Just back from a city break to Berlin. For a history buff the city has familiar landmarks at every turn. The weather was wet and grey mostly but we stayed in a lovely hotel (the Adina) just around the corner from Check Point Charlie. We were in the old 'East' sector which still bears evidence of its communist past, particulalry in the grey apartment blocks.
The Brandenburg Gate is an awe inspiring structure and it was easy to imagine those torch lit Nazi parades passing through it. The Reichstag was equally impressive and standing on the roof the picture of the Russian soldier hoisting the red flag above it with the ruined city below came to mind.
The German Historical Musuem on Unter Den Linden was fascinating charting German history from Roman times to the fall of the wall. Particulalry interesting was the rise of Hitler. There was a wealth of photographs and period material that I had never seen before. I did get the impression that certain facts had been sanitised. The holocaust is covered but there are none of the images of the death and suffering we see at the Imperial War Museum for instance.
There is a fantastic museum at Check Point Charlie covering the rise and fall of the wall and the effects on the people of the city. There is little of the wall left standing, only a couple of hundred metres for posterity.
Highly recommended.
Wargaming wise not much to report. The painting continues apace with a unit of Union foot, a Regiment of Horse for ECW, a Reb Divisional Command base for CWB and 5 bases of Fuzzies for PITS. Ecclectic mix eh?
WMMS show at the weekend. Quite excited about it. The order is placed with Peter Pig. I am bound to pick up a few other bits from them. I will also look for a few scenic bits from TSS, a tin of Army Painter Strong Tone, some static grass and a maybe a book or two.
Still no digital camera so pictures are few and far between, sorry. Hopefully correct this situation soon.
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