Download The Painstaking Principles of The Palace of Tears

The Painstaking
Principles of The Palace
of Tears
Sheila Rind and Sophia Brown
The Division
After World War II The Berlin Wall was the
physical division between East Germany
(Democratic and Communist) and West
Germany (Capitalist) during the years of
1961 to 1989. West Germany were the Allied
Powers of America, France, and Britain, and
East Germany was controlled by the Soviet
BERLIN, GERMNAY - Tränenpalast, also
Union. Because of the different ideologies,
known as The Palace of Tears, was the
and the competition during the cold war, the
former border crossing train-station at
country got split up into two in 1949. Within
Friedrichstraße, where the East Germans had
a short period of time, East Germany and
to say farewell to the ones who were going to
West Germany became very distinct, with a
West Germany.
rapid growing economy in the West. East
Berliner’s freedom became very limited, so
they wanted to ditch their home and move to
West Berlin. Although some were stopped on
the way, thousands were successful. By early
1960’s, the population and labor force was
decreasing a lot, and by 1961, East Berlin had
lost 2.6 million, so the Soviet Union
desperately built a wall to make a physical
separation. This separation ended the mass
exodus and tore numerous friendship and
family relations apart.
This picture above is the Berlin Wall. It shows the
dullness, and the emptiness. Photo taken by Sophia
Brown.
The Name
During 1962 and 1990, The Palace of Tears
was supposed to be an entry from the West to
the German Democratic Republic (GDR), but
it was later changed and made as a departure
exhibition that was established on the 15th of
hall. Due to the tears that was shed outside
September 2011, which shows the division of
the building, Berliners came up with the
Germans in everyday life. However, it is not
name Tränenpalast, translated to Palace of
only a place of sadness, it is also a place of
Tears.
happiness and laughter that both West and
East Germans shared when they were allowed
to visit each other briefly. It was a place
where millions of East Germans shared the
depressing experiences and strong emotions
and say goodbye to loved ones who were not
permitted into West Germany. Memories
remain of painful farewells and the inhumane
GDR borderline. It is also used to remind
foreigners and Germans about the separation
and the tearful farewells that the families had
to go through.
This is the Palace of Tears at Friedrichstraße, Berlin,
where many tears were shed and strong emotions
remains. Photo taken by Sophia Brown.
What is The Palace of Tears?
The Palace of Tears was used as a checkpoint
and train station for the West Germans when
they came to visit their friends and families in
the East. Since the East Germans couldn’t
After the Wall was taken down, and the
borders opened, on November 9, 1989, the
station at Friedrichstraße was overcrowded
with millions of East Germans using the
freedom to travel and take the S-Bahn or
underground to West Berlin. People were
waiting enthusiastically outside the station in
a queue that was several hundred meters long.
cross the boarder to the West, the train station
was where everyone got to meet and say
farewell. It is a place that can teach the next
generation the history and the struggle people
had to go through in the past. It is an
On July 1, 1990, the GDR discontinued
checks at the border crossing points to the
Federal Republic. The station changed as a
result with losing its function. The connection
corridor to the station was demolished, and
great place to learn and be reminded about
by 1991, the Berliner Marcus Herold rented
the Berlin Wall. “I actually crossed the
the building, organizing concerts, readings,
boarder from West to East, and it was very
exhibitions, and theater performances until
frightening. There were soldiers that were
2006. It was only until the foundation called
spying on us wherever we went.” says a
“The House of History” reconstructed the
German man. Many people fled from East
entire place and made it into what it is today.
Germany to West Germany because of the
strict regulations and the limited freedom.
People were split up from their family and
friends but when the Berlin Wall was torn
down, they were finally reunited. On the
other hand, many citizens lost their lives from
trying to escape East Germany, and never got
the opportunity to see the history form.
“People wanted to escape East Berlin because
of the strict regulations and the limited
freedom. You could easily tell the difference
between East Berliners and West Berliners
because of their clothes. They were very old
fashioned and not up to date,” says a woman
that lived in West Berlin. The Palace of Tears
was a train station to cross the border
between West and East Berlin during
This picture is one of the many examples shown at The
1962-1989. Videos, audios, photographs, and
Palace of Tears. It has a story, and real pictures along
important artifacts are currently portrayed in
with it.
the exhibition. According to a mid 50’s man
Interview
visiting The Palace of Tears, “I remember
We interviewed a couple of Germans at the
when they were building the wall, and got
Palace of Tears and they all had the same
spilt up with my friends, we waved white
thoughts which was; The Palace of Tears is a
flags across the boarder.”
struggle and difference between West
The Palace of Tears is a very small museum
Berliners and East Berliners. An atrocious
that touches the personal stories of the many
and painful nature that is displayed through
families that were severely affected by the
different artifacts, films and audios from
separation. It showcases the stories of
people and families who were affected by the
families trying to escape from East Germany.
Cold War. It shows families who were split
It is illustrated in a very respectful manner
up from one another and others who were
and explains the tragedy Berlin went
trying to escape the brutality of East
through during the Cold War. The Palace of
Germany. Finally, it is a place where you can
Tears was a border point for West Berliners
really grasp the feelings and emotions of the
coming in and out of East Berlin.
many people troubled by the war.
After visiting the Palace of Tears, I could
From 1961 to 1989, there were many
feel the pain the Germans had to go through,
conflicts between East Germany and West
and the different emotions left in the station.
Germany because of the different ideologies.
Reading about it online and physically
The Berlin Wall did not help solve the
visiting there is totally different. There are
problem, but lead to more deaths. The only
examples of real stories from people who
“safe” way to cross the border was by using
experienced escaping East Berlin or traveling
the train from Friedrichstraße in East Berlin,
across the border line with the train. Not only
where there were many tears shed and
are there examples, but can have the
depressing emotions felt from saying farewell
opportunity to meet people who were in the
to their loved ones. This is definitely a
exact situation and hear the stories live. This
recommended place to visit, and you can
was definitely a worthwhile experience for
learn many lessons.
me, and wouldn’t mind visiting there again.
Other people usually have similar opinions.
The Palace of Tears is a place that every
person who has a chance to visit Berlin
should go. It is a place where you can see the