I remember the night as clear as anything: November 9, sitting watching TV as the Berlin Wall was breached and destroyed under cover of night. I was glued to the screen, a year-old studying both German and history for my Leaving Cert and astonished at the drama unfolding. The ultimate symbol of the Cold War, cutting off Allied-occupied West Berlin from East Berlin and East Germany, the impenetrable 12 foot barrier had divided the city politically, socially and economically since One of the most significant global events of my teenage life, the Fall of the Berlin Wall began a fascination with Berlin, a city of Eastern socialism and Western affluence, and I grew up wondering what it would be like to visit such a fragmented place.
It was historic. It was intriguing. It was evolving. Nowadays, it outranks Paris and London in the hip stakes, a melting pot of vibrancy and creativity where the culture, music, architecture, art and food scenes continue to attract young digital nomads and creatives making the German capital their home.
After five months in Munich, I moved north to Hamburg where I would spend the next four summers working as a student. Like all ports, Hamburg is a free-spirited city with an edgy, progressive energy that I loved. In the 90s, it was the poster boy for German creativity, its liberal and gritty spirit holding my attention. Never once was I tempted to travel west to Berlin while living there. Then, for some inexplicable reason, I graduated with a German degree and never set foot in the country again.
Until Where once German was seen as the language of progress and success, I never spoke it again, beyond a few holidays in Switzerland. Aside from an opportunity to resurrect my questionable language skills, my visit to Berlin is nothing short of astonishing. The landmark buildings all roll off the tongue with strange familiarity: the Reichstag, Checkpoint Charlie, Brandenburg Gate, and of course the infamous Berlin Wall.
As exhibitions go, this one is wildly creative and an irresitible way to connect visitors to the essence of the city. Our weekend will be underpinned by pleasure and pain as history seeks to challenge us. The photographs and stories will haunt us and leave us grappling with emotions. I have always loved the buzz of a German flea market as they lift the lid on ordinary lives.
