Looking at photos of the sizes of a cellar Berliners would stay in I could never imagine staying one for an extended period of time. It is obvious that the emotions would already be heightened since being confined into a small area. It seemed that if it was a private or a public cellar the people of Berlin would not find comfort. There was fighting over food, many disagreements and the horrible stench of the bucket used as the toilet. For me, most frightening would be the fact that suicide was very frequent. In addition, the constant shaking from each gun shot fired would make it impossible to have any kind of relaxation or sense of peace.
I had these exact same thoughts! I’m interested to see how it is going to be in the air raid shelter we go to in Berlin. The fact that I’m already nervous about that even though there is not a bomb threat makes me not even able to imagine what it must really have been like! Crazy stuff man.
I’m not claustrophobic, but I have a feeling being packed like sardines in a room like that would freak me out if there was a war going on outside. There are a few bomb shelters left in some places back home–I think they’re from the Cold War–but they’re all sealed up now. I wish we could have gone into them.
Ditto. Not only would the cramped spaces be overwhelming, but he reactions of other people would be scary. The multi-room design was made specifically for people who were freaking out. I am definitely one to be effected by the emotions of others, so I would’ve feed off of their energy. Also imagine children- if their mother was having a panic attack, they would follow suit. This would turn into mass chaos and I would be willing to be this resulted in violence in the bunkers…hmm. Sounds like an interesting social experiment!
Everything- rooms, bathrooms, public areas- has seemed smaller to me in Europe so far. I can’t wait to go to the air raid bunker and experience this for myself. While I am sure that Berliners had other things on their minds while they were in there, I can’t imagine the sheer anxiety just from being in that space. I’d much rather be in a Spartan than a Hochbunker! 😉
I also felt the same way about having concerns about the bunkers! I thought about how we will go see them in Berlin and Im excited to see them but also curious as to how my image of the size in my head will compare to the size in real life. My guess is its more cramped in real life.
Related yet unrelated to the concept of the Germans in the bunkers, Ive read a lot about Jews that found refuge in underground bunkers. In one book I read, a diary similar to that of Anne Frank’s except in this one the Jewish boy actually is not found and survives- he and his family and I think it was 12 other people (including a newborn) were all hidden and cramped into an underground bunker and their diet basically consisted of different variations of cooking a potato. They also could not once stand up straight for their entire period of hiding. Personally, those aspect alone, along with the dim lighting and crying baby occasionally, may have caused me to go a little crazy.
Also ditto what Kenady said about the small things in Germany… especially the showers!