Berlin - Check Point Charlie Photo

Photographer’s Note

Berlin, 62 years after World War II, after which the city was nearly leveled and 18 years after collapse of the Berlin Wall dividing the city, families and friendships into parts each on a different side of the cold war front. A city which now has a chance to breath freely. At places, where people were shot, today their children can walk freely and enjoy the freedom. However still, even if massive reconstruction goes on, there are many scarves in the face of the city, which will remind for a long time a living memento for anybody, who would like to bring back the old times which were not good. The Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor) was not so far in the past a symbol of a divided city. The same people from both sides of the Cold War Front wanting to meet, to unify, the same people with machine guns inbetween. An anachronism ? Is it over ? Nothing like that can happen again ? Don't be mistaken. Just a wishful thought. Think just about Europe in the very near past, think just of fall of former Yugoslavia. Beware, people leading their fight against obtrusion, force, violence and terror have an important role in our society. To really change the mankind is not an easy task, it may take ages.
See also other pictures to come from the Berlin series.

© 2009 - All rights reserved. The photos taken by Michael Trezzi are registered and copyrighted. Use in any form (web, paper publication, public exposure, etc.) is strictly forbidden without the written permission of the photographer. To contact the Author please use the „Contact Me“ link on his TrekEarth Intro page.

conneally, asus_gps, robertosalguero, jaywalker has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Boots (475) 2007-04-24 1:17

Michael,

A historical posting is always nice to see. I wouldn't have expected a US presence in Berlin this long after the falling of the wall.

TFS,

Andrew, "Boots".

asus_gps (305) 2007-04-24 1:22

hello Michael,

thank you for the photo of so interesting historic place. as the photo, it is also well composed and quite illustrative. well done!

regards,
Igor

conneally (105) 2007-04-24 1:23

they seem so incongrous stood there like that in the middle of the street - one might imagine that some in the US would like to have such a monument to themselves in other areas that they have intervened or are intervening - iraq afghanistan eventually northern korea iran - i particularly enjoyed the way that you have captured the soldier on the right - the bend in his arm - especially when contrasted with the soldier on the other side - i learned frm this picture - i had no idea that cpc was still there in this form - they have become like the gaurds at buckingham palace...

robertosalguero (110) 2007-04-24 1:52

Hello Michael. This is an interesting picture depicting a historical event and site. Good light management, colours and sharpness to present this picture. I would be surprised to visit this city and find a display like this there :-) Thanks Michael.

Roberto

jaywalker (12401) 2007-04-24 12:00

Hi Michael, I will look forward to the series, the problem with the human animal is it is the most greedy on the planet & what it has is never enough, one think will change this "global warming" & then people will have to change or face the consequences, it is not to late for man kind to live in peace but i,m begining to wonder, a great photo on a well thought out subject, kind regards Wilson.