From the moment Jim and I decided to visit Berlin, I knew that somewhere near the top of our itinerary would be the site called “Checkpoint Charlie” and it turned out to be everything we had hoped. If you have any interest at all in the Cold-War and the stark expression of this conflict that was the Berlin Wall, you have to take time to visit the Haus am Checkpoint Charlie / Mauer Museum (The Checkpoint Charlie Museum).
The museum gets its name from “Checkpoint Charlie” which was the name given by the Western Allies to the best-known Berlin Wall crossing gate between East Belin and West Berlin.
The museum gets its name from “Checkpoint Charlie” which was the name given by the Western Allies to the best-known Berlin Wall crossing gate between East Belin and West Berlin.
This amazing museum began as a small two and a half room exhibition by human rights activist Dr. Rainer Hildebrandt on 19 October 1962, in an apartment just outside the Berlin Wall and what is now The Haus am Checkpoint Charlie opened in its present location in 1963 and his widow carries on today as director and not surprisingly, it is one of the most visited museums in Berlin, telling the story of the barrier that divided Berlin from 1961 to 1989.
Above photo credit: "Berlin-Mauermuseum am Checkpoint Charlie" by © Raimond Spekking / CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons). Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Commons
Constructed by the German Democratic Republic (GDR, East Germany) with permission from the Soviet Union, starting on 13 August 1961, the Wall completely cut off and isolated West Berlin from the surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin. The barrier included guard towers placed along large concrete walls, barbed wire, anti-car trenches and several other deterrents.
The Wall remained a fortress-wall until it was opened up for passage in November 1989 and was finally demolished from 1990-1992.
While East Germany claimed that the Wall protected the people and helped in the building a socialist state in East Germany, the reality was the Wall was built to prevent the massive panicked escape of people from East to West that plagued East Germany and the communist Eastern Bloc right after World War II.
The Wall remained a fortress-wall until it was opened up for passage in November 1989 and was finally demolished from 1990-1992.
While East Germany claimed that the Wall protected the people and helped in the building a socialist state in East Germany, the reality was the Wall was built to prevent the massive panicked escape of people from East to West that plagued East Germany and the communist Eastern Bloc right after World War II.
The extensive exhibition portrays not only the history of the Berlin Wall and the stories of those affected by it, but also includes exhibits exploring the struggle for worldwide recognition of human rights and freedom.
The collection is fascinating! We were amazed at ingenuity of the intricate plans and the objects used to escape over, under, and through the Berlin Wall, and you can read the stories of those escapees who risked their lives to win their freedom. It also includes the stories of others who died in the attempt to escape to the west as well as examples of how the structure of the Wall changed and became more deadly over time.
Tunnels
Flexible Ladders
Home-Made Hot Air Balloons
Home-Made Flying Machines
Armored Cars
Hiding Places
The display includes East German Army surveillance items used to prevent the escape of East Germans to West Germany.
The display also includes letters, speeches and artifacts exposing the diplomatic drama that played out from the years before the Wall was built through its final demise in the 1990’s. The impressive collection includes donations from many of the people and nations who live through this period in Europe's history.
These fascinating items including the historic speech given by Ronald Reagan bringing the tense international times to life. "Tear down this wall!" was the challenge issued by United States President Ronald Reagan to Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev to destroy the Berlin Wall, in his speech at the Brandenburg Gate near the Berlin Wall on June 12, 1987.
These fascinating items including the historic speech given by Ronald Reagan bringing the tense international times to life. "Tear down this wall!" was the challenge issued by United States President Ronald Reagan to Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev to destroy the Berlin Wall, in his speech at the Brandenburg Gate near the Berlin Wall on June 12, 1987.
The view from the far rooms of the museum looks down at the old checkpoint and out over what was East Berlin. Before leaving the museum you should definitely check out the colorfully gratified chunks of the demolished Wall on display and stop to take a selfie at the old checkpoint kiosk!
Here is a little note to remember also…… as you travel around Berlin, be sure to keep your eyes open for the double-brick line that is the “footprint” of the Wall and which can be found along many of Belin’s streets and walkways.
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