勃兰登堡门, 追踪Isabel的足迹 (Brandenburg, Isabel in Berlin)

Achtung! Der English ist inline below!

7月13, 14, 15 星期五 ,  六，日

星期五

雨停了，今天我俩打算按照民宿房主的建议去那几个知名景点。PJG在网上买了5天柏林欢迎卡，在5天内可以随便坐公共交通系统，并且有些景点门票会有25%的折扣。 网上买完后我俩遇到了一个问题，根据使用说明，需要打印出来。附近的打印店还没有开门，我俩就放弃打印，决定就用手机里的版本。这边的地铁和其它我俩去过的城市一样，基本是诚信制度，上车前需要在一个机器上验证一下票，之后基本没有检票的。所以在地铁上我俩的卡没有遇到问题，在今天所坐的公共汽车上，上车给司机看卡，他们基本都不在乎，这里也没有问题。 在买电视塔门票的时候，用手机出示了我俩的卡，他们也只是看了一下，所以最后鉴定是根本不需要打印！ 总而言之，说了太多的柏林欢迎卡了，哈哈。

Fri, Sat & Sun   July 13, 14 & 15

Friday

The rain stopped, and today we are following the advice of our AirBnb owner to go check out some famous spots he recommended. PJG bought a five-day Berlin welcome card online which allows us to take the public transportation system for five days and gives us some discounts on attractions. We were told we must print out the coupon on A4 paper but we didn’t have a printer so we just decided to try and use the version from the iphone. It turns out, no one really cares and the whole transit system is based on the honor system. i.e. there are no turnstiles to get into or out of the station and no one is checking tickets. Even when boarding busses, we just motioned to our iphones to get on (i.e. they never ask to see the ticket). They basically don’t care.  When we bought the TV tower tickets and got a discount, I showed them the card on my mobile phone. They just glanced at them, so there was really was no need to print! Ok, ok,  I have said way too much about the silly Berlin Welcome Card, haha.

勃兰登堡门

我俩坐地铁直达勃兰登堡门，看了天气预报今天不会有雨，结果一出地铁，竟然下起了小雨，而且有点儿冷！ 走到勃兰登堡门，不幸的发现门前围了白色围栏，根本不太能靠近，而且来到柏林后第一次看到了这么多的游客。

Brandenburg Gate

We took the subway directly to the Brandenburg Gate and the weather forecast said there will be no rain today. But when we got off the subway it started to rain and it is a bit cold! We were expecting sunny skies with warm temperatures! Walking to the Brandenburg Gate, we unfortunately found that they had constructed a large white fence all around the structure.  Also, for the first time, we now are seeing many tourists in Berlin!

转到门的后面，发现这里搭建了观看世界杯的大屏幕和舞台，估计他们也没有料到，2014年世界杯冠军的德国队竟然被韩国队爆冷踢出局吧！来这里观看决赛应该会很有气氛。

Walking to the other side of the Brandenburg gate we found that there was a big screen TV and stage setup for watching the World Cup. I think they were planning for success and did not expect that the German team (which won the World Cup in 2014)  would be kicked out by South Korea so early on. 😂 We might come back here to watch the finals in this more exciting atmosphere… (we didn’t)

虽然被围栏和电视屏幕大大地削减了勃兰登堡门应有的气势，但是它的历史作用是不堪忽视的。这座门位于柏林市中心，建于1788年至1791年，是一座新古典主义风格的建筑，是柏林、德国的历史兴衰的见证。象征着普鲁士的七年战争的胜利，承受着拿破仑以征服者的身份攻入勃兰登堡门，并掠夺走门上胜利女神雕像的屈辱，再次经历了普鲁士击败拿破仑，夺回女神雕像的崛起，再次承受第二次世界大战被炸毁的伤痕；它又见证了冷战时期的德国的分裂和统一，柏林墙的建立和推倒，直到目睹今天的德国成为欧洲和世界的发达国家之一。两百多年来的伤痕累累，勃兰登堡门已成为一个经历了胜利和失败的德国的独特象征。

Although fenced in with a big TV screen in front which greatly detracts from the history of the Brandenburg Gate, its historical role is still unavoidably present. Built in the heart of Berlin in 1791, this neoclassical building has born witness to the rise and fall of Berlin and Germany.  It symbolizes the victory of Prussia’s seven-year war; the humiliating attack by Napoleon who stole the statue that tops the structure; and then Prussia defeating Napoleon and regaining the goddess statue.

