Train stations ... the old

Except for Berlin and Hanover, all the other hauptbahnhof stations we experienced, being Dresden, Hamburg, Frankfurt and Kiel, had been restored to former glory after the war. They are all roofed, some with extensive areas of glass, no doubt to provide some relief from the savage winters experienced in this part of Europe.

In each station my attention was drawn to the ironwork, rivets, bolts and caste iron roof mountings and other cast components. These stations are huge, with aircraft hanger-like accommodation for trains and a large concourse joining platforms.
  
Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof

Serving the largest city in Germany, this station and its surrounds was heavily bombed but has been faithfully restored. Below are two photos of the front of the building

the main concourse serving the platforms

 and some of the ironwork

The passing parade

There's always something happening other than train movements at a large city railway station. As we were returning to the station after exploring Frankfurt the raucous call of a klaxon alerted us to an ambulance pushing its way through the crowd to park at the front doors.

Always on the lookout for an action photograph I positioned myself where the camera was at waist level, and by fiddling the screen was able to capture the photo below. The patient was a young man of unkempt appearance who seemed to be having trouble with creatures no one else could see. Eventually he was helped to the ambulance by the ambos and policeman while policewoman gathered the evidence. Note the size of the pistol on the policewoman's hip.But no doubt she knows how to use it. 

 

Dresden Hauptbahnhof

Another cavernous station (below) restored after the war. At the time of the bombing of Dresden and subsequent fire storm it's reliably reported that there were several trains in the station packed with German refugees, mostly woman and children, fleeing from the Red Army approaching from the east. Below are photos of the exterior of the station. Straying for a moment, I can't imagine that advertisement on a Melbourne tram.

Train stations ... the new

As assembly points for the transport of men and materials across Germany during WW2, virtually all the major railway stations were severely damaged, if not destroyed by bombing when the RAF and USAAF gained superiority of the sky over Germany.

Berlin Hauptbahnhof

Unlike other main stations we passed through that have been restored to former architectural glory, the main station in Berlin is as modern as you could expect with its glass and steel facades and interior and two levels of shops.

The photos below show some of the exterior

and the interior

Above is at the entry level from the front street with escalators down to the Regional, Intercity (ICE) and International trains at the lower level (underground). It was down here where we joined the train to Dresden and where we arrived from Frankfurt on our first day in Berlin.

The up escalators at top right  of the photo (and below) provide access to the above-ground suburban trains. The shops are visible at the centre-right of the photo and there is another level of shops above this level.

and the elevators serving all levels for those dragging their possessions in a heavy case.