BGuthrie Photos: DC -- German-American Heritage Museum -- Exhibit: Berlins -- Made in USA

DC -- German-American Heritage Museum -- Exhibit: Berlins -- Made in USA:

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Description of Pictures: On June 27, 2013 the German-American Heritage Museum of the USA™ will be opening an unprecedented exhibition, BERLINS-MADE IN USA, about the many towns, villages, and communities throughout the United States named Berlin, after the German Capital. By telling their stories, we will highlight the many achievements and contributions of German-Americans to the development and growth of the United States of America.

In conjunction with our Berlin Exhibit, we will also display a smaller exhibit in honor of President John F Kennedy as a celebration of his electrifying speech in Berlin on June 26, 1963. This event will give us an opportunity to celebrate the culture of liberty that permeates the Berlins on both sides of the Atlantic as well as celebrating a linkage of heritage between the thirty-nine Berlins of the United States and “The United City” of Berlin, Germany.

This joint effort with the city of Berlin, Visit Berlin, IHK Berlin, Berlin Partner and the German Embassy Washington DC will help underline the close ties between Americans and Germans.
Special events will be surrounding the Opening in June, including a Berlin Movie Night at the Goethe Institute on H Street in Washington DC on June 27. There will also be various evening lectures and Saturday events with special speakers planned through out the summer months.

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Copyrights: All pictures were taken by amateur photographer Bruce Guthrie (me!) who retains copyright on them. Free for non-commercial use with attribution. See the [Creative Commons] definition of what this means. "Photos (c) Bruce Guthrie" is fine for attribution. (Commercial use folks including AI scrapers can of course contact me.) Feel free to use in publications and pages with attribution but you don't have permission to sell the photos themselves. A free copy of any printed publication using any photographs is requested. Descriptive text, if any, is from a mixture of sources, quite frequently from signs at the location or from official web sites; copyrights, if any, are retained by their original owners.

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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. GAHMBE_130627_002.JPG: KENNEDY, BERLIN & THE COLD WAR President John F. Kennedy (1917 – 1963) embodied all the hopes of war-torn Europe. When he came into office in 1961 he was young, inspirational, 20-40 years younger than the leaders of his time and he was determined to play the role of the leader of the free world. Together with his wife Jackie, they were seen as American royalty, not only by the American public but also in Europe where Jackie Kennedy was seen as a role model for an entire generation of young women. From the moment, he took office; it was Berlin that tested the young President's stamina and political judgment. Kennedy had never before faced leaders like the Russian Premier Khrushchev, nor did he have to deal with European leaders such as German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, French President Charles de Gaulle, or the British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan – who were all much more seasoned and older than he. The Cold War between the Soviet Union and the U.S. was in full swing but had not yet reached its peak which came soon after: With the construction of the Berlin Wall in August 1961 and then the following year with the Cuban Missile Crisis bringing the two superpowers to the brink of war. Berlin and the Berlin Wall Crisis dominated Kennedy's presidency from the very beginning more than any other single issue. The Russian Premier Nikita Khrushchev had already called Berlin in 1961 "the most dangerous place on earth." For him, Berlin was the "hot spot" where the American commitment to their containment policy and their political and military engagement in Western Europe could be tested....And tested it, he did. Berlin produced one of the most dramatic moments in the Cold War. In October 1961, U.S. and Soviet tanks faced each other at point-blank range at Checkpoint Charlie. In that moment, Paul Nitze, Kennedy's Assistant Secretary of Defense, thought that the Berlin Crisis was far more dangerous than the Cuban Missile Crisis. Whereas the Cuban Missile Crisis lasted only 13 days, the Berlin Wall initiated the East-West divide along the Iron Curtain becoming an oppressive symbol of the Cold War for more than 28 years.
