Our first discussion was with Mr. John Glasspool on the history and concepts of Berliner Beratunngsdienst whose mission is “Alt hilft Jung” (seniors assist juniors). I was impressed with the way this group of experienced business people used their skills and knowledge about making businesses successful to help younger people develop business and marketing plans.
We then travalled by bus to Deutsches Institut Für Menschenrecht (German Institute for Human Rights) where Dr. Claudia Lohrenscheit talked to us about how human rights issues in Germany were similar or different with human rights issues in the United States and Canada.
After this discussion we went to a Turkish restaurant and had Bönner. 
This is a huge roast of beef, roasted with a hot element and then the cooked meat is shaved off and put into a sort of pita bread. It was very tasty.
As we walked to the waiting bus, we saw how one restaurant used a bombed out area as a really nice place for a lounge.
We continued to walk down this section of Berlin taking in the sights and sounds of the city.
We boarded the bus and then headed off to the Sachsenhousen Concentration Camp in Oranienburg, north of Berlin.
This Concentration Camp was built during the summer of 1936 by prisoners from other camps. It was built in the shape of a triangle with the barracks built in a curved manner so a guard could have a perfect view of the whole camp from one point of the triangle.
We saw the track that was made up of various materials such as gravel, stones, concrete, etc. Prisoners who were being punished for some crime at the camp were forced to walk along this track with a heavy pack on their back. The point was to see which boots, also being made here, were best suited for the various materials on the track. Quite often, the prisoners walking the track ended up dying while walking for days on this track.
It was such a sobering display of how brutal mankind can be to each other. Stories of prisoners being beaten to the point of death, being executed by shooting or hanging caused me to wonder what it takes to do such inhumane tasks.
After the visit at the camp, we headed off for a dinner on a boat cruise. It was a lovely evening and the food was excellent. We were able to see Berlin from a very different perspective. The cool breeze off the river was refreshing after a very warm afternoon at the Concentration Camp.
I have noticed some interesting differences here in Berlin. First of all, almost all buildings we have visited have courtyards were people can experience a little bit of nature right near their work place. These courtyards often have trees, shrubs and even water fountains in them. Some have glass roofs, others are open.
Secondly, most buildings do not have air conditioning. I have found several sessions quite warm, not accustomed to buildings without central air. They do, however, often have their windows open into the courtyards. What is surprising about this is that none of the windows have screens. Imagine that in Manitoba. Offices would be filled with mosquitoes and flies would fill the room. Here, no bugs at all and the breeze coming through the window is brings excellent relief.
Thirdly, many people are out along the river banks and in parks in the evening socializing. It seems everyone is out of their homes and out with friends or family.
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