East Germany Tour

My two colleagues and I begin early Saturday morning. Ralph is the driver, the tour guide and the expert who grew-up in Dessau and studied in Berlin. Soo Jin and I, the two foreigners, are in the car excited to see both cities of Dessau and Berlin. Traffic isn't too bad so Ralph takes us through a slight surprise detour. We arrive at the very old city of Quedlinburg to see the second oldest church in Germany, the church of Saint Servatius, built around 1000. Ralph shares his vast knowledge of history, pointing out the meaning of stone carvings and many other treasures in the building. It is especially interesting in that it came about at the beginning of the Holy Roman Empire, so it wasn't as decadent and out-right "Christian-looking" as the later Gothic churches.

After a coffee break, we hit the road again to Berlin. Our timing to make it to the play at the "Deutsches Theater Berlin" is pretty good. We have time for a sushi dinner as well as some review of Greek tragedies, in order to prep for the upcoming piece, "Euripides Medea." This education is much appreciated because without it, I would be so lost during the play. The dialog is plentiful and in German, while the action is seldom with interpretive modern stage design. Still, I'm on the edge of my seat getting my fill of devilish plots, jealousy, betrayal, and cruelty, until the actors take their bows. Afterwards, we hit up an artsy bar for beer and reflection.

The next day we move quickly because Ralph has more in store for us. At my request we hit up a building I learned about in architectural history class called the AEG Turbine Hall by Peter Behrens. It was built in 1910 before the movement of Modern architecture (and art) really took hold. The basic ideas were about repetition, lots of glass, and the aesthetic indication of its building type: a factory (notice how the front facade is shaped like a machine bolt). Afterwards, Ralph takes us to his recommended exhibitions in the Old Museum and the Pergamon Museum. An intricate bust of Queen Nefertiti sculpted in 1340 BC Egypt resides in the first, while the giant Pergamon Alter from 170 BC Greece is taking up an entire room in the second.

We only have a Sunday afternoon left to see the city of Dessau, home of the Bauhaus School. Because it is considered the birthplace of Western Modern Architecture, I know a good deal about it through text books, likes its state-of-the-art glass curtain wall, heating system, and the ergonomic detailing of furniture, doors, windows, handrails, etc. It was and still is a school of theory and practice. Almost everything there was designed and built by professors and students; it's original principle is "form follows function", not "form follows tradition." The Bauhaus is home to many influential architects and artists and has survived its share of wars and negligence. Although these innovative designers did not make the building bomb-proof or even very water-proof, it still stands as a great example of Architecture with a capital "A."