Wünsdorf-5

Wünsdorf - 5

The first two photos are of the entrance and exit to the whole complex.

You emerge into the light from the tunnel to the Soviet Bunker within two minutes walk to the nearby complex of nice flats, shops and bookstores.

Many of the properties are old but have been modernised to attract new tenants. Some are new.

In 1989, the local government started a project to attract tourism to the area. New restaurant and stores were built.


Now Wünsdorf is gaining a name as a centre for buying and selling books. This brings many local tourists and of course they need restaurants, cafes, bars.

These are now there complete with some interesting museums that have been created out of the old barracks housing soldiers.


 The days of being a centre for different military commands is over. The area is now trying to find a new identity and survive.  I can recommend a visit to both 'old' and 'new' Wünsdorf.

Wünsdorf-4

Wünsdorf - 4

Having destroyed the bunkers, the Soviet Military High Command moved in.

From 1945, this became the site where the highest officers directed all other military operations in what later became East Germany. A wall was built to stop anyone entering, a new military rail station was built as were buildings to house 50,000 soldiers and provide all the things they needed.

As they settled in and the 'cold war' advanced the military minds realised they needed a protected bunker. They couldn't use the old German ones for they had dynamited them! A large new complex was built but this time it was all under the ground.

If you walk north from the old German bunkers you follow a road that turns to the left and then ends at what looks like a delivery point/or repair yard for trucks. To the right you can see a small turreted round building. It is the ventilation top of the Soviet bunker system.


You enter the system through a very thick metal door in the truck repair/delivery area. It all looks very innocent! You then enter a five story complex of tunnels and rooms with telecommunication systems. Like the German bunkers, the Soviet one was mainly 'manned' by women! They did a lot of the telephoning and typing.

When the Soviet military left Germany in 1994, the military staff at the Wünsdorf bunker took most of the communication system with them, but some remained and you can see some components in one of my photos. I particularly like the photo of what we were told was a very early computer - but without its monitor.

The bottom two floors of the bunker are now flooded but you can wander around the other floors. I forgot to add that access to the whole complex is only possible with a guide, and you view in groups.

From the complex there is an underground tunnel that takes you to the village. From the air you could not see anyone entering the site. Entry was via a set of connected houses in the nearby village then a walk through the tunnel to your typewriter, telephone and desk.

Wünsdorf-3

Wünsdorf - 3


 In the 1920s, the site was used as a training area. Things began to change from 1933, when a certain Herr H. and his party were elected into office. He later ended parliament and made himself dictator - as I am sure you all know.  


 From the mid-1930s, a big construction project was started. This included shelters against bombs, they look like towers with a pointed roof, and 10 bunkers that looked like blocks of flats. They had tiled roofs and balconies and were set in an elongated circle with a common garden and trees in the middle - just like any other housing development!

The bunkers were built by a Berlin based company. Five thousand workers constructed it in one year.

 It was built of concrete blocks re-inforced with metal bars. Amazing! The company continued to build until it went bankrupt in 1964. I wonder why?




They housed the High Command of the Third Reich. Each General/Marshal/Project had its own bunker/disguised block of flats. The General/Marshal worked on different campaigns in anticipation of a future war. Interesting - talk about forward planning!

For example, we saw one of the bunkers where Field-Marshal von Paulus and his staff worked for two years on the invasion plan by the 6th Army leading to the Battle of Stalingrad. We know it was a failure so I wondered what they had not calculated as they worked in this now ruined bunker for two years.

In early summer 1945, the victorious Soviet Army put all the munitions they could find in and around Berlin into the bunkers then blew them up. The bunkers sank into their foundations, or fell onto one side, or fell out so they resembled the wings of a bird.

It is rather strange to see these forms. Judge for yourself in the collection of photos I took.

Wündsdorf-2

Wünsdorf - 2

The military connection to Wünsdorf began in 1904 and ended in 1994. Ninety years as the home of military High Commands. A relationship making it unique in the history of Germany.

In 1904. the Kaiser and his military advisors decided to make Wünsdorf the home of the High Command and so began a long period of building. Railway lines and stations were built and connected, homes for servants, staff and soldiers were built, training grounds set out and communication lines including telephone were installed.

 From Wünsdorf, the Generals and Field Marshals making up the High Command planned and organised campaigns in the First World War (1914 - 1918).

 It was also a training ground for new recruits and in 1916 it added a prisoner-of-war section. This housed 6,000 prisoners, mainly captured soldiers from the French and British armies who were Muslim.



A policy of treating them better than standard prisoners was followed in order to win them over to the German side and so get them to fight in the German armies. The first mosque in German was built there to show goodwill towards these prisoners.