2. GAHMBE_130627_019.JPG: KENNEDY– "ICH BIN EIN BERLINER" "All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words "Ich bin ein Berliner! " -- JFK at the Schoeneberg Rathaus, June 26,1963 On the morning of June 26th, 1963, U.S. President John F. Kennedy flew to West Berlin, his last station on his state visit to Germany. It was President Kennedy's second trip to Europe. The first had been to Vienna two years before to meet President Khrushchev for a summit. That meeting – intended to defuse the tensions between the two superpowers – did not go well. Khrushchev had threatened the young President with a "peace treaty" which could have terminated the U.S. presence in West Berlin and given the Soviet Union and the German Democratic Republic additional powers. When Kennedy came to Germany in 1963, he very well knew that he had to stand up to the Soviet Union and its German satellite, the German Democratic Republic. Both of which where threatening the status and existence of West Berlin, especially after the erection of the Wall in 1961, something which Kennedy did not stop and which was seen by many in Germany as a weakness of his leadership. Kennedy knew that his visit to Berlin would be crucial not only for his perception in Germany but also for the future of German-U.S. Relations. As soon as the Berlin visit was decided his speechwriters and advisors prepared a draft for him to deliver in front of the City Hall of West Berlin, the Rathaus Schoeneberg. This particular draft underlined America's commitment to Berlin, but did not include any German words or any language or reference which could be interpreted as a threat to the Soviet Union. Everything changed when Kennedy's motorcade through West Berlin turned into a full-on procession with hundreds of thousands of Berliners cheering on the young president. Standing in his limousine, Kennedy greeted the Berliners and they responded by throwing confetti and flowers into his car. It was the beginning of a love affair that endures today. That and the visit of the Wall right in front of the Brandenburg Gate prompted Kennedy to change his speech by adding the famous sentence "Ich bin ein Berliner" which he repeated twice and with which he made history. Even today these words still resound in the memories of generations of Germans and Americans alike. Kennedy's widow Jacqueline even complained years after Kennedy's death that the most famous words her husband ever spoke were not in English, but in German.
3. GAHMBE_130627_026.JPG: KENNEDY– "ICH BIN EIN BERLINER" "All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words "Ich bin ein Berliner! " -- JFK at the Schoeneberg Rathaus, June 26,1963 On the morning of June 26th, 1963, U.S. President John F. Kennedy flew to West Berlin, his last station on his state visit to Germany. It was President Kennedy's second trip to Europe. The first had been to Vienna two years before to meet President Khrushchev for a summit. That meeting – intended to defuse the tensions between the two superpowers – did not go well. Khrushchev had threatened the young President with a "peace treaty" which could have terminated the U.S. presence in West Berlin and given the Soviet Union and the German Democratic Republic additional powers.
4. GAHMBE_130627_030.JPG: When Kennedy came to Germany in 1963, he very well knew that he had to stand up to the Soviet Union and its German satellite, the German Democratic Republic. Both of which where threatening the status and existence of West Berlin, especially after the erection of the Wall in 1961, something which Kennedy did not stop and which was seen by many in Germany as a weakness of his leadership.
5. GAHMBE_130627_032.JPG: Kennedy knew that his visit to Berlin would be crucial not only for his perception in Germany but also for the future of German-U.S. Relations. As soon as the Berlin visit was decided his speechwriters and advisors prepared a draft for him to deliver in front of the City Hall of West Berlin, the Rathaus Schoeneberg. This particular draft underlined America's commitment to Berlin, but did not include any German words or any language or reference which could be interpreted as a threat to the Soviet Union. Everything changed when Kennedy's motorcade through West Berlin turned into a full-on procession with hundreds of thousands of Berliners cheering on the young president. Standing in his limousine, Kennedy greeted the Berliners and they responded by throwing confetti and flowers into his car. It was the beginning of a love affair that endures today. That and the visit of the Wall right in frontof the Brandenburg Gate prompted Kennedy to change his speech by adding the famous sentence "Ich bin ein Berliner" which he repeated twice and with which he made history. Even today these words still resound in the memories of generations of Germans and Americans alike. Kennedy's widow Jacqueline even complained years after Kennedy's death that the most famous words her husband ever spoke were not in English, but in German.
