I was about to mention the lack of the inner wall on your photo. I wonder when the second wall was built? In your photo I can make out a person in the background in the area that would later become "no mans land". You might find the following pair of photos interesting. Bendlerblock courtyard is where the execution of the "July 20 plot" conspirators carrying out "Operation Valkyrie". (Not sure I like the word "conspirators" has a negative ring to it.)
It looks very different to when I went over a few years before. I didn't know that the Germans had built an extra wall on the far side of no mans land as shown in your top photo. Another interesting feature is the blockhouse that visitors had to be checked out in on the Eastern side has gone. I suppose by that time things were getting a little easier for people to go into the East.
From the other side, a side I had not seen until now. I was seriously considering visiting the east side for a day, but travelling alone in Europe coupled with the tense moments passing through East Germany to West Berlin, was enough for me. You inspired me to begin scanning a few of my pics. Let's see if this works: The top photo was taken from the platform we had been discussing and the bottom photo is "Checkpoint Charlie" (1988)
I think that the small amount of graffiti shows that West Germans were at that time more self-disciplined than they later became; that is certainly the case with people in the UK. Of course, there was none at all on the Eastern side of the wall for obvious reasons as this picture goes to show. It was taken on Christmas day and the weather very very cold as I recall.
Hold your horses! Your last attempt worked. The photo is impressive and emotional particularly in black and white. The layering of themes is very ineteresting- "freedom" on the platform peering over - a wall that imprisons - beyond which is a monumental gate that is blocked all shrouded in the gray which is reminiscent of the former Communist East Berlin. The platform does look very familiar, especially the position. I definately recall being to the right of the gate. It is interesting how the wall at that time or at least that portion of it, did not have much graffiti. Thanks for sharing
It's back again. I think these are the steps you referred to but I won't say more until I can be sure that the picture isn't eliminated as before.
<a href="http://s581.photobucket.com/albums/ss260/brianbean/?action=view¤t=scan0004-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i581.photobucket.com/albums/ss260/brianbean/scan0004-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> They did it again. I have been in touch with them and they have suggested a host of things that might be causing it but I am running out of patience. The basic problem I'm sure is VISTA which causes me problems I never experienced with XP.
Sorry Gilliatt, I just noted that Photobucket have deleted the picture. OK Gilliat, I seem to have got back in. The trouble was that when I downsized the picture I lost the mouse-over menu for some reason and had to find a way to reinstate it rather than use those listed at the side of the page. Anyway, this picture was taken at the same period when I was there and I was experimenting using black and white film. I distinctly remember going to the top of those steps but, in my memory, they seemed to be much nearer the wall than shown in the picture. I don't know the name of the statue in the Heidelberg photo but it is certain to have religious connotations like so many that are dotted around Germany. The castle was damaged during the Thirty Years War and also by the French during 1689 when they were in conflict with the Palatinate states.
[IMG]http://i581.photobucket.com/albums/ss260/brianbean/scan0001- Sorry about this Gilliatt. I had a picture about the wall to send but for some reason the system won't let me send it.
Testing
