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A Trip to Berlin!
Members view Berlin, not just from East and West!
07/09/2019
Members returning to regular NRPS weekly meetings following the summer break, were treated to a presentation by visiting speaker David Burnett, illustrating his long-standing association with the city of Berlin. David’s in-depth personal knowledge of the city and its past, is born of family connections that reach back in time with a Saxony heritage, and include a cousin who, as a post-war Royal Engineer, was sent there to clear Hitler’s bunker of lead!
David’s visual tour of the capital city which is the second largest in Europe, was skilfully put together and began with a 360 degree view of the city that identified iconic landmarks as diverse as the Brandenburg Gate and the modern Savoy, and traced the line of the once divisive wall that was constructed in 1961 and remained a dominant feature of Berlin in the 60s and 70’s, and eventually came down in 1989. Those of us who had never visited were surprised by the narrow width of the relics of the wall, now preserved in rubber topped segments, and celebrating the work of famous artists and graffiti experts. We were all in awe of the grim, grey memorial to the Holocaust. Remembering the murdered Jews of Europe, it is an imposing place, in the middle of the city, serving as both a sombre reminder and a dire warning.
Berlin is certainly a city of contrasts, and as we travelled the points of the compass with David, we appreciated the culture of the Halls and the University Library, and the classical architecture afforded by the Berliner Dom and other notable places of worship. We saw from on high as well as below ,the magnificence of the modern architecture that has risen from the ruins of the war torn city, sometimes alongside preserved ruins that remind of what happened here. We marvelled at the intricacy of the transport systems that snake through the city, traversing the rivers whose confluence is graced by beautiful parkland and open spaces. Also recorded were the ugly remains of The People’s Palace, and the barren grey void that was the Führerbunker, scene of Hitler’s suicide, as well as the restored building that was once the Gestapo Headquarters.
It was a fascinating tour that encompassed classical golden statues of Neptune as well as the concrete Molecule Man and took us to Café Adler and the infamous Check Point Charlie before concluding in the more tranquil environs of the islands that stretch beyond the centre. David was warmly thanked by the numerous assembled members and ex-members, and may well be invited back for future travel documentaries.
Members will bring evidence of their summer activities to a “Show Your Own” evening next week, and also handed in their entries for the September Open Print Competition that will be judged on Thursday September 19th. The club will hold its Annual Exhibition of prints on Thursday October 26th at the Methodist Hall in Midsomer Norton all day, and opens its doors to all who are interested, with a warm welcome, and the offer of refreshment. Why not make a note in the diary and come and see us?
Jenny Short 06.09.19
David’s visual tour of the capital city which is the second largest in Europe, was skilfully put together and began with a 360 degree view of the city that identified iconic landmarks as diverse as the Brandenburg Gate and the modern Savoy, and traced the line of the once divisive wall that was constructed in 1961 and remained a dominant feature of Berlin in the 60s and 70’s, and eventually came down in 1989. Those of us who had never visited were surprised by the narrow width of the relics of the wall, now preserved in rubber topped segments, and celebrating the work of famous artists and graffiti experts. We were all in awe of the grim, grey memorial to the Holocaust. Remembering the murdered Jews of Europe, it is an imposing place, in the middle of the city, serving as both a sombre reminder and a dire warning.
Berlin is certainly a city of contrasts, and as we travelled the points of the compass with David, we appreciated the culture of the Halls and the University Library, and the classical architecture afforded by the Berliner Dom and other notable places of worship. We saw from on high as well as below ,the magnificence of the modern architecture that has risen from the ruins of the war torn city, sometimes alongside preserved ruins that remind of what happened here. We marvelled at the intricacy of the transport systems that snake through the city, traversing the rivers whose confluence is graced by beautiful parkland and open spaces. Also recorded were the ugly remains of The People’s Palace, and the barren grey void that was the Führerbunker, scene of Hitler’s suicide, as well as the restored building that was once the Gestapo Headquarters.
It was a fascinating tour that encompassed classical golden statues of Neptune as well as the concrete Molecule Man and took us to Café Adler and the infamous Check Point Charlie before concluding in the more tranquil environs of the islands that stretch beyond the centre. David was warmly thanked by the numerous assembled members and ex-members, and may well be invited back for future travel documentaries.
Members will bring evidence of their summer activities to a “Show Your Own” evening next week, and also handed in their entries for the September Open Print Competition that will be judged on Thursday September 19th. The club will hold its Annual Exhibition of prints on Thursday October 26th at the Methodist Hall in Midsomer Norton all day, and opens its doors to all who are interested, with a warm welcome, and the offer of refreshment. Why not make a note in the diary and come and see us?
Jenny Short 06.09.19