Berlin: Where You Can Still See the Traces of the Second World War

After the Second World War in 1945, Berlin was left in ruins and to this day traces of the war can be seen all over the city in the shape of bullet holes, ruins and scars. Traces of the battles that took place here from April to May of 1945 and the bombings throughout the war can still be seen here and today we are going to explore Berlin to show you some of those places that still bear the marks of the war to this day. It can be hard to picture the enormous damage air raids inflicted on German cities, many of which were reduced to rubble. That's why Berlin left many battle scars in place as a reminder of the horrors of war. The most famous example is probably the ruin of Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin's Charlottenburg district. It was originally built in the late 19th century in honor of German Emperor Wilhelm I. In 1943 an ally air raid destroyed much of the church, leaving only the main spire relatively intact. Seeing the remains of this once glorious church serves as a reminder to Berliners of the terrible war started by Nazi Germany. Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church was not the only building that suffered extensive war damage. The same happened to Sophie and Kirche church and the buildings surrounding it in Berlin's Mitte district. They bear traces of the battle of Berlin in spring 1945. As we walk around this area we can see walls pockmarked with hundreds of bullet holes and sharp nail scars. Can you imagine how fierce the fighting must have been? Another example is Berlin's Museum Island, one of the city's most visited areas. If you look closely you will see that the columns that make up the Kolonade courtyard also show extensive war damage. Adjacent Neues Museum too was heavily damaged and partially destroyed in World War II. Many decades later damaged parts were carefully restored. Sections beyond repair were rebuilt using new materials and a more modern aesthetic. Much like the Museum Island Berlin had to be extensively renovated and today anyone walking around here in Potsdamer Platz realizes that this is a very modern area. We have many high-rise glass buildings here and this in a city as old as Berlin in a region as central as this one can only mean one thing that everything here was completely destroyed during the Second World War or at least almost everything. One of the few buildings that partially survived the war is Hotel Esplanade. Although the hotel was largely destroyed in an ally air raid, its ballroom, breakfast room and a stairwell remain intact. Today a protective window pane lets visitors marvel at this architectural gem. It's truly amazing to find such a historical treasure practically hidden among all the super modern buildings of Potsdamer Platz. More World War II traces can be found outside the city center. They are easy to overlook even for someone who has lived here for years like us. Take the example of the railway bridge at Prileweg in the district of Schönenberg. Look carefully and you can spot deep waist-high gorges in the concrete walls. They were left when Soviet tanks drove too close to the structure. But you will probably be able to find many more traces of fierce fighting around Berlin's residential neighborhoods if you look closely. And while many are barely noticeable, others are hard to miss. Like the ruins of Unhalter-Bannhof train station. This imposing 19th century building was one of Berlin's key transport hubs, with train connections to multiple German cities as well as international destinations like Rome and Constantinople, today's Istanbul. In the 1930s, as the Nazis were rising to power, scores of Jews fled into exile in trains departing from Unhalter-Bannhof station. From 1942, thousands of Jews were deported to Theresienstadt concentration camp from here. Today, Unhalter-Bannhof is an underground station that serves trains running north to south. Now on to a huge World War II bunker, or rather what remains of it. It was one of several giant Flak bunkers that were built in the city. Flak is short for Flugabwehrkanone, meaning anti-aircraft cannon in English. These enormous structures were manned by Luftwaffe helpers and managed to down dozens of aircraft during the war. These bunkers also served as air raid shelter for Berlin's civilian population during allied bombing raids. After the war, much of this massive structure was covered in rubble, and today most of it is covered in trees. From here, you can enjoy great views of the city. It makes us think about how Berlin was deeply shaped by the war in many ways, but the city rebuilt itself, and so did the people, learning from the past and remembering it, so that it never happens again. And if you enjoyed this journey, if you learned something from this video, leave a like, subscribe to this channel, and thank you so much for coming with us. See you next time!