Once again bearing the wounds of the Second World War it also witnessed the division and unification of Germany during the Cold War, the establishment and reversal of the Berlin Wall, until finally symbolizing Germany as a developed country of Europe and the world. With more than two hundred years of scars, the Brandenburg Gate has become a unique symbol of Germany that has experienced such dramatic victories and defeats.

Isabel的足迹

今天来到勃兰登堡门也有着一些更有意义的意味，因为PJG的母亲Isabel在1945年的时候随着她的英国部队也来到过这里。想想那时候的战争余味，很多柏林的建筑都被炸毁，Isabel和她的朋友曾在一堆被炸的半毁的雕塑前合过影，她总是说那是在勃兰登堡门照的。但是经过PJG的长时间的周密搜索，那个地点并不是勃兰登堡门，虽然那塑雕像早已不存在了，我俩会去寻找她当年拍照的地点，祝我俩顺利吧 😊。

Isabel In Berlin

There is also a more personal reason to see the Brandenburg Gate today, because PJG’s mother Isabel also came here with the British troops in 1945. When she came her at the end of the war Berlin was in ruins and many buildings in Berlin had been destroyed. Isabel and her friend took a picture in front of a pile of bombed and half-destroyed sculptures. She always said that it was at the Brandenburg Gate.  However, after a long and thorough search by PJG, the location was not really at this place. Although the statue had long since disappeared, we are planning to go to find the place where she took the picture that year, so wish us luck in finding it!

星期六

那个 Isabel站在前面照相留念的雕塑叫做National Kaiser Wilhelm Monument，在二战时期被破坏，Isabel的照片里只能看出来一小部分的雕塑，PJG经过长时间的搜索和联系一个柏林博物馆的一个博士，知道了雕塑的名字，当年曾在的大概的位置，和雕塑上的铜制狮子和鹰是唯一留存下来的部分。鹰被保存在märkisches博物馆里，狮子现在在柏林的Tierpark动物园里。

National Kaiser Wilhelm Monument雕塑从1897到1950, 一直屹立在柏林皇宫前。 我俩今天先去了柏林皇宫地带，结果到了之后发现皇宫正在进行维修，整个宫殿都被围了起来, 根本看不到具体的面貌。PJG就只是知道在宫殿前，但是不知道具体是哪个地点。宫殿的对面就是柏林大教堂，博物馆岛和一个大的广场，广场中央还有一个喷泉。我俩四处看看，看到一个展览版上有1910年广场的老照片，照片上显示大概在喷泉处有一樽类似的雕像，我俩就猜测有可能就是那塑雕像。可是不能百分百确认，又没有什么人可以询问，我俩决定去märkisches博物馆看那个铜鹰雕塑，顺便咨询一下是否有人了解相关的知识。

Saturday

The monument that Isabel stood in front of and photographed was called the National Kaiser Wilhelm Monument, which was partially destroyed during World War II. Only a small part of the sculpture can be seen in Isabel’s photograph. PJG had been searching for a long time and last year finally made email contact with a curator at a Berlin museum. He finally learned the name of the monument, the approximate location where it once stood, and was told that the bronze lions and eagle on the sculpture were the only parts of the monument that were saved. The eagle is kept in the Märkisches museum and the Lions are now in the Tierpark zoo in Berlin.

The National Kaiser Wilhelm Monument once stood in front of the Royal Palace in Berlin from 1897 to 1950. We went to visit the Imperial Palace in Berlin today. After we got there, we unfortunately found that the whole palace was under repairs and the entire area was surrounded with fences. So there was nothing specific look at it. Although PJG knew it was in front of the palace, he didn’t know exactly which place it stood. Located on Museum Island, opposite the palace is the Berlin Cathedral and a large square with a fountain in the middle. We looked around and saw a display with old photos of the 1910 square. The photo shows a similar statue in the fountain. We guessed that it might be the statue, but couldn’t be certain and there was no one there to ask. So, we decided to go to the Märkisches Museum to see if we could view the bronze eagle sculpture and hopefully ask if anyone there knows any other relevant information.

