Painting of Early WW1 battle.
(Deutsches Historisches Museum).
Dear readers, during the last week yours truly have been kidnapped from the hobby table, and taken abroad on business. The upside was, that the impending meeting would be with an Ad Agency - in Berlin!
Ran into this guy in the middle of the street.
Friedrich is yet again popular - due to his multi-cultural support during his reign,
his enlightenment adherence and supposed homosexuality.
his enlightenment adherence and supposed homosexuality.
My travel plans offered me a generous 4 hrs extra time in the city, which I enthusiastically spend on visiting two landmarks of particular interest to the history hobbyist. The fantastic Berliner Zinnfiguren Shop next to Savigny Platz, and the monumentally impressive German National History Museum (Deutsches Historisches Museum).
The Berliner Stadtschloss anno 2015.
€105.000.000 is being poured into the re-construction.
After a double quick check-in at the hotel, I made my way down to Alexanderplatz for a mandatory Kurrywurst. A short post-lunch walk took me over to the "Museumsinsel" and past the massive construction ground for the re-building of the Berliner Stadtschloss - the palace that housed many kings of Prussia and a few Kaisers of the German Reich.
The Stadtschloss late 19th Cent.
It was destroyed after WW2 by German Communists, and in its places they build the Volkskammer (DDR Parlament) during the German division into east and west. After the reunification the decision was made to rebuild the old Scholß for its historic and symbolic value - a project of some €105.000.000!
At the entrance of the museum Bismarck carefully examines all the visitors.
Having gazed at the massive Stadtschloss, it was finally time to enter the holy Grail - the German National History Museum. Here follows a series of pictures from my visit:
Medieval German/Teutonic pavisade.
Late medieval maximillian armour.
Samples from the Thirty Years War armoury.
Die Lange - The tall guards of Friedrich's father.
His passion for tall men took him across Europe with bounty hunters searching
for the next colossus to get enrolled.
Frederick the Great's uniform.
Having read about this king since I was a young teenager,
it was pretty special to actually see this thing live.
The actual hat Napoleon wore at Waterloo,
captured as a trophy by the Prussians.
The Prussians storm the Danish position at Als.
The War of 1864.
Captured Danish flags.
The war of 1864.
The extremely effective Needle-gun used against
the Austrians and the French in 1866 and 1870-71.
The actual uniform of Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Note the shorter left sleeve. Wilhelm had an underdeveloped left arm.
WW1 British and French uniforms.
Beautiful and large (1.5 meter) model of the sms Markgraf,
which fought at the Battle of Jutland in 1916.
The nazification period in the 30ies.
Different kinds of Nazi party uniforms.
Nazi Propaganda Poster focusing on the young audience.
"The youth serves the Führer. All 10 year old in the Hitler Jugend".
"Volkshalle."
An original model by Albert Speer.
German infantry uniform of 1944.
"The Liberation Game"
Who can reach Berlin first?
Portraits of people who were exterminated at Dachau.
Original Newspaper from 1945 announcing Hitler's death.
Germany 1945 - a land in absolute ruins.
Germany divided - a DDR boarder post.
Actual pieces of the Berlin Wall.
For someone who grew up in the 80ies,
this part of the museum left the greatest impression on me.
The Deutsches Historisches Museum kept me entranced for several hours.
As I left the building and strolled down Unter den Linden towards The Brandenburger Tor, I was still digesting the impressions I had gathered. What a magnificent, turbulent, terrible but grand history this country has.
Thank you very much for reading.
Looks very interesting, love the impressive pavisades...
ReplyDeleteCheers Phil, the Medieval dept. was much larger than I can convey here. Its offers a complete coverage of the Holy Roman Empire from Charlemagne on onwards!
DeleteThanks for posting some lovely photos. I'm sure I would love this museum, so maybe a trip to berlin is called for.....
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome Steve, thanks for dropping by for a read! Berlin is somewhat underrated, at least so far by me. I'm already planning my next trip, this time only leasure and no work :0)
DeleteSounds like a great trip! I will have to get to this museum! Thank you for sharing the pictures. Welcome back to Sweden!
ReplyDeleteIt sure was, could easily have spend a few more days in the city of not the museum itself ;0)
DeleteTerrific Berlin photos! Currywurst? Never heard of such a delicacy.
ReplyDeleteI really like the bronze of Bismarck in cuirass. Outstanding!
Currywurst, Weißwurst and Nurnbergers - you mention it - I got to have them as soon as my feet tuch German soil! Preferably with a good Weißbier!
DeleteNice and interesting pictures. Thanks for sharing. And great and thoughtful writing again, as one has come to expect of your posts. /Mattias
ReplyDeleteThanks Mattias, its a privilege to have readers like yourself!
DeleteThe Liberation Game looks like a version of Parcheesi to me.
ReplyDeleteYeah, couldn't resist adding it as one of the shots from the visit!
DeleteWhile the reconstruction of the Stadtschloss isn't all that popular in Germany the Deutsches Historisches Museum is a great place to visit.
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine Nick - with a price tag of +€100.000.000 its sure to raise some feelings, if not for the political reference to the Kaiser etc. But as a turist, its sure to get me back for a visits once its finished. Already planning my next stay!
DeleteWell, it's the price tag as well as it not beeing a 'accurate' reconstruction with modern means but only some kind of 'look a like' as it's not true to the original building.
DeleteThat really looks like a museum to visit as soon as I have the possibility.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely Ulf, it was a virtual goldmine with massive relics like Napoleon's hat from Waterloo - you left with a sincere feeling of history's winds having touched you.
DeleteThat looks like a top quality museum, thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI really was Michael - as a student of military history, I still hold Les Invalides as my no.1 with the Imperial War Museum in second place, but the DHM came in on an impressive third place for sure.
DeleteNice report with lots of great pictures – thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteCheers Jonas, really was impressive - and touching to see the flags conquered from the Danes in 1864, and the models of the Holocaust camps, well its hard to not get thoughtful.
DeleteWhat a great post Soren, i especially like the Mounted German knight in full gothic style armour and the German pavises, they make for great references!
ReplyDeleteYou'd have loved the Medieval and Renaissance part Chris - full walk-through on the Holy Roman Empire...
DeleteVery nice. I've yet to go, but I would really like to see Fredrick the Great uniform and Napoleons hat.
ReplyDeleteChristopher
Christopher, I can only recommend - its massive! I could have spend days in there :0)
DeleteI'm always jealous of these museum visits, but at least some bloggers have the good sense to share. :-) FtG has been a long time interest of mine as well, seeing that uniform in person would be sort of eerie. They could do an entire hall with the many uniforms of Wilhelm II. That would be a pretty interesting exhibit! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteJason, I can only add that its nice to have appreciative readers like yourself on the receiving end of posts like the above. Three weeks ago I visited Leuthen, so its been quite a month for yours truly. Leuthen pics will follow in a blog post of its own - posting it on Dec 5th - naturally :0)
DeleteVery interessting reading. Thankyou for posting this.Keep on reporting my friend. :)
ReplyDeleteMissed this when it went live and read it just now. Great report, I really like these museum-reports, makes me want to travel (until I remember all those airports I've seen and how much I dislike them)
ReplyDeleteExcellent post.Thanks for sharing the informative article. I would like to share information about Among the myriad options, Appconsultio stands out as thebest mobile app development company, consistently delivering innovative solutions that redefine user experiences.
ReplyDelete