I caught a 200 bus from outside the Reichstag to Berlin Zoo, arriving at 15:05: round the corner is the Museum für Fotographie. The Helmut Newton permanent collection, which I saw in 2008, is currently closed for rearranging. But I'm here for 'Metamorphosis of Japan: Photography 1945-1964'.
All monochrome photos of course – such a strong medium – and some powerful images showing the poverty immediately after the war. Later moving on to more artistic and optimistic work. Quite a big exhibition, and beautifully hung. All about 20x16in prints I guess; I didn't measure.
Out at 16:05 and an M49 bus from Zoo to Messe for the Funkturm, the old radio tower which now has a 126m high observation platform offering what the Rough Guide calls “toe curling” views over the city. I walked for ages on the main roads round Berlin's answer to Olympia (closed for some time by the look of it) trying to find the entrance, only to find that the Funkturm is closed today because it's too windy: it does look pretty spindly.
So an M49 bus back as far as Savigny Platz for an early dinner at restaurant Windrath – I had no lunchtime bun today as I was relying on breakfast to keep me going. Grilled zander and a large and very tall beer, then 'Nordic fruits with vanilla cream' in a glass jar; both excellent and good value.
I left the restaurant at 18:40 and took the U2 to Potsdamer Platz to visit the permanent exhibition at Topographie des Terrors (the Topography of Terror Documentation Center). I had seen the below-ground outside display in 2008; now as then there were many young people taking a serious interest. This time I spent about 45 minutes looking at the information panels in the new (2010) building, until 20:00 closing time.
There's quite a lot of data about individual Nazis. I am amazed how lightly some of them were let off; many escaped, and those that were prosecuted sometimes had just a few years in prison after being complicit in mass murder. Some even successfully appealed. It's not a cheerful display, but would be worth a longer look next time. There's still some empty space, so presumably there's more to come.
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