In 1918, the English Queen donated a memorial stone to the site to commemorate these prisoners and those who died there. It is now in the area where prisoners then lived in barracks and washed their clothes. It is in English and Hindi but dedicated to the 'brave Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus who gave their lives for King and country'.


 I checked both languages and they said the same! The Hindi one starts with the words 'Ohm Bhagvan' which is the name for God when you start to pray!  Check it yourself if you don't believe me :-) and on the last line you can read 'Zindone - aapne desh aur  samgath ke liea = in life for their country.....'

Wünsdorf-1

Wünsdorf-1


 And so I collapsed into bed after my visitors left and slept for a few hours. We changed the clocks in Germany that night = forward one hour = I lost one hour of sleep just when I needed it!

And so Sunday morning arrived. The morning before I got confirmation that an 'Oldie' group would be going on a day trip to Wünsdorf and I was invited to join them. The alarm went off and I staggered out of bed.

Quick shower, cups of herbal tea and warm clothes prepared me for the journey. I also packed a 'Flachmann' full of whiskey, and a 'Thermos' flask full of coffee. I knew what was important to share with my  fellow 'oldies'!

Got the train from my local station and met some of the 'Oldies', who were waiting for me. We arrived in Wünsdorf where you can see the (red) train that took me there in the first photo.

We then got lots of information from our guide. The next photo is of what remains of the Soviet Military railway station built next to the public station. The tracks have now been removed with many other things but you can still see where they were. It was an area only Soviet soldiers could enter and no Germans.

At the back of the photo we can see a large building. This was the bakery for the Soviet soldiers. Very big, but then they had to feed 50,000 soldiers each day.

 From 1945, this area was taken over by the Soviet military. They immediately built a wall surrounding the large area. No Germans were allowed into this area.

You can see a photo of one of the entrances now - without the gates and guards.

Visitors

 Visitors

A very interesting week, which included having coffee and cakes with Jutta, Gerald and Johanna,  going to a bicycle auction and breaking a tooth - auch! . It ended on Saturday with a visit to the Berlin-Tschechow Theatre with Herr und Frau Fox. If you remember she is my German teacher.

I saw a presentation of a debate between Frederick der Grosse und Herr Müller. It is based on historical reality, but now is used as a format for political comment and farce. I understood 95% which pleased both myself and Frau Fox!

I went home feeling very happy about the show, and my level of understanding, to await the arrival of some visitors.  I got a call from 'liebe Andrea' to say  they would be arriving late(r). No surprise there!

And so it came to pass that the visitors arrived 'later'. By then I had given up any idea of setting the table for a snack/meal. After exchanging hugs and kisses, Jan, Arancha and 'liebe Andrea' settled into my living room. Yes, they were the advance guard of the visitors.

Jan immediately attacked the fridge for beer and asked Arancha (in Spanish - and I understood!) if she would like a beer. She said 'yes' and so he poured her a beer in one of my large 'presentation/food' glasses! Here is a photo showing Arancha holding the glass and being very nice about Jan's 'blodsinn'!

We talked a lot about Jan's recent work on a ship north of Mumbai where he had to help in the construction of an platform on the sea-bed. That is one of his specialities so no surprises that his company had sent him to work with the chief engineer on the project.

It was a really relaxing and pleasant evening. The doorbell then rang to announce the arrival of Peter von Long-Legs and Alex. They are part of Jan's Berlin background = school and then drinking companions! Here is a photo of them arriving.

We had a really good evening with lots of food, drinks and interesting conversation. They stayed for more than the one hour they told me. They left at about midnight to go to a party somewhere in the north of Berlin. Here is a photo of them leaving me to enjoy the rest of the night in a club.

Oh, to be so young and full of energy. Me? - I just collapsed into bed as soon as they left. I had another strenuous day waiting for me!

Spring Moves

Spring moves and travel plans

It is 21st March and spring is officially here. Great! Warm weather, blue sky and sunshine in Berlin at the moment, and forecast to continue for a few days.

Not happy to read about the storms in Sydney at the moment, and worry about the safety of Daniel, who lives there. Terrible news from Japan, then dangerous weather reports from Australia and New Zealand. What is happening?

Daniel, have a look at the spring flowers appearing in my lawn at the entrance to my flat. Always a nice sign.

Also have a smile at the addition to my balcony flower boxes. Tired of seeing them empty over winter, so I added a little humour and colour before I later fill them with flowers for summer.


Spring brought on thoughts of travel so I booked flights in June. First half I shall be with Hannelore and Peter in Claviers, which is in the south of France. I visited them two years ago if you remember.


