On August 13, 1961 construction began on what we know today as the Berlin Wall. On that morning East Germans awoke to find guards stationed at a boundary that the Communists had decided upon. For the next twenty-eight years no one was allowed beyond the wall. Within the space of a few hours wives were separated from their husbands who were at work that morning, mothers from their daughters, fathers from their children. Contrary to what many believe, some of the Berlin wall is still standing. Most of the wall was torn down when, during a live press conference, Günter Schabowski, the East German Minister of Propaganda, took from his pocket a mysterious slip of paper and read to the world that the wall would be coming down, much to the surprise of his own government. However, as it was live television, East Germans rushed to the walls and tore it down on August 23 1989. To this day no one is sure what prompted Günter Schabowski, who refuses to speak about that conference which changed the lives of East Berliners.

The Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche or Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church is one of Berlin's most renown landmarks. All that remains is a single damaged tower, yet it stands as a symbol of Berlin's determination to rebuild the city after WWII and the destruction of that war. While nearly all of the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche was flattened by a bomb, as was much of Berlin, this beautiful mosaic survived.

Checkpoint Charlie separated East from West Berlin during the Cold War. Since it was a border crossing it became the site of many escape attempts of East Berliners attempting to enter into West Berlin. One of the most famous attempts was made by a man who had determined that his convertible could fit underneath the wooden barrier. After practicing driving with his eyes closed, he slumped down in his seat to avoid being shot and gunned it beneath the barrier into West Berlin and to freedom. Two weeks later when a second escapee succeed using the same method, a full gate was built. Today, they offer tourists here an East German stamp in their passport. Just as we were about to purchase one for laughs our guide informed us that US customs might not be laughing so hard.

This key, bearing the face of Kaiser Wilhelm II, also survived the cathedral bombing of 1943.