here the German surrender was signed. This is a MUST visit place if you go to Berlin and is now a superb museum.

I took a lot of pics here which I will now show.