6. GAHMBE_130627_051.JPG: KENNEDY LEGACY "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" Throughout the Cold War, the city of Berlin remained as a symbol of American commitment in Europe and the close ties between the United States and Germany. Following Kennedy, all subsequent U.S. Presidents have paid tribute to Berlin's special role as a focal point of the East-West conflict as if it were an island in the midst of a sea of communist territory. Each praised and honored the spirit of its people who wanted to stay free and who never gave up their dream to be reunited one day. Some presidents event tried to match Kennedy by uttering German rhymes or slogans. From JFK to Obama, from Nixon to both Bush Presidents for Republicans and Democrats alike, Berlin has always played a special role in U.S. foreign policy. Richard Nixon: "Ha-Ho-He, Berliners are ok" -- Richard M. Nixon's remarks at the Siemens factory West Berlin, February 27, 1969 James E. "Jimmy" Carter "As a city of human freedom, human hope and human rights, Berlin is a light to the whole world; a city on a hill – it can not be hidden; the eyes of all people are upon you. Was immer sei, Berlin bleibt frei." -- Jimmy Carter's remarks at a wreath laying ceremony at the Airlift Memorial, July 15, 1978. Ronald Reagan "Mr. Gorbechev, tear down this wall!" -- Ronald Reagan's remarks and East-West relations at the Brandenburg Gate, June 12, 1987. Bill Clinton "Nichts wird uns aufhalten. Alles ist m�glich. Berlin ist frei!"("Nothing will stop us, everything is possible. Berlin is free!") -- Bill Clinton's remarks at the Brandenburg Gate, July 12, 1994. Barack H. Obama "People of the world – look at Berlin, where a wall came down, continent came together and history proofed that there is no challenge too great for a world that stands as one." -- Barack H Obama's remarks at the Siegess�ule, July 24, 2008.
7. GAHMBE_130627_058.JPG: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall !" Throughout the Cold War, the city of Berlin remained as a symbol of American commitment in Europe and the close ties between the United States and Germany. Following Kennedy, all subsequent U.S. Presidents have paid tribute to Berlin's special role as a focal point of the East-West conflict as if it were an island in the midst of a sea of communist territory. Each praised and honored the spirit of its people who wanted to stay free and who never gave up their dream to be reunited one day. Some presidents event tried to match Kennedy by uttering German rhymes or slogans. From JFK to Obama, from Nixon to both Bush Presidents for Republicans and Democrats alike, Berlin has always played a special role in U.S. foreign policy.
8. GAHMBE_130627_062.JPG: Richard Nixon: "Ha-Ho-He, Berliners are ok" -- Richard M. Nixon's remarks at the Siemens factory West Berlin, February 27, 1969 James E. "Jimmy" Carter "As a city of human freedom, human hope and human rights, Berlin is a light to the whole world; a city on a hill – it can not be hidden; the eyes of all people are upon you. Was immer sei, Berlin bleibt frei." -- Jimmy Carter's remarks at a wreath laying ceremony at the Airlift Memorial, July 15, 1978. Ronald Reagan "Mr. Gorbechev, tear down this wall!" -- Ronald Reagan's remarks and East-West relations at the Brandenburg Gate, June 12, 1987.
9. GAHMBE_130627_068.JPG: Bill Clinton "Nichts wird uns aufhalten. Alles ist m�glich. Berlin ist frei!"("Nothing will stop us, everything is possible. Berlin is free!") -- Bill Clinton's remarks at the Brandenburg Gate, July 12, 1994. Barack H. Obama "People of the world – look at Berlin, where a wall came down, continent came together and history proofed that there is no challenge too great for a world that stands as one." -- Barack H Obama's remarks at the Siegess�ule, July 24, 2008.
