Berlin The Cold War

Sample Itinerary

• Day 1: Fly UK Airport to Berlin-Brandenburg. Guided tour of historical sites including Berlin Wall. Evening – Reichstag open until midnight (last admission)
• Day 2: Visit Checkpoint Charlie, DDR Museum and TV Tower. In the evening – It is possible to book a bowling session
• Day 3: Visit Hohenschonhausen / Stasi Prison. Fly Berlin-Brandenburg to UK Airport. It is also possible to travel to Berlin by coach.
  

Battlefield and History Tours recommends the following

• Oversalzberg - Eagle's Nest: The Eagle's Nest, situated at 1,820 meters above sea level, was a World War II gift for Adolf Hitler. Used for state functions, it remarkably remained untouched by enemy attacks. Since 1960, it has served as a mountain restaurant with breathtaking panoramic views spanning up to 200 kilometres.
• Munchner Stadtmuseum: The Munich exhibit showcases its role as the birthplace of National Socialism, highlighting how art, festivals, and media were used to promote the Nazi regime. It also delves into the city's involvement in arms manufacturing and its dual role as a center of persecution and resistance during that era.
• Dachau Concentration Camp: Dachau Concentration Camp, founded in 1933 by Heinrich Himmler, was the first Nazi camp, primarily for political prisoners. Situated in an old munitions factory near Dachau, it inflicted brutal conditions on inmates, with 32,000 documented deaths. Post-war, it held SS soldiers awaiting trial and served as a US military base during the occupation.
• Nuremburg - War Crimes Trial Courthouse: The Nuremberg Trials at the Palace of Justice from November 20, 1945, to October 1, 1946, marked a pivotal moment in global history. Nazi leaders faced justice, shaping modern international criminal law. The Nuremberg Trials Memorial on the courthouse's top floor offers insights into the defendants and their crimes.
• Nuremburg - Documentation Center: Nuremberg hosted Nazi Party Rallies from 1933 to 1938. Hitler's declaration as the "City of Nazi Party Rallies" led to monumental construction, reflecting the regime's megalomania. Exhibitions now provide insights with programs and information boards on the Nazi Party Rally Grounds.
• Berghof - Oversalzberg: Adolf Hitler's Bavarian Alps residence, the Berghof (formerly Haus Wachenfeld), was his primary WWII dwelling. On April 30th, 1952, the Bavarian government demolished its ruins, coinciding with the anniversary of Hitler's death.
• Oversalzberg Documentation Museum: Dokumentation Obersalzberg offers historical insights into the Nazi leaders' use of the mountainside retreat, notably Hitler's frequent visits starting in 1928. It features permanent and special exhibitions, lectures, events, and an educational program, all reflecting on the National Socialist era.
  

Other Visits and Excursions

• Wall Memorial and Wall Documentation Centre: shows the history associated with the Berlin Wall.
• Stasimuseum: is in House 1 on the former grounds of the headquarters of the GDR Ministry for State Security (MfS). The building was erected in 1960-61 as the offices of Erich Mielke, who served as Minister for State Security from 1957 until the end of the GDR. English guides are available, and the visit lasts approx. one and a half hours.
• Panoramapunkt: in Potsdamer Platz has the fastest elevator in Europe, in just 20 seconds you will be up on the 24th floor. It offers breath taking spectacular 360-degree views of the city’s most famous historic sites and landmarks.
• The Holland Quarter in Potsdam: There are over one hundred gabled red-brick houses built by Dutch builders for immigrants from Holland invited to work in Potsdam by King Friedrich Wilhelm I. This is a very attractive quarter of Potsdam and there are many restaurants and cafes for a lunch stop.
• Olympic Stadium: The Olympic Stadium was constructed from 1935–36 to plans by the architect Werner March as the central building of the Reich sports field for the 1936 Olympic Games. Stadium tours or visit the observation tower.
• Allierten-Museum: (closed Mondays) in Zehlendorf.  This is in the former US Army ‘Outpost’ movie theatre and tells the role of the Western Allies (USA, Britain & France) in the post-war period (especially the Berlin Airlift) and the life of the Allied troops in Berlin.
• Self-guided walking tour: starting at Berliner Dom, book burning site, Unter den Linden, Fuhrerbunker, Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, Jewish/Holocaust memorial, Detlev-Rohwedder-Haus (Former Air Ministry building), Topography of terror / Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie.
• Berliner Gruselkabinett: built in 1943 is the only WW2 air shelter open in Berlin.  A chamber of Horrors on the upper floor, gruesome medical scenes from past centuries on the ground floor and the air-raid shelter in the basement.  It was originally meant to connect to an underground supply rail, but it did not see much action as the war ended a few years later.
• Berlin-Hohenschonhausen Memorial Foundation: is close to Landsberger Allee (entrance free for school groups).  Guided tours can be arranged if booked in advance.  Since 1945 this has been the central place of detention for political prisoners in the Soviet Occupation Zone & the GDR.  Former political prisoners explain the history and show visitors around.
  

Other variations on numbers and duration available plus day trips available on Request.