Lake Wannsee

Today we had some time and communication issues. Since we woke up later than we expected, we had less time to get ready for the day, and as a result we were late leaving the apartment. Once we got to the subway we took the wrong train a couple different times until we finally figured out how to go where we needed to go. When we arrived at Herrmanstraβe we couldn’t find Yoachim or Viyan. Arne gave them a call and discovered we were supposed to meet them at a completely different stop, Franzoisiche Straβe, a solid half hour away. By the time we finally caught up with them we were a full hour late. -__-

At any rate, we took another subway and then a double decker train above ground which was spectacular! The ride was very smooth and there were big windows for our viewing pleasure. Soon we arrived and spent some time sitting by the lake, drinking some tasty soda and reflecting on the beauty of the day. Yoachim suggested we eat lunch at his yacht club which was nearby, and we decided to take him up on the offer.

The club was very posh inside, decked out with comfy cushions, navigation maps, low lighting, and a dark wood bar. Outside was a long deck with more seats, our chosen spot, where we had a delicious lunch while gazing out at the lake from the harbor. While I enjoyed my lamb dish with white beans and refried potatoes, I watched some men who were getting their boats ready for the sailing season, putting the masts up and scrubbing the hulls.

When we were full and satisfied, we took a bus to the Wannsee Conference building, which had been turned into a museum. The conference that took place there years ago was held to decide the “final solution to the question of the Jews.” The Nazis had been persecuting the Jews by various means up to that point, but at the conference it was decided that ultimately the Jews must be eliminated.

After perusing the museum we spent some more time relaxing by the lake, followed by a long walk around to the other side. As we approached the end of the footpath, we saw on our right the boat we were hoping to catch leaving the shore on its journey back. On our left was the bus, which was our only other option. Well, crap. Luckily we looked at the bus stop schedule and figured out there was another bus coming in half an hour. If we hadn’t seen that, we would have started the long trek back which would have been difficult in the dark—there were no lights along the trail.

Viyan left us to take a different subway, so we rode back to our area of town with Yoachim. The time was already past 8pm so most of the stores were closed, but Yoachim told us to get off at a certain stop where there was a big store, open til 10. We didn’t see him the rest of the night once we got off that train.

Arne and I bought some groceries for dinner and for brunch tomorrow. For dinner we had a tasty chicken stir fry with zucchini, potatoes, mushrooms, cream of chicken soup, garlic, mayonnaise, cream, and shredded cheese. Simply delicious! I’m starting to really be proud of my cooking skills which have become much more advanced since my arrival in Ireland.

Tonight we watched The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, about an 8-year-old boy in a concentration camp who secretly makes friends with the son of a Nazi official who works there. In the end it’s a terribly tragic story, and I was very much depressed. German history is really weighing me down. After seeing the Wannsee Conference building, the Holocaust Memorial, and now this movie which made it all feel somehow personal, I can’t get rid of this massive hole I’ve been feeling. I know more about it than I probably ever wanted to, and although I can’t grasp the enormity of it all, I can feel how deep a hold it has on this country and its people.