10. GAHMBE_130627_071.JPG: BERLIN EARLY BEGINNINGS Before 1150, the area around Berlin saw near-continuous war. The Slavs and Germanic peoples fought over these lands until Albert the Bear, (c. 1100 –1170) the first Margrave of Germany, managed to establish lasting control. Albert's successors further solidified their hold over these lands, and turned Berlin into an economic center and important seat of power. During the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648), Berlin, like the rest of the German lands, fell victim to extreme violence -- as much as 50% of the population died as a direct result of the conflict. The rise of Prussia and Berlin began under Frederick William (1657 –1713), ‘The Great Elector of Brandenburg'. By fostering industry and trade, and accepting religious refugees, he helped Berlin and Brandenburg prosper economically and culturally. His son, Frederick I (1688 –1740) who later became the first King of Prussia, continued his father's tradition and founded the Academy of Arts and the Academy of Sciences attracting intellectuals from all across Europe. Frederick II (1712 –1786), more commonly known as Frederick the Great, turned Prussia into a continental European power. Under him, Berlin began its long trek towards the model capital city, which all major European powers - French, British, Russian, and Austrian - all hoped to emulate. Following the Seven Years War (1754 – 1763), which almost destroyed Prussia, Berlin miraculously experienced a renewed golden age. "Enlightenment intellectuals", most notably Moses Mendelssohn and Immanuel Kant, continued to flock to Berlin. This led to an increase in the sciences and especially the liberal traditions, and ultimately led to the electing of a parliament and the founding of the Berlin University, now known as Humboldt University. By the time Otto von Bismarck (1815 – 1898), came to be the Prussian Chancellor, Berlin had become a world capital. Under Prussian rule and following the Franco-German War the German Empire was created. Berlin became the capital, ushering in a new era of European History.
11. GAHMBE_130627_081.JPG: BERLIN EARLY BEGINNINGS Before 1150, the area around Berlin saw near-continuous war. The Slavs and Germanic peoples fought over these lands until Albert the Bear, (c. 1100 –1170) the first Margrave of Germany, managed to establish lasting control. Albert's successors further solidified their hold over these lands, and turned Berlin into an economic center and important seat of power. During the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648), Berlin, like the rest of the German lands, fell victim to extreme violence -- as much as 50% of the population died as a direct result of the conflict. The rise of Prussia and Berlin began under Frederick William (1657 –1713), ‘The Great Elector of Brandenburg'. By fostering industry and trade, and accepting religious refugees, he helped Berlin and Brandenburg prosper economically and culturally. His son, Frederick I (1688 –1740) who later became the first King of Prussia, continued his father's tradition and founded the Academy of Arts and the Academy of Sciences attracting intellectuals from all across Europe.
12. GAHMBE_130627_088.JPG: Frederick II (1712 –1786), more commonly known as Frederick the Great, turned Prussia into a continental European power. Under him, Berlin began its long trek towards the model capital city, which all major European powers - French, British, Russian, and Austrian - all hoped to emulate. Following the Seven Years War (1754 – 1763), which almost destroyed Prussia, Berlin miraculously experienced a renewed golden age. "Enlightenment intellectuals", most notably Moses Mendelssohn and Immanuel Kant, continued to flock to Berlin. This led to an increase in the sciences and especially the liberal traditions, and ultimately led to the electing of a parliament and the founding of the Berlin University, now known as Humboldt University. By the time Otto von Bismarck (1815 – 1898), came to be the Prussian Chancellor, Berlin had become a world capital. Under Prussian rule and following the Franco-German War the German Empire was created. Berlin became the capital, ushering in a new era of European History.
