Hausvogteiplatz on the U2 January 24th

Gendarmarkt with the German Cathedral, Concert Hall, and French Cathedral

I exited the train station right out to the Gendarmarkt which is a popular tourist attraction in Berlin.  At Christmas time there is a beautiful Christmas Market in this square, one of the few you have to pay to get in to.  The building on the right is a French Cathedral built by the Huguenot Community between 1701 and 1705. 

The  Huguenots were Protestants from France who had been inspired by the writings of John Calvin.  They were driven out of France by the Catholics due to their criticism of the Catholic Church.  Many were murdered by the Catholic Church.   Around 1685, Huguenot refugees found a safe haven in the Lutheran and Reformed states in Germany.  Nearly 50,000 Huguenots established themselves in Germany, 20,000 of whom were welcomed in Brandenburg-Prussia where they were granted special privileges.  In Berlin, the Huguenots created two new neighbourhoods: Dorotheenstadt and Friedrichstadt.    By 1700, one-fifth of the city's population was French speaking. The Berlin Huguenots preserved the French language in their church services for nearly a century. They ultimately decided to switch to German in protest against the occupation of Prussia by Napoleion in 1806-07. 

After learning all of this history, I understood why I was led by the Holy Spirit on an earlier prayer walk to a French Cemetery.  While there, I read about a prominent French man who had helped plan and build the city of Berlin.

The Holy Spirit never forgets.  He remembers how many Huguenots died for their faith.  He remembers that they had to leave their home lands and be scattered all over the world as a result of religious persecution.  Just like in the book of Acts when persecution scattered the early church, I believe the Lord pushed the Huguenots out of France to spread the gospel to the world.

While I walked around this square and claimed the ground for Jesus I felt His heart leap.

I also walked around a memorial to a woman who had been part of Germans royalty but have up her palace and conceded land to Poland.  She work closely with former Berlin Mayor Willy Brandt.  I have forgotten what her name was.  As I walked around the memorial I envisioned worship taking place there. 

Prayer around a former Nazi War Office

I am reading a book called, "And Another Morning is Breaking" by Regina J. Schwenke.  The book details Regina's childhood from 1938 (when she was born) to New Years Eve 1949.  She was raised in Neukolln (a district in Berlin) and it is so amazing that her whole family (of seven) survived the war.  One day when she and her siblings were playing outside their home a dirty, skinny man came walkng down the street.  "He was wearing a soldiers uniform.  He looked like all the other men these days, so we paid no attention.  We saw him questioning people and finally he asked us if we knew where the Ziebarths, who used to live here were now?  He was looking for his family, who used to live here in No. 2.  No. 2:  that was us!  We took a closer at him, and finally recognized our own father.  We hadn't seem him in two years and didn't expect him to appear so suddenly.  All at once he, too, recognized us.  He embraced all three of us.  Tears of joy flowed down his emaciated face.  It was as if we had been born again, because he had feared that we would lie buried under the rubble of our house."  (Pg. 132). They almost WERE buried in their home.  Half of their building was destroyed (while they were in the cellar) and they had to leave, but thankfully were able to take over a flat in their Grandparents building where the occupants had sadly died. 

Not far from their home was the headquarters of the former National Self-Defense where important decisions were made during the war.  There were offices, medical examination rooms, and air-raid shelters for the Nazi-elite. They had heard that there were rations of food stored there and the author, her brother and Aunt went there one day to see what they could find.  The complex was badly damaged as the Allied Forces had singled it out as a place of permanent attack.  The front of the building was in a pile of rubble.  They found a demolished cellar entrance and debris blocked the way.  They had to clear a path and crawl into the cellar.  When they reached the dark cellar room, they lit candles and were shocked to find many dead bodies sitting or lying on the benches right before them.  Children were cradled in their mothers' arms even in death.  Their Aunt recognized by the uniforms that they were high-ranking SS and SA Officers. They supposed that they had taken cyanide capsules when they realized the war was over.  The Aunt told the children to just look straight ahead.  The went into the third cellar room where they found flour, sugar, tea, soap, toothpaste, and toilet paper.  As they were starving, this must  have been quite the amazing find.

The author tells her address and the address of the Nazi Offices so I decided to make those places my prayer focus on this day.  Here is a picture of the Nazi Offices located on Pfluger Str. 46.

 

There was a huge field to the left of the buildings which is now a Preschool and I am assuming that there had been buildings in the field which had been bombed.  I prayed up and down Pfluger Str.  I also found the Catholic Church where the family had attended.  They had used the cellar in the church for protection from the bombs at night when half of their apartment was destroyed by bombs and the building was uninhabitable.

 I found their former apartment building which of course had been rebuilt.  I walked along the canal just a block away from their home where they had played.  

At times it feels overwhelming to think about the history of Berlin in the not so long ago distance.  On the other hand, it is sad that in just 10-20 years time few (in any) will be left who will be able to tell us of those days.  As I walk the streets I continue to pray for restoration and healing.  May the healing even go into the very soil of Germany.  

U6 Line - January 16

Today I walked through five stations on the U6 Line starting at Friedrichstr and ending at Mehringdamm.  Most of my walk was through downtown Berlin and I mostly prayed in tongues the whole route.  I was led  into a small park on the route where I sang and declared joy and rejuvenation.  A couple of days ago I visited the Jewish Museum here in Berlin and learned that starting in May of 1935 Jews were banned from the parks.  I then realized why I am often moved to tears when I visit the parks and why the Spirit of the Lord is always leading me to the parks.  What a day of rejoicing it will be when the Berlin parks are once again filled with God's chosen people.

The park

When I arrived at Mehringplatz - which is an area where the buildings form a circle around a park I felt led to walk around that circle and pray.

