fishing nets

Spring has finally come to Berlin. It's nice and warm and sunny. We took the train to Brandenburg which is a lovely town by the river Havel. We enjoyed a wander, ice cream and a kebab sitting outside. I really love the brick stone architecture (see extra). 

I am really looking forward to getting our bikes. It will be lovely to explore the area by bike. So much to see.

We also visited the Memorial to the Victims of Euthanasia Murders. In 1940 the Nazis systematically killed thousands of ill adults and children. Many of the bodies were shipped straight to the hospitals in Berlin to be dissected. Absolutely grim. The thing that gets me is how so many people took part in these horrendous crimes. I guess it's what Hannah Arendt called the banality of evil. The other thing that had me really rattled was a stand by some conspiracy theorists blasting shite from their speakers, anti-establishment, anti-politicians, anti-science, anti-vax, pro-peace. The final touch was some band that sounded like they were more at home at skinhead parties were singing about peace. I came away with the feeling that this was part of the Russian information war. The mixing of real issues with total nonsense is really dangerous stuff. A day of contrasts.

More pictures on flickr.