Persecution, Potsdam, and Poland

 The Holocaust Memorial in Berlin

A personal note from one of the Jewish people who were killed at concentration camps in WWII

The room with all the first person accounts of suffering in camps.

An example of the brass markers noting where that a Jewish person who was incarcerated lived here  before being taken away.

The Reichstag Building

 Checkpoint Charlie -- after the Berlin wall was built.

 The center piece is from the Palace -- which the Russians then demolished -- this is the only piece they saved...then put it in between Soviet architecture...nondescript and ugly -- now Berlin is getting ready to rebuild the palace according to the original design -- and to great expense...not all Berliners are in favor of this.

The gypsy woman here is rummaging through the trash bins.  I saw her pull out a half drunk Coke bottle and put it in her bag...I was told that she would be drinking it.

The front door of the Summer Palace at Potsdam.

 Here is the room where Frederick the Great died -- in this chair...with his untrained and un-housebroken  dogs in attendance -- they are memorialized in bronze on the table...

 Note drunken cupid...

 Part of the details on the ceilings in the summer palace.  Boy, monarchs knew how to spend money, didn't they?

 This is a Meissen chandelier...all ceramic and quite ornate and beautifully done...

The last known portrait of Frederick the Great -- done by Andy Worhol..