13. GAHMBE_130627_093.JPG: BERLIN -- FROM THE IMPERIAL EMPIRE TO THE THIRD REICH: As the capital of the now most powerful continental empire of Europe, Berlin underwent a series of dramatic changes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Reichstag became the new seat of the German parliament, and the city's population grew from roughly 800,000 in 1871, to over 2 million in 1910. As early as the turn of the century, Berlin had a subway system and almost every house had running water and electricity. When World War I broke out in 1914, Berlin, like many other European cities, paid a high toll. Initially, hundreds of thousands had gathered in support of the war, yet this euphoria quickly turned to resentment and disillusionment. Rationing, among other things, weighed heavily on the citizens of Berlin, and in early 1918, the Spanish Flu added to the suffering of the Berliner. Following the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II in November 1918, Berlin fell into chaos. Years of political unrest and high inflation, which wiped out the savings of many German citizens, followed. The parliament, unable to convene in Berlin, met in Weimar. As various radical political groups vied for power, the Freikorps, a paramilitary organization, made up of disgruntled World War I veterans, was called in to restore order. Yet, by 1924 the situation in Germany, and especially Berlin, had improved greatly. The Roaring ‘20s marked a time of increased cultural and economic activity. Berlin became the most industrialized city on the continent; Tempelhof Airport opened in 1923, after 1924 its metro system was electrified, and by 1925, Berlin had over 4 million inhabitants. But the global economic depression in 1929 struck Germany especially hard. Within four years, the Weimar Republic dissolved, and the Nazis came to power. The Nazis changed Berlin's civilian landscape dramatically. By indiscriminately attacking the Jewish population of Berlin, which represented roughly 1/3 of all German Jews, the Nazis, as of the Reichskristallnacht, had managed to make Berlin almost completely Judenfrei (Jew-free). The 1936 Berlin Olympics, which were presented to serve as a sign of German racial superiority, instead only showed the world the extent to which the Nazis had perverted both German culture and country. During World War II, Berlin experienced some of the heaviest bombing of any city, and its citizens fled by the thousands. Following the Russian assault and German surrender in May 1945, the city was almost completely destroyed -- and divided amongst the four victorious powers.
14. GAHMBE_130627_099.JPG: BERLIN -- FROM THE IMPERIAL EMPIRE TO THE THIRD REICH: As the capital of the now most powerful continental empire of Europe, Berlin underwent a series of dramatic changes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Reichstag became the new seat of the German parliament, and the city's population grew from roughly 800,000 in 1871, to over 2 million in 1910. As early as the turn of the century, Berlin had a subway system and almost every house had running water and electricity. When World War I broke out in 1914, Berlin, like many other European cities, paid a high toll. Initially, hundreds of thousands had gathered in support of the war, yet this euphoria quickly turned to resentment and disillusionment. Rationing, among other things, weighed heavily on the citizens of Berlin, and in early 1918, the Spanish Flu added to the suffering of the Berliner. Following the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II in November 1918, Berlin fell into chaos. Years of political unrest and high inflation, which wiped out the savings of many German citizens, followed. The parliament, unable to convene in Berlin, met in Weimar. As various radical political groups vied for power, the Freikorps, a paramilitary organization, made up of disgruntled World War I veterans, was called in to restore order.
15. GAHMBE_130627_104.JPG: Yet, by 1924 the situation in Germany, and especially Berlin, had improved greatly. The Roaring ‘20s marked a time of increased cultural and economic activity. Berlin became the most industrialized city on the continent; Tempelhof Airport opened in 1923, after 1924 its metro system was electrified, and by 1925, Berlin had over 4 million inhabitants. But the global economic depression in 1929 struck Germany especially hard. Within four years, the Weimar Republic dissolved, and the Nazis came to power. The Nazis changed Berlin's civilian landscape dramatically. By indiscriminately attacking the Jewish population of Berlin, which represented roughly 1/3 of all German Jews, the Nazis, as of the Reichskristallnacht, had managed to make Berlin almost completely Judenfrei (Jew-free). The 1936 Berlin Olympics, which were presented to serve as a sign of German racial superiority, instead only showed the world the extent to which the Nazis had perverted both German culture and country. During World War II, Berlin experienced some of the heaviest bombing of any city, and its citizens fled by the thousands. Following the Russian assault and German surrender in May 1945, the city was almost completely destroyed -- and divided amongst the four victorious powers.
