DAY 1: CROSSING THE LINE (Wannsee)
checkpoint bravo
The main highway crossing between West and east Berlin serves as a quiet counterpoint to Berlin’s touristy Checkpoint Charlie; there’s no one here to take pictures with, but there’s plenty of things to take pictures of, including the abandoned remnants of a gas station, a bridge and some buildings, one of which serves as a small museum; who knew Charlie had a hotter, older brother.
Suggested duration: 60 minutes. Visit www.checkpoint-bravo.de for opening times and more information.
house of the wannsee Conference
Built in 1915, this former villa served from 1941-1945 as a Nazi guesthouse and holiday home (even Nazis need a vacation, genocide is hard work). It was in this very house that 15 SS representatives met on January 20, 1942, to discuss a Final Solution to the Jewish question, a solution amounting to their systematic deportation and extermination. (which was a pretty intense solution, Nazis have no chill.) It’s too bad because this house, which its Havel River view, would’ve made the perfect bed and breakfast if only it had not been ruined by so unchill Nazi vibes. Its only possible use now is its current use, an exhibit that details the horrors imagined herein.
Suggested duration: 60 minutes. Visit www.ghwk.de for opening times and more information.
liebermann-villa am wannsee
German-Jewish painter Max Liebermann spent over three decades (1910 to 1935) summering at this villa, which he called his “little castle by the lake” (so much for the struggling artist). He painted over 200 paintings of the villa garden, 40 of them on view inside this now-museum in honor of his life and work. Of course, you can’t be a real artist without a few struggles here and there and by struggles I mean being a Jew living down the street from a Nazi summer home. In the span of just seven years, Liebermann went from person grata, becoming an honorary citizen of Berlin in 1927, to a persona non-grata, being dismissed from all his academic positions and having his work banned by the Nazis in 1933. He died with little recognition in 1935 (now that’s the life of a real artist) and his wife was forced to sell the house to the Nazis for nothing then killed herself rather than being deported to a concentration camp. It’s probably no consolation for them, but this house is a fitting memorial to their life and story and his artistic contributions.
Suggested duration: 60 minutes. Visit www.liebermann-villa.de for opening times and more information.
Glienicke BrUcke
Spanning the Havel River and connecting Wannsee with Potsdam, this bridge, built in 1907, served as a checkpoint between West and East Germany during the Cold War, literally “like a bridge over troubled waters.” Only military and diplomats were allowed to cross and it was occasionally used to trade spies who had been captured. (You had one job!) It was renamed The Bridge of Unity, and reopened to pedestrians a day after the reopening of the Berlin Wall in 1991. The bridge is basically a celebrity today after its starring role alongside Tom Hanks in the Steven Spielberg film Bridge of Spies for which it easily won an Academy Award for best bridge that year. You’re free to walk across this still-active memorial to a troubled time - nowadays, it’s all water under the bridge.
Suggested duration: 30 minutes. Visit www.glienicke-bridge.com for more information.
schloss Cecilienhof
Completed in 1917, this English-style manor served as the primary residence of Crown Prince Wilhelm III, who would have been the next in line to be the kaiser of the German Empire, had it not fallen in defeat in World War I; at least he got a sweet house out of it. Thinking that Hitler would restore the monarchy, Wilhelm supported his rise to power. A bromance developed between these men, with Hitler visiting Wilhelm at the manor on numerous occasions. But bromances don’t usually survive assassination attempts and after the Operation Valkyrie to restore sanity to German government, Hitler had Wilhelm placed under house arrest; he eventually died elsewhere of liver problems. After the fall of Nazi Germany, the house served as the site of the Potsdam Conference between Harry Truman, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin over how to divide the spoils, an apt bookend to the evil Wannsee Conference, which took place at the outset of the war, just one town over. Inside, you’ll be in the presence of some of the most powerful men in modern times, and unlike the house at Wannsee the vibes are much more chill. Too bad it’s a museum; would’ve made a nice B&B.
Suggested duration: 60 minutes. Visit www.potsdam-tourism.com for opening times and more information.
STAY THE NIGHT IN: potsdam
DAY 2: MIND OVER MATTER (Potsdam)
Dutch quarter
134 red-brick buildings make up the largest collection of Dutch homes outside of the Netherlands, which is provides a nice change of scenery from the austere German style and what better way to enjoy it than grabbing a seat at one of its many outdoor cafes.
Suggested duration: 30 minutes. Visit www.potsdam-tourism.com for more information.
sansSouci palace
The summer palace of Frederick the Great, 18th century king of Prussia, was finished in 1747 and fashioned in the Rococo style, a relatively laidback style that reflected Fred’s desire to get away from his official duties and the noise of Berlin. In fact ‘sans soucci’ means “without worry,” basically “hakuna matata” in German. It’s hard to relax without a mansion, though apparently he referred to this mansion as “my little vineyard house.” While technically it only has 10 rooms, each room is the size of a house, but perhaps it’s all relative. The interior was upgraded to the neo-classical style by his successors and the palace went on to serve as summer residence for the imperial family until the fall of the empire in 1918. The full tour shouldn’t take too long. It’s a small house after all.