做了公交车来到了märkisches博物馆，博物馆12点才开门，我俩在附近高兴地发现了一个越南泰国菜的小饭店，先解决了午餐。 进去博物馆后，第一位和我俩说话的女士似乎听不懂英文，一直在那里指着售票处让我俩买票，我俩便进去售票厅，那里也是一个售卖纪念品和很多书籍的屋子。负责售票的一位女士虽然她也不会说英文，但是她非常友好，PJG给她看了一下那个铜鹰雕塑的照片，她立即露出了一个大大的笑容，说ya ya ~~  然后高兴地带我俩进去了博物馆，没有让我俩买票哦～～   开了门，下楼梯进到一个院子里，一抬头就看到了那个巨大的鹰雕塑，被放到了房檐上，非常震撼的感觉。

We took a bus to the Märkisches Museum and found that the museum opened at noon. We were happy to find a small Vietnamese restaurant nearby, and settled in for a delicious lunch first. After entering the museum, the first woman we encountered spoke to us but didn’t seem to really understand English. She just pointed to the ticket office and told to us to buy tickets. We went to the room selling tickets, which is also the  souvenir shop and it had many books. A very friendly lady was there behind the counter and although she did not speak English, she seemed very helpful. PJG showed her the picture of the bronze eagle sculpture and she immediately revealed a big smile, and said, ” ya ya, come with me!” She escorted us through the museum without buying any tickets and opened up a big door that led down the stairs to a beautiful courtyard. When we looked up, we immediately saw the huge eagle sculpture that had been placed on a edge of a balcony. It was very surprising to see just how huge the eagle was and helped put in perspective just how large the overall monument must have been.

我俩高兴的击掌庆祝！ 拍了几张照片后，我俩便回到售票处，想向那位女士咨询一下更多的信息。结果因为她的英文有限，我俩又不会说德文，交流不是很顺利，但是当她看到Isabel照片的时候，她很理解为什么我俩只要询问雕塑的信息。我俩在那里还发现了两本介绍柏林皇宫的书，里面竟然有那个雕塑的几张照片！！  太惊喜了！ 还有一个狮子的侧面照！背景中看起来就是皇宫的一个入口之类的拱门。

Mission accomplished and we celebrated with a high five! After taking a few photos, we went back to the ticket office and wanted to ask the lady for more information. But because of her limited English and our lack of German, the communication was not very smooth. But when we showed her Isabel’s photo, she understood why we had asked about the sculpture. We also found two books about the Berlin Palace there, and inside were a few photos of the sculpture! ! Surprise! There is also a side view of the lion! And the background looks like the arch of an entrance to the palace.

没想到的是那个热心的女士找来了一个会说英文的同事，她告诉我俩雕塑就在柏林皇宫前，但是没有指出具体的地点，还说因为战争的原因，雕塑其它的部分都被毁掉，铜制雕塑也都被溶掉变现了，唯一留存下来的就是这里的鹰和被放到动物园的狮子，再次确认了 PJG已经了解到的信息。 我俩感谢地离开了博物馆，打算明天去动物园寻找铜狮子雕塑。

Unexpectedly, the enthusiastic lady found a colleague who spoke English well. She told us that the sculptures were in front of the Berlin Imperial Palace, but did not point out the exact location. She also said that other parts of the sculpture were destroyed because of the war. Also the broken, bronze sculptures were melted down and sold for cash. The only thing left was the eagle we saw and the two lions that were placed in the zoo, reconfirming what PJG had learned. We both left the museum with great gratitude and planned to go to the zoo tomorrow to find the bronze lion sculpture.

