Cecilienhof Castle / Potsdam - important history took place here. July 1945

[Mira]

The scene of the Potsdam conference where the allies met to carve up Germany after the war which is known as the Potsdam agreements.
Berlin was too bombed out to be used as a location, and the decision was to hold the meeting of the big 3, Stalin, Truman and Churchill, in the Cecilienhof Castle in Potsdam.

Each leader had his own entrance to the conference. Stalin entered by the East door and Truman by the West while Churchill entered through the central courtyard. The Soviets controlled this area and Stalin had the flower bed in the centre of the courtyard planted with red geraniums in the shape of a star.

The castle (now a museum) has the original furniture used at the Potsdam Conference so it feels like walking in the past.

Two shots of photographs that are in the conference room, showing you the table in use for that critical conference where the signing took place.





The table today, with the original furniture



The stairway in the room, in front of the table



Outside, one of the entrances. Couldn’t get up high enough to get a good shot of the planted star

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Fantastic photos, my dear Mira!

You really do the setting justice. I was there too, some years ago. I think I got a photo of the star flower bed; I will check.

Thank you for these incredible photos!

[fierywoman]

2. I love traveling vicariously with you!

[longship]

3. Churchill lost his position as PM on 26 Jul 1945.

Clement Atlee replaced Sir Winston as PM midway through the Potsdam Conference.

Word has it that things did not end up so well because of that.

The history of this conference is interesting. It is likely that Stalin already knew about the atomic bomb as physicist Klaus Fuchs had likely already communicated the plans to his Soviet handlers by then.

Nice pictures!!!

R&K

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. Here's my photo of the star garden, Mira! It's a slightly different angle, still not high enough.

[Mira]

5. How neat! Love that we

both were there. What a small world it really is.