Here you can see my booking forms and a photo of Hannelore relaxing on the new Terrace, in addition to a postcard showing you all of the great town of 680 inhabitants!  I plan to hire a little car and set off for a three day adventure. Should be interesting.

On my return to Berlin, I have enough time to re-pack my bags then fly to England. I shall be with family in Liverpool before staying with Fran and Geoff in my 'Heimat'.

Going to stay with Alan and Lynne and maybe take in a trip to the north to see Peter and Freda. I shall later hire a car and head south. I wonder if a certain couple will be at home in Cambridge or on another cruise to explore more of the world :-)

I plan to enjoy July in Berlin and am working on plans to travel again in late summer - but that is all in the planning stage at the moment. Let's see what happens!

Pork pies

Pork Pies

I got  a big surprise a few days ago. Ring on the doorbell and Mr Deutsche-Post said he had a small packet for me. When I saw it I immediately knew who had sent it, and what was inside.

It was from Sarah and Reena, and sent as a thank you for helping them to see more of Berlin on their last visit. What a wonderful surprise.

I cut a 'sliver' into one of the pies to see if it was okay to eat. Mmmmh....it was, so I cut another sliver then another sliver ......then noticed half of a pie had disappeared.

That evening I attacked the other half, with the help of a glass of red wine - but only as a helper for digestion. It worked.  I ate the other pie for lunch next day. Thanks to both.

Other news is that Daniel is not coming to Berlin from Brazil.  Jan is okay after a spell on a platform in the sea north of Mumbei/Bombay and that he and Arancha are planning a three day visit to Berlin at the end of this month. I am meeting Mathias tomorrow morning to book flights to France and England in June, then I am going to a 'Grill-Party' at Heike's house.  In the last 6 days,  I have been to two concerts at the Philharmonie in Berlin and heard Mozart, Bruckner, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Benjamin Britten and Tschaikowsky.  Ian and Birgit are okay and now sending out regular news via their blog - and I am helping them to do this. I am now busy trying to create a site for teaching material on our Berlin-Brandenburg teachers association communication platform. All this is in addition to all the other things I do per week, which you already know about!

Clearing Out

Clearing out

I had a great time yesterday sorting things in my cellar and then clearing a lot of things out.

 It all began with looking for some old chest/lung x-rays for my new allergie Doctor. I knew I had them in the cellar, but where? They were in the last box I opened. Typical!

Some were old records that I no longer needed to keep. In Germany you only have to keep reports/records of things such as tax papers for ten years. Yesterday I cleared out all the things from the 1990s. A nice feeling.

Many involved tax or bank records so I brought my 'paper-shredder' machine into play. It happily munched its way through piles of papers and delivered three bags for recycling.

I then found all my old Versatel connections - which didn't work. I ended the contract after some hazzle from them, but I finally got a letter of apology and a voucher!

I shall be 'investigating their inner workings with a hammer' next weekend. Anyone want some 'duff' equipment before the hammer does its work? Can I hear Sven saying.' On no, not again with his hammer!' Oh, yes.

Business Spotlight

Business Spotlight Workshop

I enjoyed yesterday afternoon and evening. I went to an eltabb event. Eltabb is the local teachers association I helped to found many years ago. We had a workshop led by Dr. Ian McMaster who is editor-in-chief of Business Spotlight.

It is a bi-monthly high quality magazine aimed at English learners in business. He gave a workshop nearly three years and I went to that too. A quiet spoken presenter and clearly a master of his subject. Here is a photo of him in relaxed mood I took before the workshop started.

         The room filled up with members and off we went. I took photos of different members to post to our teachers ning communication platform, and decided to share a few with you.



There is one of part of the audience of teachers, and one of me 'tripping the light fantastic' a la Tango, with one of our active members - who originally comes from Spain. Nice! Then a meal, drink and interesting chats ended the evening.



This afternoon I am meeting our Treasurer. I am an auditor for this year so I, and the other auditor, have to meet the Treasurer to carry out an initial check on the book-keeping and see if the Treasurer has any problems, or needs help.

We are meeting in a cafe in Neukölln, so we just might be able to sample some nice food and drinks as we work :-)

The Hand

The Hand

Nice friendly chat over coffee and cakes last Friday afternoon with my Photoshop Gang. We have a three week break for Stefan has take holidays before the end of this month.

We all understand this and wish him happy holidays, but we shall miss our meetings and look forward to resuming work at the end of the month.

This time we had to work on a hand and a background. The latter was our local bridge and the hand belonged to Stefan! We had to cut out the hand, then change its characters so it appeared opaque.



I then played around with colour changes. Stefan played around as well, and added my face to the side of a building - but this time I was opaque! Talented aren't we?