星期日

今天上倒了两趟地铁到了Tierpark动物园，发现我俩的柏林欢迎卡买门票有折扣 😃  太好了，省了7欧元。 进门时问了检票员狮子雕塑在狮子园附近，我俩就按照地图走过去。这个动物园太大了，每个动物的园都离的有一段距离，感觉走了有20多分钟，终于到了狮子园附近，可是没有看到雕塑，心一沉，以为雕塑不在了， 咨询了两个正在喂老虎的工作人员，他们说雕塑在这个馆的另一侧，可是现在在进行工程修缮，我俩都绕过去。我俩就又走啊走啊走，突然眼前一亮，看到了两个巨大的狮子雕塑的背影，就是它们了！ 我俩再一次击掌庆祝 👋👋   没想到四个狮子雕塑都被保存了下来，它们比那个鹰还震撼！ 奇怪的是公园并没有关于狮子雕塑的任何说明，来往的游客都不是很珍惜它们，有的甚至都坐在它们上面拍照片。我俩好心疼啊 😁

Sunday

Today, we took two subway lines to get to the Tierpark Zoo and found we could use our Berlin Welcome Card and saved seven Euros. At the front entrance we asked the ticket inspector about the Lion sculpture and he pointed out on the map where they were. This zoo is not like most zoos we had been. It is huge and more like a park than a zoo. The animal enclosures are far apart from each other and it took more than 20 minutes to reach our destination. Finally, we arrived at the Lion Park, but we couldn’t see the sculptures, our hearts sank. We thought perhaps the sculpture was gone but after consulting two of the staff who were feeding the tigers, they told us that the sculpture was on the other side of the pavilion. But, as it seems the entire Berlin is doing renovation, the path was blocked and we had to go back to the entrance and take a different route! Arriving at the other side after another long walk, we finally saw the backs of two huge lion sculptures. They are here! We both clap again to celebrate. And to our surprise, there were actually four lion sculptures preserved, one for each corner of the monument. They are more amazing than the eagle! The strange thing is that the park doesn’t have any description of the lion sculptures as to where they came from or even who made them. The tourists who come and go do not cherish them very much and I’m sure they know nothing about the history of their beginnings. We both felt bad.

留念有了，我俩打算问问公园的工作人员是否知道关于雕塑的历史信息，结果这是又一趟走啊走啊走的历程。根据动物园的几个工作人员的描述，园内的一个书店里有一本关于动物园里所有的雕塑的书，我俩便在她们的不同的指点下，在动物园的入口处，园内的一个宫殿，动物园的另一个入口，园内的一个小书亭之间来回的走啊走啊走，最后终于找到了一本小册子（好像是动物园处的一本书）里找到了狮子雕塑的图片，旁边配有一些德文。店主允许我俩拍了书页的照片，我俩便离开了，因为我们根本无法沟通，哈哈 😄😂   要离开动物园的时候，我给那个曾指点我俩的女士看了我拍的书页的照片，让她帮忙看看德文写的是什么，结果那些是介绍做那个雕塑的艺术家的背景，根本没有关于雕塑的信息。 😄😂

After capturing this memory in photos, we planned to go ask the staff in the park if they had any historical information about the sculpture. So, we now have another long journey of walking and walking. According to directions from several staff members at the zoo, there is a bookstore in the park that has a book about all the sculptures at the zoo. But we are getting conflicting instructions as to whether it is at the entrance to the zoo or at a separate palace in the park. After walking back and forth between the other entrance to the zoo we finally discovered the small bookstand in the park where we were shown a booklet (like a zoo pamphlet) that has a picture of the lion sculpture. There is a description is German and the owner allowed us to take a photo of the page, but quickly left because we couldn’t communicate with him at all. Haha .. When we were leaving the zoo, we showed the photo of the page to one of the people who had pointed us there and asked her to help translate. Unfortunately, all that was written was the background of the artist who made the sculpture. There was no specific information about the sculpture or it’s origin.

通过这次的寻找，我俩了解了更多的关于雕塑的信息，相信PJG能根据知道的信息搜索到更加详尽的历史。PJG很高兴能见到那几个狮子雕塑，相信Isabel当年在雕塑前拍照的时候，也见到了狮子雕塑，并很可能惊叹它们的壮观。

Through this search, we have learned more about the sculpture and believe that PJG can now search for more detailed history based on the new information. PJG was very happy to see the lion sculptures. No doubt, when Isabel took pictures in front of the sculpture, she also saw the lion sculptures, and she was probably amazed at their spectacular beauty; although equally she could have just been happy to see a German monument that had been destroyed by the allies.