I  came to a place that had some signs telling the history of the area and I had no idea about this history!  It turns out that it was first built in 1730 and looked like this:

I was excited to be led to an area with such history.  I learned that the area was one of  three important/beautiful spots in the heyday of Berlin.  The other two were Potsdamer Platz and the Brandenburger Tor.  The middle of the quad is now under construction as they are trying to once again make it a beautiful place.  From the looks of the neighborhood you would never imagine that this was once one of the beautiful places in Berlin.  It appears run down and the walls are full of graffiti.  One day it will be restored to its grandeur.

U-8 Line January 10th

Today I felt led by the Holy Spirit to walk each station of the U-8 line.  I loved how the Holy Spirit led me and helped me to follow it without a map.  The U-8 line is full of drug dealers.  As I walked along, I sensed men eying my purse and felt an inward nudge to hold it tight to myself.  As I was approaching Kotbusser Tor I walked across the Spree Canal and felt delighted as I always do when I am around water.  I looked to my left and saw a building that looked very beautiful.  Something inside said to me, "Go look at it."

To my surprise, the building turned out to be a Jewish Synagogue!  There was a big placard in front telling how the Nazi's had destroyed the building.

A picture of the destroyed synagogue

 

 

 

 

I wept for the Jews as I felt the heart of God.  I prayed that they would experience the love of God. 

There was even this picture showing the Swastika.

I thanked the Lord for showing me the Synagogue and for the privilege of praying into His heart for His lost, beloved people.  The street was pretty and I imagined what it might have looked like before the rise of Hitler.  My hearts desire is that one day Berlin will be a city full of color, flowers and God's people once again inhabiting the city. 

Looking across the street from the Synagogue

Senefelderplatz U-2 January 9th

From the train station I had a great walk down a street with some awesome cafes!  I was heading in the direction of Mitte and Rosa Luxemborg Str.  In the pavement of the street are quotes from Rosa Luxemborg.  She was a Marxist-Socialist who was murdered and became known as a Martry for Marxism.  Unbelievable (to me) in this day and age that a regime who murdered millions is still being venerated in this country.  From Mitte, I went to to Karl-Marx Allee and just walked all the way back to Friedrichshain.  Along the way, there were signs  telling the history of the Boulevard.  It was very interesting and again, I found myself confronted with Marxism.  There was even a statue of Karl Marx.  It seems a bit incredible to still be praying into the past when I know that so many intercessor's have prayed over Berlin over those issues but I knew that this was what the Holy Spirit was asking me to do.  I prayed that the old would pass away and that the new would come.

Rathaus Neukollne - Dec. 30th

As usual, the Holy Spirit led me along. After I turned off the main street, He told me to walk straight ahead for a long ways. The road dead-ended at a canal and my heart skipped with joy.  The Lord had led me to water that I love and a pathway to walk along!  The canal seemed to stretch on for infinity.

Lots of people were out walking along and young boys were running everywhere setting off small fire-crackers.  I felt a darkness to this area and I prayed for flowers to bloom along the river; for new paint to come on the buildings; and for His redemption rain to fall. 

As I walked along dark thunder clouds were pursuing my back yet my face was towards clear skies and the sun.  The Holy Spirit whispered to me, "You will not go back the way you came.  I will lead you home a new way."  I walked on and came to a beautiful bridge.  When I come to bridges, I hear Him say, "Go on the bridge and pray over the area."

 

 After praying on the bridge, I walked until the road had a barrier and went to the right.  Just at this moment, the storm rolled upon me.  It started in spatters and then became a down-pour.  I started singing, "He's mightier than the wind.  He's mightier than the rain......"  Then the rain turned to hail and the hail literally slapped me in the face with stinging blows.  I sang harder, "He's mightier than ANY storm!" 

The Lord led me from there straight to the S-Bahn station.  It was wonderful!

Mehringdamm - Dec. 4th

I felt led to walk down a main street off of Mehringdamm which was Gneisenaustr.  In the far distance, I saw a church steeple and felt the Holy Spirit tell me that it was my target.  On my way down, I took a side tour down a street and walked along a cemetery that was about a mile long and then back to Gneisenaustr.  When I arrived at the church I was overwhelmed at the vastness and beauty of the building.  Here is a picture I took:

I went up to the church and found that it was called Kirche am Sudstern.  I felt led to walk around it and pray for old wells to spring forth.  In the back of the church I felt a particular darkness - and prayed about that.  Later in the evening, I met with some people and learned that the Holy Spirit first broke out in Berlin in this very church.  Now it is in a poor spiritual state.  It was encouraging to learn that the way I was praying was pretty accurate.   Blessed be His name!  I also learned that this was the church where Corrie Ten Boom spoke after the war.  She looked out over her audience and saw one of the prison guards from Ravensbruch where she had been a prisoner for hiding Jews.  Hatred for this man filled her heart but as she spoke, the Holy Spirit started to work on her and she forgave that man.  After she spoke, she shook his hand and I believe he put his trust in Jesus.

I walked back the way I had come but on the next block over and on this block was also a cemetery that went on for about a mile.  I thought it was interesting that cemeteries bordered both sides of Gneisenaustr.  I prayed two things:  1). That people would notice the cemeteries and think on the fact that they too will die someday.  I prayed that they would ponder eternity.  2). I prayed that "death" would not mark the territory but that life would be a well springing up and out. 

I found a cool indoor market called Marheinekle Markthalle on Zossener Str.  It had all sorts of fresh meats, fruits and vegetables as well as really interesting looking food along with lots of other cool stuff.  The neighborhood was really cute.  It was a great way to end my prayer walk.