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Time heals (East) Germany Travel Tips & Trends


By Linda DuVal


tion of war and the ability of the human spirit to overcome it. More than six decades after World War II, and 22 years after The Wall came down, cathedrals have been rebuilt, palaces reconstructed and medieval buildings returned to their historic splendor. Some were completed in the past few years but look as if they have been there for centuries. The ancient city of Dresden, fi re- bombed for three days in February 1945, is risen from cold ashes, old and new blended with great care. “For many years, there was noth-


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ing here,” says tour guide Cosima Curth, who protested along with other East Germans back then to get


ach reborn town, church or castle in former East Germany reminds us of the destruc-


The Zwinger, a palace in the heart of Dresden, has been carefully restored after the devastation from Allied bombing during World War II.


The Wall torn down. “We couldn’t afford to rebuild. Our poorness made us rich, though. The ruins remained, so after Reunifi cation, we could rebuild them.” Today, there’s little different


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between East from West. Except, perhaps, that there is more con- struction going on in the East. They’re making up for lost time.


Dresden The Zwinger, a complex of war-dam- aged buildings, has been beautifully reconstructed in styles ranging from Romanesque to baroque to rococo to contemporary. Here, costumed char- acters perform small plays and dances. “There was much contention over


whether or not to include more mod- ern buildings, but they fi gured (the complex) represents so many architec- tural periods, so why not?” says tour guide Elizabeth Reschat. Don’t miss the Green Vault, an


exceptional museum with entire rooms devoted to ivory, amber, silver, gold and jewels. Look for a spectacu- lar 648-carat sapphire from Czar Peter I of Russia.


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Berlin Berlin is a big city and, like New York or London, folks there are


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brusquer than in the small towns. To get oriented, take a city bus tour, which shows the highlights of both East and West, includ- ing the Reichstag (the historic German parliament building), restored after Reunifi cation and the Charlottenburg Schoss, a grand pal- ace built for a Prussian empress. Especially visit the magnifi -


cent 18th century Brandenburg Gate, once the symbol of divided Germany and now a symbol of peace and Reunifi cation. Seriously damaged in the war, it was fully restored in 2002. Checkpoint Charlie is another reminder of the Cold War—today a tourist attraction where fake soldiers pose for photos for a couple of Euros. Take advantage of the proximity


to do a day trip to Potsdam. See the church where Hitler assumed power, the headquarters of the KGB, the KGB prison where American pilot Gary Powers spent some time, and Sanssouci, an imperial palace so grand even the Soviets maintained it as a tourist attraction. History echoes through every step


you take on the cobblestones of East Germany. — Linda DuVal is a former travel editor and freelance writer in Colorado Springs. 


© Rick DuVal


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