It is improbable to be a Berlin tourist and not contemplate the Third Reich history of the city. The period of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945 cast its grim on the architectural looked and the museum and memorials built after World War II. In this article we examine these sites and offer you useful information for your orientation and understanding of this period in history.
1. The Reichstag Building
The controversial landmark of Germany’s political agenda is the building of the Reichstag of Berlin which is situated in the region of Mitte. Throughout the Third Reich the building was burnt down in 1933 and the Nazis claimed this as a reason to call out the emergency laws to seize every power possible. The Reichstag today is an example of the simultaneous restoration of the historical structure and the construction of a modern state parliament representing Germany.
2. Holocaust Memorial or Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
The monument is the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe also called Holocaust Memorial which is dedicated on the murder of six million Jews throughout the Europe. This memorial is a series of 2,711 concrete blocks, placed in a grid form on the inclined ground. Materialised through the self-explanatory and rather powerful architectural design, a tour through this building is a sobriety and a thought-provoking prompt to the horrors of Third Reich Germany.
3. Topography of Terror
The exhibit called the Topography of Terror founded on the territory of Gestapo and SS has collected the information about the functioning of Nazi regime and its policy of repression. Witnessing photographs, documents and hearings of witnesses, people get an idea about the beginning and enactment of fascist practices and concern of different organizations. Such installation is nostalgic reminder of the gravity of the terrible crimes committed during the period of the Third Reich.
4. Concentration camp located at Oranienburg, 22,780 inhabitants in 1933, 32,199 inhabitants in 1939, 29,220 inhabitants in 1941
Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp is situated few kilometers away of Berlin and visitors can see the suffering which prisoners gone through during the second World War. Hearing tours here are providedplus there are reconstructed barracks, guard towers also there is path of death where you can see how people used to live in this camp. It is unforgettable to walk through the grounds of Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp a lesson to all of what happens when power goes to people’s heads and is a reason why human rights should always be protected.
5. Wannsee Conference House
The Wannsee Conference House is the place where most of the major and minor personnel of the Third Reich gathered in 1942 to discuss the course and the management of what was called the “Final Solution of the Jewish Question in Europe”, which in the Nazi understanding meant the extermination of European Jews. The villa is situated outside Berlin and has become a museum that demonstrates the history of the conference and the following acts of holocaust. A stop at this site is an eye opener on the procedural aspect of one of the darkest episodes in human history.
6. Olympic Stadium
The Berlin Olympic Stadium was constructed for the 1936 Summer Olympics, and now every visitor can see how the Third Reich tried to demonstrate their ideals to the world. The stadium essentially exhibits the air of the Nazi architectural style being monumental in nature. Anyone can tour through the stadium, learn about its history and see how Olympics was fought against Nazi regime.
7. Documentation Centre Nazi Party Rally Grounds
While it is based in Nuremberg, the Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds provides information on the large scale Nazi party rallies. This can be created either by an uncompleted Congress Hall followed by an exhibition on how the Nazi Party used mass events. Although located in Cologne, this museum reveals more about the propaganda that was used by the Third Reich.
Conclusion
Arriving and experiencing Third Reich sites in Berlin is an emotionally filled and informative process. They stand as a warning of the sorts of things that happened during the Nazi regime and the terrible fact that those with power can do terrible things. Through visiting such places, the people learn more about the past in relation to democracy and human right hence they develop appreciation. Do not forget to explore these sites with respect, empathy and as open-minded as could be.