16. GAHMBE_130627_109.JPG: BERLIN -- BERLIN DIVIDED. BERLIN UNITED. In the months following the German surrender, Berlin, like the rest of Germany, was divided up among the victorious countries. Because of this special status, Berlin was a focal point of contention throughout the Cold War. The first of these crises was the Berlin Blockade. Lasting from 1948 until 1949, the Soviets attempted to starve out West Berlin, yet did not succeed due to the amazing efforts of the Berlin Airlift. The second was the Berlin Workers' Uprising in East Berlin in 1953, which Soviet tanks put down bloodily. Both events showed the powerlessness of the Berliners towards their respective rulers. Yet both of these events pale in comparison to the crisis and tension created by the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961. In response to the huge numbers of �migr�s from East Germany, the East German government decided to close all borders heading West overnight, tearing families and friends apart. Berlin, once again, found itself at the heart of an international conflict it had little say over. East German authorities, with the explicit support from the Soviets, constructed the infamous Berlin Wall, which stood as a symbol of the divisions created by the Cold War. It took more than 28 years, until November 9, 1989, for the Wall to come crumbling down as quickly as it had come up. People from East Berlin swarmed westward, enjoying their regained freedom to once again move freely across the border. After this, little stood in the way of Germany reunification. With the Soviet Empire crumbling from within and Gorbachev's unwillingness to further support the hardliners in East Berlin, the East German government could do little to stem the tide of popular resentment towards its policies and practices. The Germans wanted a united Germany, and on October 3, 1990, their wish came true. In front of the Reichstag, that same night, the newly elected German parliament with Helmut Kohl at the helm, stepped outside and sang the German national anthem -- with hundreds of thousands of overjoyed Germans – from both the East and West - chiming in.
17. GAHMBE_130627_115.JPG: BERLIN -- BERLIN DIVIDED. BERLIN UNITED. In the months following the German surrender, Berlin, like the rest of Germany, was divided up among the victorious countries. Because of this special status, Berlin was a focal point of contention throughout the Cold War. The first of these crises was the Berlin Blockade. Lasting from 1948 until 1949, the Soviets attempted to starve out West Berlin, yet did not succeed due to the amazing efforts of the Berlin Airlift. The second was the Berlin Workers' Uprising in East Berlin in 1953, which Soviet tanks put down bloodily. Both events showed the powerlessness of the Berliners towards their respective rulers. Yet both of these events pale in comparison to the crisis and tension created by the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961.
18. GAHMBE_130627_119.JPG: In response to the huge numbers of �migr�s from East Germany, the East German government decided to close all borders heading West overnight, tearing families and friends apart. Berlin, once again, found itself at the heart of an international conflict it had little say over. East German authorities, with the explicit support from the Soviets, constructed the infamous Berlin Wall, which stood as a symbol of the divisions created by the Cold War. It took more than 28 years, until November 9, 1989, for the Wall to come crumbling down as quickly as it had come up. People from East Berlin swarmed westward, enjoying their regained freedom to once again move freely across the border. After this, little stood in the way of Germany reunification. With the Soviet Empire crumbling from within and Gorbachev's unwillingness to further support the hardliners in East Berlin, the East German government could do little to stem the tide of popular resentment towards its policies and practices. The Germans wanted a united Germany, and on October 3, 1990, their wish came true. In front of the Reichstag, that same night, the newly elected German parliament with Helmut Kohl at the helm, stepped outside and sang the German national anthem -- with hundreds of thousands of overjoyed Germans – from both the East and West - chiming in.
