Berlin - GERMANY! Part 1

This is going to be a long post so sit back, relax and sip a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, whatever takes your fancy, while you read about our latest adventure.

One of the reasons we journeyed to Europe was to fulfill a lifelong dream to meet our German relatives and what better occasion than during Christmas. My German father was one of three brothers. Dad immigrated to Australia after the war along with many Europeans at the time to work on the Snowy Mountains Hydro Electricity Scheme. His middle brother, also named Peter Karp immigrated to America and his youngest brother Gerd Karp stayed in Berlin. My Dad passed away when I was just eleven years old. Since then I have had a longing desire to meet my two uncles and their families. Back in 2011 Lynette and I made the trip to see our German/American family which was absolutely wonderful as this was the beginning of making a wonderful connection with our extended family. Fast forward here and we are in Germany!

Upon landing in Berlin, our wish came true to see snow falling—something entirely new and magical for us.

As we retrieved our luggage and passed through the exit, we were enveloped in warm, tearful hugs reminiscent of a scene from the movie, "Love Actually." This marked just the start of an incredible four-day adventure with our cherished family!

On our first day, Gerd's son Hendrik and his wife Kerstin took us to a number of famous landmarks in Berlin. Knowing that I was a photographer, Uncle Gerd suggested that we might like to go to the Museum of Photography and see a wonderful photographic exhibition of the German-Australian fashion photographer, Helmut Newton. The New York Times described him as a "prolific, widely imitated fashion photographer whose black-and-white photos were a mainstay of Vogue and other publications". On another floor was an exhibition presenting a critical account of visual documentation – photographs and films – created during the Holocaust by German citizens and Nazi propaganda photographers, by Jewish photographers in the ghettos, and by members of the allied forces during liberation. It was certainly eye opening and harrowing! On the following day, which was Christmas Eve, Uncle Gerd and Aunty Renate took us on a poignant journey to revisit the origins of my father's upbringing. This experience was a fulfillment of another dream of ours. Sadly, their family home fell victim to the ravages of World War II bombings, resulting in the area being reconstructed with modern apartment buildings. Despite not being able to see their exact home, we stood in the spot where my father and his brothers once lived. It was wonderful to see in real life what the neighbourhood was like. It has changed a lot as it has become very multicultural just like Australia, with many immigrants and refugees.

Our exploration also led us to the Humboldthain Flak Tower. Here, my father underwent training during the war, reluctantly obliged despite his lack of desire to enlist. These colossal anti-aircraft towers, were built between 1940 and 1942 in Berlin, were erected to shield the city center from allied air raids utilising heavy artillery. Recollections surfaced of my father in old black and white photographs seated at the helm of these imposing guns. Nevertheless, even amidst the bleakness of a rainy day, we enjoyed striking vistas of the city from this vantage point. While we were out for most of the day, Hendrik, Kerstin, and her family were busy preparing a sumptuous Christmas dinner. In Germany, Christmas festivities take place on Christmas Eve. Our evening unfolded into a wonderful heartwarming affair, relishing traditional German cuisine and engaging in delightful conversations as we got to know each other more. Later, we gathered in the lounge area to exchange Christmas gifts. The entirety of that evening has become a Christmas memory we will always cherish.

This is a short video of snow falling when we arrived at Berlin Airport.