Walls - August 27, 2017

It was a sad visit to the nearby Berlin Wall memorial and a reminder of the fact that walls divide and do so in terrifying, imperfect ways. They do not last, and it is good to remember all of this with a courageous memorial.

I was horrified by the cruelty of the East Germans in shooting anyone who tried to cross the barrier. There was footage of the day the barrier was opened, wildly, without official sanction and ceremony, leaving guards confused - they lost their jobs, I imagine.

I am staying two blocks down Gartenstrasse from the memorial, just inside of the old East Berlin. It is now a thriving lovely part of town easily accessible to culture, arts, and of course, tango.