[Germany | Berlin] East Side Gallery | Berlin Wall Museum

🌧️ Strolling in the Rain in Berlin: A Historical Reflection at the East Side Gallery and the Wall Museum

On this day in Berlin, the rain was drizzling.

Unlike the torrential afternoon thunderstorms in Taipei, the rain here is always intermittent, lightly and continuously falling. The air is filled with a cold, dampness, as if even the weather is narrating the past of this city.

We took the U3 subway and got off at Warschauer Straße station. It took less than a five-minute walk for the East Side Gallery, stretching for several kilometers, to come into view.

Berlin on a rainy day has a unique atmosphere, walking beside the remnants of history with an umbrella.

Nearby, there is an orange bridge, whose name I forgot, perhaps it is Oberbaumbrücke, connecting the past of East Berlin and West Berlin.

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🎨 Colors on the Wall: The Longing for Peace and “Life”

Walking along the remnants of the wall, we admired the artworks that brought new life to the wall. Some paintings explore environmental issues, some boldly express demands, and many convey a longing for peace.

Before this, although we had some understanding of the background of the Berlin Wall’s establishment, seeing the wall that once tore the city apart standing before us still stirred emotions within. Imagining the days of separation between East and West Berlin, what a torturous wait that must have been?

On this wall, filled with historical scars, artists from around the world left their creations, creating many famous sights. Among the most famous is the graffiti of two men kissing passionately—“The Brothers’ Kiss” (My God, Help Me to Survive This Deadly Love).

Although I do not fully understand the deeper meanings behind each artwork, quietly watching in the rain, feeling the collision of colors and the concrete wall, is itself a form of silent dialogue.

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🏛️ The Berlin Wall Museum: The Heavy Stories Within the Wall

As we walked, we decided to visit the nearby Berlin Wall Museum (The Wall Museum).

Berlin has many attractions related to the “wall,” and the museum we visited is located in Mühlenspeicher, with student tickets priced at 7.5 euros. (Booking online is cheaper)

I forgot whether photography was prohibited inside the museum or if it was too dark, so I chose to record my feelings with words. The museum displays many introductions about the establishment of the wall, escape, and sacrifice. I vaguely remember the walls filled with textual explanations, which felt heavy to read. For me now, these may just be words from a history textbook, but for those at the time, every story was a real occurrence of blood and tears, deeply affecting the fate of countless families.

Upon entering, I was captivated by a set of displayed officer uniforms. Although they looked like costumes from a TV show, the next moment I thought about how these were worn by real soldiers on duty, and the scenes they faced, the separations of life and death they had to confront, suddenly filled my heart with sorrow.

The uniforms and boundary markers (Grenzgebiet) displayed in the museum evoke the somber atmosphere of that time.

Sighs by the Spree River

The museum has an outdoor balcony where you can directly gaze at the Spree River.

Looking at the calm river, stories mentioned in the introduction come to mind: there were those who, in order to cross the East-West border, jumped into this cold water, only to be ruthlessly shot. At that time, who knows how many souls longing for freedom simply disappeared in the river?

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📮 Conclusion: Taking Away a Fragment of History

Before leaving, I bought a postcard as a memento. Specially, this postcard contained a small piece of the wall.

There are many souvenirs selling fragments of the wall, with different prices based on the size of the pieces. I carefully selected a postcard printed with the “Brothers’ Kiss” design and specifically chose a piece in my favorite color. This is not just a souvenir; it feels like carefully collecting a corner of that history.

Unfortunately, the weather was not favorable during this visit to the East Side Gallery, with the continuous light rain, perhaps it was God mourning for history. But because of this rain, there were fewer tourists, allowing us to experience the city more quietly and calmly.

Not many crowds

Life is sometimes like this, imperfect, yet unique because of it.

The little rainy silhouette taking a photo with the East Side Gallery