The Kaiser Willhelm Church is still standing, but the vista has changed a little. Oddly enough this photo was taken from the exact location that Carl McDaniel took his in 1945 and one that I took in 1966 (Photo Page Swei.) Compare the above photo of the Brandenburg Gate I shot in 1966 with the below "Under Construction" photo Niki shot in June, 2001. It will eventually look like the painting on the cloth covering the entire project. That in itself must have been one hell of a project. The "New" Checkpoint Charlie. Thank goodness they made a memorial out of the old guard post and didn't flush it down the toilet. The photograph on the pole in back of it is of an East German soldier looking into the old west sector. On the other side of the sign is a photo of an American soldier looking into the old east sector. Niki is the lady near the rear of the guard shack holding it up. .
The old Andrews Barracks compound we all knew and loved is now some sort of government operation which contains files and archives from the East German and Republic Armies. It is open only to government officials and persons with special permission passes to get in. Niki could not get inside the gates, but she did take a photo of the plaque on the front of the wall, pictured below. .
The translation of the plaque reads (something like this): Prussian Institute for Cadets--1878-1920 Under construction from 1872 to 1878 was the institute of learning for young boys in Kaiser Willhelm's Cadet Corps. During the Third Reich it became the barracks for the personal Leibstandarte (bodyguards) for Hitler's Elite SS Troops. Numerous executions took place here in June, 1934, in connection with the overthrow of General Rohms' SA unit. Since 1945 Andrews Barracks was controlled by the American occupation forces. .
Here's the old "Scum" again, except now it has grown taking up the entire corner directly across the street from the old Andrews compound. It is now called "Zeus" a greek restaurant. Hans Borowitz, the old Scum owner, is probably rolling in his grave of about eight million Deutsche Marks. . This is one of the original Russian guard towers and a piece of the original wall transplanted to where the old main PX exchange and Outpost Theater used to be. .
This is the only remaining piece of the Berlin Wall still standing, alongside the original cobblestone street. I am trying to find out the name of this street and location of this piece of the wall. If anyone knows please contact me. (Will fill in later.) .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thank you Niki, Nick, Christina, and Tina, for the excellent photographs and allowing me to put them on Berlin ASA 1965-1968. I am sure everyone who looks at them will appreciate the progress made thanks to their efforts of the United States Army Security Agency's role in Berlin.
Photo Page Vierzehn |