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American Sector
This is the largest and southernmost of
Berlin's three western sectors. It is a mix of business
and pleasure where an urban Yank might feel more or less at
home. Its busy commercial districts are set off by
leisure and cultural attractions, which, while not as grand
and ostentatious as those in the British sector, are well
worth a visit.
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| Kreuzberg |
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◄ Checkpoint Charlie
There are several checkpoints
along the Berlin Wall. Some are for West
Berliners, while others are for foreigners.
The American Checkpoint Charlie at Koch Strasse
is one of the latter, and perhaps the most
famous.
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For those curious about the
"Checkpoint Charlie" moniker, it is
simply part of the military practice of using
letters of the alphabet to designate items in a
sequence.
Checkpoint A (Alpha) is far to the west at Helmstedt,
where vehicles cross between West and East
Germany.
Checkpoint B (Bravo) is Dreilinden, where traffic
crosses between East Germany and Berlin's
American sector.
Checkpoint C (Charlie) is the military crossing
point between the American and Soviet sectors of Berlin. |
Viktoria Park
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Wandering here and there about
Berlin, one is not infrequently greeted by a
striking scene upon rounding a corner. The
scene might be one of humor or horror, splendor
or serenity. Here in Viktoria
Park is one in the serene category.
(Thanks to Glenn Wright for
helping me identify the location, which I had
forgotten since taking this photo.)
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| Tempelhof |
Tempelhof Zentralflughafen
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Largest of three
airports in West Berlin, Tempelhof Central is both a
commercial terminal and a military (US) air
base. However, the surrounding buildings
make its 1930s-vintage landing field inaccessible
to large jet aircraft.
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Platz der
Luftbrücke
The Air-Bridge
Monument commemorates the Air Lift of 1948-49,
when a Soviet blockade of surface traffic to West
Berlin was countered by the US, UK, and France,
who supplied the entire city's needs by air, via
this airport and Gatow (in the British
sector). Arching toward an identical work
at Frankfurt's Rhein-Main Air Base, the
sculpture's three curves represent the Western
occupying powers.
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| Schöneberg |
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◄ Rathaus Schöneberg
Nowadays, the most renowned feature of this
district is its City Hall, from whose balcony
U.S. President Kennedy delivered his rousing I am
a Berliner speech in June 1963. The
plaza where the crowd gathered has been renamed
John F. Kennedy Platz.
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| Steglitz |
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◄ Botanischer Garten
Steglitz is for the most part a busy, urban
district. However, it also features a
splendid Botanical Garden.
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The Botanical
Garden proudly claims to grow an
example of every plant species that can survive
in Berlin's climate.*
In addition, an effort is made to expand that
range to plants that are more comfortable in
extreme environments, from aquatic to arid, from
torrid to frigid.
*Perhaps a jot
of skepticism is warranted on this point, for on none of my excursions here
have I ever noted any
giant sequoias.
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| Zehlendorf |
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◄ Glienicke Brücke
Those born before the 1980s are
doubtless familiar with "Freedom
Bridge," which has appeared in many
newsclips and spy films, including Funeral in
Berlin. Located at the Potsdam border,
it is a common site for exchange of prisoners
(alive and dead) between East and West.
The rows of cars might give the
impression that there is much traffic here, but
these are the parked vehicles of patrons of a
nearby restaurant and golf course.
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Pfaueninsel
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In the middle of the Havel River, Peacock
Island enjoys a degree of serene isolation from
the bustling city. For urbanites it is
a refreshing spot for a weekend stroll, amid
blossoms and birds that compete for regard as the
island's most spectacular attraction.
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The charms of Peacock Island are by no means limited
to flowers and fowl. One of a couple of
small castles residing here thrusts its twin
towers into a sapphire sky to greet the afternoon
sun.
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