Free To Visit Berlin World War 2 Historical Sites
Berlin is perhaps the best city on earth to walk you through the history of WWII. It was once the administrative center to the Nazi and also where the war ended.
There are quite a number of historical sites which are opened to the public for free. Yes you read it right, admission FREE. You may also expect exhibitions at some of the sites. You will never get disappointed visiting Berlin city as it offers a true history excursion of WWII, the most cruel war in human history.
Here are some of the sites you could visit for free.
1) Topography of Terror and Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall was constructed by the German Democratic Republic (GDR) to separate Berlin’s Eastern and Western sectors. Berlin Wall stood at 3.6 meters height and 150km long. This is one of the surviving fragment of the Berlin Wall, border between the districts of Mitte (East Berlin) and Kruezberg (West Berlin). The remaining wall is merely 200 meters long with clear traces of destruction occured between year 1961 til 1989.
Address:F-4, Niederkirchnerstraße 8, Kreuzberg
2) Berlin Wall Memorial Grounds
This is a Must-Visit historical spot to learn about the history and consequences of the Berlin Wall on three different levels: artistically, factually, and spiritually. The memorial grounds consists of the preserved border fortifications, form the core of the memorial on Bernauer Strasse, Chapel of Reconciliation and Window of Remembrance. On this preserved ground also stands the 1.4km long monument, the last piece of Berlin wall.
Address: Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall Memorial) F-2, Bernauer Straße 111&119, Mitte
3) Nordbahnhof S-Bahn station (border station)
Next to the memorial ground is the infamous Nordbahnhof S-Bahn underground station, also known as the "ghost station" in West Berlin between 1962-1989. This was a deserted station in East Berlin as trains (S-Bahn line) came from the West were not stopped at this underground. Worth a visit to get a glimpse of this East Berlin's underground station which was once its passenger platforms guarded by many transport police and border soldiers to stop any planned deserters.
4) Berlin Friedrichstraße station
This station was once the terminal and a border crossing point for travelers from both the West and East of Berlin in August 1961. Today, the facade of the station has preserved (as much as) its original looks to serve as an important historical reminder of the formal border crossing. You can experience getting your "passport" stamped here by passing through the East Berlin immigration border.
Address: Tränenpalast, Reichstagufer 17
5) Checkpoint Charlie (Checkpoint C)
This famous crossing point between West and East Berlin, was once maintained by the US Army. With great influence from Western Allies, you may spot American flag flying in the sky to signify the American sector. Today it is one of the favourite photography spot for many tourists. Along the street, there are open-air exhibition, museum and bookstores to re-trace the history of Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin Wall and even WWII.
Address: Friedrichstraße 43-45
6) Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (Holocaust Memorial)
Built in 2003 with the construction cost of €25 million, the memorial is built to commemorate Jewish victims of the Holocaust in Berlin. The grey concrete slabs arranged neatly on a sloping field and made the Holocaust Memorial a peaceful spot to commemorate the victims to the WWII. Remember to visit the underground exhibition area.
Address: Cora-Berliner-Straße 1
7) Remnants of Hitler's bunker (Führerbunker)
The bunker has been destroyed by the Russians right after the end of the war. The site has now being transformed into a residential area. In case you are curious about the location of Hitler's bunker, it's actually under the garden of the Reichskanzlei (1), which was at 77 Wilhelmstraße. The location is marked with a plaque explaining the layout and construction of the bunker.
.jpg "Berlin Wall Memorial, Bernauer Strasse")