19. GAHMBE_130627_137.JPG: BERLIN -- BE BEAUTIFUL. BE BOLD. BE BERLIN. Since the ‘Fall of the Wall' in 1989, Berlin, much like Germany, has undergone dramatic change. Modern-day Berlin has become the center of culture, higher education, world-renowned museums, fashion, nightlife, and fine dining. In 2012 alone, over 10 million tourists from across the globe came to see Berlin's cultural renaissance. Much like how Paris is to France, and New York to the United States, Berlin acts as a sign of prestige and international pride for the Germans. Although Berlin is now the seat of government, the city nonetheless managed to maintain its artistic and bohemian charm, attracting a creative community -- from all over the globe. Average rent, while relatively high for German standards, is still well below that of London, Rome, or New York. It should then come as no surprise that today's Berlin is now even compared to the New York of the 1970s, heralding back to the latter's less expensive and less commercialized days. The cultural scene of Berlin has attracted Hollywood stars such as Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, and Yoko Ono. Some stars frequent the city, while others have chosen to purchase state-of-the-art residences. Likewise, the Babelsberg Film Studios, located in the nearby Potsdam, the semi-annual Berlin Fashion Week, and the Berlinale, which is Germany's largest film festival, are just a few of the dozens of events that consistently attract a high-profile, international crowd to the city. Even though Berlin is not the economic powerhouse of Germany, it has created its own economic miracle. The start-up scene in particular looks very promising, as Berlin boasts more start-up enterprises than any other German city. In addition, the city's economy is steadily -- if slowly -- growing, closing the gap in comparison to the national growth rates. Berlin's mayor Klaus Wowereit has coined the slogan: "Berlin is poor, but sexy!" and rightly so because Berlin is not only Germany's unchallenged cultural center but even more so one of the hippest cities in the world. Besides being a prime tourist destination, Berlin also carries the responsibility of educating the world on Germany's somber past. Monuments such as the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and Topography of Terror serve as a reminder of the terrible atrocities committed during the Third Reich. Yet, the city itself also stands as a beacon to the world -- a beacon of the great things the city has achieved since it has been reunited.
20. GAHMBE_130627_140.JPG: BERLIN -- BE BEAUTIFUL. BE BOLD. BE BERLIN. Since the ‘Fall of the Wall' in 1989, Berlin, much like Germany, has undergone dramatic change. Modern-day Berlin has become the center of culture, higher education, world-renowned museums, fashion, nightlife, and fine dining. In 2012 alone, over 10 million tourists from across the globe came to see Berlin's cultural renaissance. Much like how Paris is to France, and New York to the United States, Berlin acts as a sign of prestige and international pride for the Germans. Although Berlin is now the seat of government, the city nonetheless managed to maintain its artistic and bohemian charm, attracting a creative community -- from all over the globe. Average rent, while relatively high for German standards, is still well below that of London, Rome, or New York. It should then come as no surprise that today's Berlin is now even compared to the New York of the 1970s, heralding back to the latter's less expensive and less commercialized days. The cultural scene of Berlin has attracted Hollywood stars such as Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, and Yoko Ono. Some stars frequent the city, while others have chosen to purchase state-of-the-art residences. Likewise, the Babelsberg Film Studios, located in the nearby Potsdam, the semi-annual Berlin Fashion Week, and the Berlinale, which is Germany's largest film festival, are just a few of the dozens of events that consistently attract a high-profile, international crowd to the city.
21. GAHMBE_130627_145.JPG: Even though Berlin is not the economic powerhouse of Germany, it has created its own economic miracle. The start-up scene in particular looks very promising, as Berlin boasts more start-up enterprises than any other German city. In addition, the city's economy is steadily -- if slowly -- growing, closing the gap in comparison to the national growth rates. Berlin's mayor Klaus Wowereit has coined the slogan: "Berlin is poor, but sexy!" and rightly so because Berlin is not only Germany's unchallenged cultural center but even more so one of the hippest cities in the world. Besides being a prime tourist destination, Berlin also carries the responsibility of educating the world on Germany's somber past. Monuments such as the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and Topography of Terror serve as a reminder of the terrible atrocities committed during the Third Reich. Yet, the city itself also stands as a beacon to the world -- a beacon of the great things the city has achieved since it has been reunited.
