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Previous Page from Far
Left: German history
meets modern American
culture. Handstand by
Michael. Checkpoint
Charlie-gateway to DDR.
Spread: Eric pops one in
Alexanderplatz. This
Page, Clockwise: Watch-
ful guards for symbolic
heroes. The average E.
German waits 14 years to
get a car-and they all
look the same. East Berlin
board. Skate summit at
the Sportsplatz. Sheet
metal jump ramp.
at Allied Checkpoint Charlie. Wasdaris, being a West Berliner,
must enter elsewhere.
As they walk through Checkpoint Charlie, they notice some
graffiti at the base of the wall in front of Kennedy Stand, a plat-
form dedicated to the president during his 1963 visit. The graffiti
reads, "Skater go die."
Regardless, they enter into the Eastern sector, unafraid. They
meet up with Wasdaris on the other side, then proceed to the
meeting place, Berlin Alexanderplatz, where they are joined by
Marco Sladek and Michael. Everyone is excited by this first-time
joining of skate cultures and Weenie almost cries with excite-
ment. Michael and Marco cannot believe it, and they express
the fact that their friends, who are out of town, won't believe them
either.
The group loads into a car and travels to Freidrich Ludwig Jahn
Sportplatz, an athletic field named after a famous soccer player.
This is where the East Berliners have their jump ramp and railslide
device. Due to a lack of materials, i.e. plywood, the ramp is made
out of sheet metal, and various scraps of two by fours.
After a short session there, the guys head downtown to see
some sights. They visit the tombs of the Unknown Soldier and
the Unknown Resistance Fighter. They lie side by side, perpet-
ually guarded by sentinels, as a monument to all of the victims
of facism. Weenie wants to take a picture of the guards, but is
afraid he'll be shot. Permission is acquired and no one is killed.
Various dorking is performed throughout the ruins of this half
of Berlin. Much of the architecture remains as if World War II
ended the month before. Many buildings still bear scars from
bullets and shell fire.
The rolling diplomats return to Berlin Alexanderplatz for some
street skating and ice cream stuff. The dismal soda fountain café
offers browner than dirt canned cherries. Eric notices that there
are cameras aimed at the people from the tops of all the buildings.
Everyone is being watched constantly.
Marco and Michael are sad to see the Americans leave, but
the time has come. A slight rain begins to fall as farewells are
exchanged. The East Berliners express their desire to one day
visit the U.S. It is their big wish. The Americans are sad and feel
helpless on this fact. It is so easy for Eric and Weenie to come
and go, but not so for their new friends. Eric gives his spare
skateboards to Michael and Marco, and Weenie gives them all
of his t-shirts and stickers. It would have cost the East Berliners
a fortune for all of this. Maybe it would've taken a year to save
the money.
The day draws to a close but it is a day the Americans and
the Berliners will never forget.
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