There’s more to Europe than cheap flights. Airlines are promoting discounted flights to some of Europe’s top destinations, but if you need another reason to visit consider this: a trip to Europe might solidify your place in world history.
European history is drenched with the tides of unity and division. The establishment and breaking down of the Berlin Wall may be one of the most infamous examples of such a tragic pattern.
Nov. 9, 1989, was a pivotal day in world history when one of the world’s most dividing structures crumbled, signaling a new Berlin and a rebirth of equality. You can recapture the moment and relive a little bit of history when Berlin celebrates the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
At the end of World War II in Europe, Nazi Germany divided into zones by way of the Potsdam Agreement, and each zone was commanded one of the four occupying Allied powers (Americans, British, French, and Soviets). Although the capital, Berlin, lay far into the Soviet zone, it, too, became officially separated due to its role as Allied Control Council, and was sliced into eastern and western halves. The Cold War escalated strain in the four parts, and all but the Soviet (East Berlin) side formed the Federal Republic of Germany in 1949.
Beginning in 1961 and for more than a quarter century afterward, the structure (sometimes deemed the frame of the Iron Curtain) physically separated West Berlin from the German Democratic Republic in East Germany. East-West Berlin travel was forbidden. More than just a city-wide barrier, the Berlin Wall existed ominously as a shield between Western Europe and the Eastern Bloc.
Twenty years ago, in November 1989, that shield was removed.
In the days when The Wall stood firmly planted though, men and women trying to get to the other side were killed via shooting orders from the Eastern German government. After weeks of unrest, the government declared legal visitation to West Germany. Through hasty crossings that tore bits of the wall, both sides of Germany united in festivity and commemoration.
Soon, anniversary celebrations will saturate Germany in the glow of unification. Beginning in May, open-air exhibitions on Alexanderplatz will spotlight events of 1989-1990 that eroded the wall and reunited an estranged city.
Embassies, government buildings, and community centers have adopted the spirit of “Site of the New Berlin: 20 Years of Change,” and art projects with spectacular light installations, façade displays, and energetic exhibitions will bloom all over the city’s layout.
If you book a flight to Berlin in time for the revelry, expect to see museums like the Berlin Airlift at Technik Museum, the DDR East German Life Museu, and German Historical Museum, and the Mauer Museum Checkpoint Carlie in a flurry of exhilaration as well.
Festivities begin in May, and will run through November. To get there as the excitement begins, book a cheap flight to Berlin in advance to get the best rates. Round-trip flights to Berlin at the end of May run between $500-$600, but may fluctuate as travel dates approach, and throughout the summer.
Before you book your Berlin flight, consider staying in accommodations within walking distance, like the Berlin Marriott, the Moevenpick Berlin, the Grand Hyatt Berlin, and the Mandala Hotel. It’s easy to find both flights and hotels together for package rates. For the ultimate luxurious experience, the Ritz Carlton Berlin offers The Wall Package, which includes tickets to the Berlin Wall Museum, a gift of East German-inspired souvenirs, and even an authentic piece of the original Berlin Wall. Located in Potsdamer Platz, it’s just a few minutes’ walk from the sacred site.
Book your flight to Berlin soon to reserve your spot in history.
© Cheapflights Ltd Andrea Mooney