22. GAHMBE_130627_168.JPG: 242 x GERMANY German town names in America When Germans emigrated to America they not only took their religion and their cultural traditions with them but they also named their settlements in the New World after their old hometowns. They did this out of pride or just to make themselves distinct from the settlements of the British colonists . From the only US-Paderborn/Illinois to 39 US-Berlins, towns and boroughs named after the German Berlin - not even counting East, West, and New Berlins over two hundred of US towns are still named after German cities. There are many more US settlements named after German cites from the northern part of Germany than from the south. This is due to the fact that more German Lutherans from the North and Southeast emigrated to America than from the catholic South.
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Bigger photos? To save server space, the full-sized versions of these images have either not been loaded to the server or have been removed from the server. (Only some pages are loaded with full-sized images and those usually get removed after three months.) I still have them though. If you want me to email them to you, please send an email to guthrie.bruce@gmail.com and I can email them to you, or, depending on the number of images, just repost the page again will the full-sized images.
Directly Related Pages: Other pages with content (DC -- German-American Heritage Museum -- Exhibit: ) directly related to this one: [Display ALL photos on one page]:
- 2019_DC_GAHM_Stripes: DC -- German-American Heritage Museum -- Exhibit: Stars and Stripes Over the Rhine (63 photos from 2019)
- 2016_DC_GAHM_Pencils: DC -- German-American Heritage Museum -- Exhibit: In Praise of the Pencil (31 photos from 2016)
- 2016_DC_GAHM_Lawyers: DC -- German-American Heritage Museum -- Exhibit: Lawyers Without Rights (45 photos from 2016)
- 2015_DC_GAHM_Unity: DC -- German-American Heritage Museum -- Exhibit: Path to German Unity (81 photos from 2015)
- 2015_DC_GAHM_Laemmle: DC -- German-American Heritage Museum -- Exhibit: 1915 – 2015: 100 Years of Hollywood – The “Laemmle Effect“ (203 photos from 2015)
- 2014_DC_GAHM_Utopia: DC -- German-American Heritage Museum -- Exhibit: Utopia (47 photos from 2014)
- 2014_DC_GAHM_Karneval: DC -- German-American Heritage Museum -- Exhibit: German Karneval - Then & Now -- incl Setting Up (173 photos from 2014)
- 2014_DC_GAHM_BerlinW: DC -- German-American Heritage Museum -- Exhibit: Fall of the Berlin Wall (22 photos from 2014)
- 2012_DC_GAHM_Costumes: DC -- German-American Heritage Museum -- Exhibit: Germany and its Costumes (28 photos from 2012)
- 2012_DC_GAHM_ACW: DC -- German-American Heritage Museum -- Exhibit: American Civil War w/Thomas Nast and Adalbert Volck (113 photos from 2012)
- 2011_DC_GAHM_Fix_Foxi: DC -- German-American Heritage Museum -- Exhibit: Fix and Foxi (66 photos from 2011)
Same Subject: Click on this link to see coverage of items having the same subject: [German American Heritage Foundation] [Display ALL German American Heritage Foundation photos] [Museums (History)]
2013 photos: Equipment this year: I mostly used my Fuji XS-1 camera but, depending on the event, I also used a Nikon D7000 and Nikon D600. Trips this year: three Civil War Trust conferences (Memphis, TN, Jackson, MS [to which I added a week to to visit sites in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee], and Richmond, VA), and my 8th consecutive San Diego Comic-Con trip (including sites in Nevada and California). Ego Strokes: Aviva Kempner used my photo of her as her author photo in Larry Ruttman's "American Jews & America's Game: Voices of a Growing Legacy in Baseball" book. Number of photos taken this year: just over 570,000.
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