by Noah, age 9, asks the Weihnachtsmann do you have reindeer?, about the Spree River, and why Berlin was divided by a wall
Dear Weihnachtsmann,
My name is Noah and I am 9 years old. I live in Berlin, Germany, where my opa still points out a line of bricks in the street that used to be the Berlin Wall, right on our way to the Christmas market.
First, do you have reindeer?
Second, a geography question: what river runs through Berlin?
Third, a school question about my country: why was Berlin divided by a wall for so many years?
I left you stollen and hot cocoa.
Love, Noah, age 9, Berlin, Germany, Berlin, Germany
From the Desk of Weihnachtsmann
Dear Noah, thank you for the treat, it was wonderful. Now, your questions.
Do you have reindeer?
Reindeer, most certainly, flying steadily along the Spree River on the way into Berlin each Christmas Eve.
What river runs through Berlin?
The Spree River winds through the middle of Berlin, past many of its most historic landmarks, and its bridges strung with lights make for a lovely, glowing path to follow as the sleigh comes into the city.
Why was Berlin divided by a wall for so many years?
After the Second World War, Germany was divided between different governing powers, and in 1961 a wall was built right through the middle of Berlin, splitting the city into East and West for nearly thirty years as a powerful symbol of the wider Cold War. The wall finally came down in 1989, reuniting the city.
Frohe Weihnachten, Noah.
Ho ho ho, Weihnachtsmann
