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Octopussy - Checkpoint Charlie Berlin

Big_GeeBig_Gee Wales
in Trivia & Games Posts: 24
I was lucky enough to go to Berlin just before Christmas for a couple of days and visited the Ken Adams exhibition - "Bigger Than Life". On the way back to my Hotel, walking past the Checkpoint Charlie site, I suddenly noticed the iconic Gunbarrel symbol on a wall inside a Back-Factory cafe. Well I just had to go inside and see more. Upstairs were lots of memorabilia such as posters cuttings and stills and then I happened to look up and hanging from the ceiling was the model of the Acrostar.

Comments

  • ggl007ggl007 www.archivo007.com Spain, España
    Posts: 2,541
    That's great! Could you tell us the exact street? (Google Earth...)
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    That was a nice find. :)
  • Big_GeeBig_Gee Wales
    Posts: 24
    The cafe is on the West side of Friedrichstrasse, North of Kochstr Metro station, just South of the intersection with Niederkichnerstrasse.
  • ggl007ggl007 www.archivo007.com Spain, España
    Posts: 2,541
    Thanks! Do you remember the name?
  • Big_GeeBig_Gee Wales
    Posts: 24
    Its the Back-Factory cafe - at least thats what was on the wall.
  • ggl007ggl007 www.archivo007.com Spain, España
    Posts: 2,541
    Big_Gee wrote: »
    Its the Back-Factory cafe - at least thats what was on the wall.
    Thanks. I can't find it on Street View. Is it before reaching a Starbucks? in that side of the road?
  • GerardGerard
    Posts: 6,022
    When my father was stationed in West Berlin, I went through Checkpoint Charlie once, to visit East Berlin. That was really impressive, what with the guards and all. Now, it must have changed a lot.
  • Big_GeeBig_Gee Wales
    Posts: 24
    Apologies for not replying sooner but I've been in Rotterdam. The cafe is on the same side of the road as McDonalds. I took a number of photos but am struggling to post them with my comments.
  • ggl007ggl007 www.archivo007.com Spain, España
    Posts: 2,541
    Thanks. I'm sure your photos look great! ;)
  • PropertyOfALadyPropertyOfALady Colders Federation CEO
    Posts: 3,675
    Well, I found it.

    https://www.google.com/maps/place/Back-Factory/@52.5061965,13.3064817,18z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x47a850de02ecd72f:0x466965f4acad747c

    Unfortunately, the street that it's on was under construction (or so it seems) in October 2009, so you can't see it right now.
  • GerardGerard
    Posts: 6,022
    I went through Checkpoint Charlie, back in 1976. Visited East Berlin while I was living in West Berlin. The Contrast was stunning.Now, of course, everything muyst have changed.
  • GetafixGetafix
    Posts: 11,425
    I was in Berlin recently and the change is massive since I first went in '96. It feels much more like any other convnetional Central European city. It seems to have lost a lot of its edginess and what made it interesting/distinct.

    Still a great city though.
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