Pfaueninsel (Peacock Island) Sept 30, 2007
In Indianapolis I knew a lawyer (later Probate Court Judge) by the name of Victor Pfau. It was obviously an ethnic name but I had no idea then which one. Turns out it is German and is a noun that means "peacock." So I decided to visit an island in Germany that was in his name.
On September 30 I met my friend Anette (pronounced Anetteh) at the Wannsee S-Bahn station, a 40 minute train ride from central Berlin. Wansee is the large lake where the notorious conference was held in 1942, in which Himmler and Eichman helped formulate the "final solution to the Jewish problem," by planning to kill all 11 million Jews in Europe.
We took a bus from Wansee to the jetty and then a ferry to the island.
We saw some interesting animals including a silver fox that walked within 20 feet of us.
On the way to Wannsee
Arrival at Wannsee
View from Pfauinsel
Another view toward Wannsee
Die Pfauen
in
die Insel
Interesting tree within a tree
Anette by an interesting tree
Anette under an even more interesting tree
She says a spirit must live here
Small castle built in 1792 by Friedrick Willhelm II for his mistress.
Castle gardens
Alexanderplatz station on the way home. Colorful tile mosaic.
9/13/2008 :
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