Day 14: Potsdam and the Wansee conference

Day 14: Potsdam and Wansee

Our final day in Berlin we made our way to Wansee, where, at a beautiful, idyllic setting the Nazi high command decided on the 'final solution to the Jewish problem'.

Our first stop was a beautiful upper class neighborhood in a western Berlin suburb call Grunewald. Here the upper crust lived including a healthy number of the social elite. The quiet neighborhood, with it's train station became one of the primary deportation points for the Jews of Berlin.

We were joined for the day by Johannes, a PhD candidate in Jewish/German studies who provided wonderful insight and information throughout the day.

He gave us his theory that the German's picked this quiet, out of the way suburb on purpose in order to not cause too much commotion around the 'relocation'. We walked up to 'platform 17' which was the place where Jews were loaded onto trains. Along both sides of the platform was inscribed in iron plaques the chronology of the transports.


Especially moving was the discovery of one transport of 953 Berliners to Minsk. A day earlier Karen had shared with us the story of her father's family, who had been deported to Minsk and presumably died there. Here, on this railroad platform, Karen stood, where, most likely her relatives had stood on the journey that ultimately ended their lives.

From there we traveled to Wansee, a very large and beautiful lake, set in the forests west of Berlin that is clearly a favorite vacation and recreational spot for Berliners. Here in January 1942 the final solution was established. In realty, the mechanisms for the extermination of the Jewish people were already in place and in operation. But this meeting was really to get everyone on the same page. All documentation of the conversations at the meeting were supposed to have been destroyed. But, one copy of the transcript was found in the Office of Foreign affairs after the war.

We toured the rooms where the Wansee conference took place, going from room to room through an excellent exhibit documenting all that had led to the war and finally to this 'solution'. As if one needed a reminder, it is made strikingly clear that Hitler did not spring out of the blue. Virulent anti-Semitism had existed for years in Germany. The religious anti-Semitism of old was supplanted by a race based anti-Semitism that deemed, from as early as the end of the 19th century that the Jews we a threat to the German race. Indeed, it was the 'evil' doings of the Jews and their false alliances and allegiances that was ultimately seen by many as the cause for the German loss in WWI.

We then stopped for a lakeside lunch where a number of us ordered 'quiche's' that turned out to be rather large pizzas instead. I settled for a 'salmon' salad that turned out to be a lox salad. And, given that my lunch arrived 15 minutes after everyone else's, it must have been freshly smoked!

Following lunch we set off for a tour of Sans Souci, Frederick the II's summer residence ... And

On the way we walked across the bridge where, during the cold war spies and prisoners were exchanged from one side to the other. It was famously here that Natan Sharansky came to the west.
It is important to remember that there was not only a wall that split the city in two, but the was also a wall surrounding West Berlin, which was an island of Democracy in the middle of the GDR (German Democratic (ha) Republic).

Then it was on to Sans Souci which was, dare I say, truly a pleasure palace. 'Sans souci' means without sadness, and indeed it seems that Fred did all that he could to make that so. Statues of Bacchus the wine god fill the palace. He had a taste for good food, good wine and French philosophy. And women were not allowed in this ornately decorated place. Fred, it seems, was not so fond of women. While he was married even his wife was not allowed in this place. But Voltaire was allowed ... And while the other guest rooms were rather plain, his was beautifully decorated. Perhaps Frederick II had a taste not only for French philosophy, but for French philosophers as well?

Then it was back to Berlin for our last memorial visit: the former head quarters of the Gestapo which is now called 'The Topography of Terror". This museum is bordered on one side by the remains of the Berlin wall. Ironically enough, this concrete wall whose purpose was to separate now must itself be separated, fenced off from souvenir seekers who might otherwise help themselves to a bit of history.

In Germany and throughout our journeys we have heard continually things categorized as 'before 89' and 'after 89'. It to conceive of, but the Shoah is almost ancient history. Howard noted that when we were growing up in the 60's and speaking about the 1890's it was prehistoric for us. So too, for the children of Germany, indeed for all our children. 1941 / 42, when the final solution was agreed to, was 70 years ago.

The museum itself is situated on the grounds of Gestapo headquarters which was demolished in allied bombing during the war; and is dedicated outside to the torture and death of prisoners. Inside is a chronological look at how this cam about. What is clear is that there was a great deal of popular support for the Nazis. First, they fed on the already established, racially based anti-Semitism and suspicion of all this different. Second, they relied a great deal on intimidation, scaring people into submission and participation ... In that way keeping the citizenry in line. Although, to be clear they had a great deal of support, much based upon their ability to better living conditions in severely economically depressed Germany. (much of this growth can be attributed to the building of a war machine).

Like all exhibits, it is well constructed and executed ... And once again points to the German silliness to own up and take responsibility for the horror and death that they caused.

Following a brief break we met up with our tour guide Mona, who asked if she could join us for our final dinner. She did. More than that, guiding us through subway stations to probably the best meal we had in Germany, at an outstanding Turkish restaurant. With good food and gear company we soon lost track of time. Before we knew it 11p.m. Had arrived. We journeyed the subways in reverse where we all headed to our rooms to finish packing and prepare for an early morning journey to the airport and home.

Tomorrow: epilogue ... Some final thoughts as we return home.