Berlin Wall May Become Germany’s Newest Tourist Attraction

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the beginning of construction of the Berlin Wall, one of the most poignant symbols of the Cold War. And while most in Germany are glad to see the wall gone, some are considering reviving the wall, or at least parts of it.

There is a growing number of tourists visiting Germany every year to catch a glimpse of what remains of the Berlin Wall. In fact, there are so many people wanting to see the wall that some are asking for the preservation and renovation of the remaining portions of the wall. According to Berlin mayor Klaus Wowereit,

"There's a general complaint that the demolition of the Wall was a bit too extensive. That's understandable from today's point of view and it would have probably been better for tourists if more of it could have been preserved. But at that time we were all just so happy to see the Wall gone."

Of course people were happy to see the Wall gone. It was a horrible reminder of a horrible time in that country's past. I can understand wanting to preserve part of the wall for historical purposes, but I don't know about making it into a full-blown tourist attraction.