Suggested duration: 60-90 minutes. Visit www.potsdam-tourism.com for opening times and more information.
Sansoucci park
Sansoucci Palace was built adjacent to a vineyard in order to reflect the Romantic ideals of harmony between man and nature, a harmony more easily accomplished through copious amounts of wine (the more you drink, the harder you fall down on the grass, literally connecting you to nature.) Best pace yourself with your picnic lunch and bottle so you can savor the connection to nature in the park, lined perfectly with trees and hedges and adorned with scores of temples, fountains and sculptures. Highlights include the Orangerie (greenhouse), Bildgalerie (picture gallery), Chinese House, Roman Baths, and Church of Peace. And a second bottle.
Suggested duration: 2-3 hours. Visit www.potsdam-tourism.com for opening times and more information.
neues palais
At the west end of Sansoucci Park lies a decidedly more opulent palace completed in 1763, having been commissioned by Fred the Great as a celebration of the Prussian victory in the Seven Years War. Fashioned in the Baroque style, it basically functioned as the hotel for Frederick’s guests, with over 200 rooms, four great rooms and a theater. It even had rooms for Frederick himself when he grew tired of his modest palace across the yard and craved more opulent surroundings. There are over 60 guest rooms to see but at the risk of overindulging, stick to the great rooms: the Grotto and Marble Halls, the Marble and Upper Galleries, and the Theater.
Suggested duration: 30-60 minutes. Visit www.potsdam.de for opening times and more information.
bonus: Einsteinhaus
Not to be confused with Einstein’s ‘haus’ in Bern (Switzerland - Part 4), this is where Einstein summered; even a wizard needs some time off. But Einstein’s brain never took time off; as you’ll see, his office is the focal point of an otherwise mundane summer house. Smartly, as to be expected of a genius, Einstein never returned to Germany after a trip to the US in 1933, around the time the Nazis seized power. The summer home was confiscated and used by Nazi armed forces. Fortunately it opened to the public in 2005 as a historical monument and though there’s not much to see in the house, this is how he preferred living; the power lies in its simplicity.
Suggested duration: 30 minutes. Visit www.einsteinsommerhaus.de for opening times and more information.
STAY THE NIGHT IN: POTSDAM
DAY 3: Abandon Ship (Road to Spreewald)
Sanatorium Beelitz-Heilstatten
At the turn of the 20th century, this complex of 60 hospital buildings was built to be used as a sanatorium, a place where people suffering from tuberculosis were treated. These days, we have medicine for TB, but way back when, it could only be treated with rest and fresh air - basically you’re good as dead. During World War I, it was transformed into a military hospital where a young and pre-genocidal Adolf Hitler was treated for a leg wound he suffered in the Battle of Somme. Too bad his head didn’t explode, as he probably would not have recovered from that, and the Holocaust would’ve been averted. After World War II, it served as a Soviet military hospital until 1995, when the majority of the buildings were left abandoned, remaining so until this day. The ruined state probably serves as a more appropriate depiction of the horrors that went on here; the place is scary as shit and has made for appropriate sets to films such as The Pianist, Valkyrie, and A Cure for Wellness. While the buildings were at one point ripe for exploration and graffiti, most of them are now roped off. There are infrequent tours however; check google for updated timings. There’s also an elevated walkway with views of the complex from above, for those who’d prefer not to die a horror movie death.
Suggested duration: 2-3 hours.
bonus: wunsdorf-walstadt
Formerly known as “Little Moscow”, this town was once home to around 75,000 Soviet men, women and children before its quick abandonment after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989, leaving behind what amounts to an entire town, rotting even since, better known now as “The Forbidden City.” Highlights of the ruins include entirely vacant apartment buildings, a dusty movie theater, a drained lap-pool, massive murals depicting Soviet propaganda (many in mint condition), a statue of Vlad Lenin covered in moss and who know what else you can find in the grass-overgrown pavement. Like the Beelitz Sanatorium, it was open to exploration, before it was fenced off for safety reasons. Nowadays, you’ll have to book “Tour 5” to get a brief glimpse of this forgotten place. For those craving some true abandonment, you can check out the unfenced Sperenberg Airfield, a “short” forty minute drive off.
Average duration: 1-2 hours. Visit www.buecherstadt.com for bookings, schedule and more information.
Tropical island
After touring all those abandoned places maybe you’re in need of a solid cleanse of both your body and soul. While a trip to the Caribbean would be ideal, you’re in the middle of Germany right now, so unfortunately that’s not realistic. You’ll have to settle for this domed tropical theme park, housed in a repurposed airplane hanger, the tallest of its kind in the world, making it the biggest indoor waterpark in the world. The temperature inside is kept at 78 Fahrenheit, truly giving you the tropical feels. You could enjoy it as you please, among one of several pools, restaurants, bars and water slides. It’s also home to the biggest indoor rainforest in the world, which is nice for those who want to explore a rainforest without getting mauled by jaguars. You can also stay the night.
Suggested duration: 2-3 hours. Visit www.tropical-islands.de for tickets, opening times and more information.