The Circus Hostel, Mitte, Berlin, October 2019
This is a very short walk to a great little museum in Berlin. Let’s stride across this pedestrian walkway to the Circus Hostel. As the excitement builds, we’ll relax for a moment at the hostel’s excellent cafe. They do great coffee, and if you’re hungry this has to be the best value and oh-so-tasty breakfast in town.
Now, when you’re ready, we’ll pop down the stairs at reception to the David Hasselhoff Museum. Yes, a whole museum dedicated to this famous non-German German, The Hoff.
This museum celebrates the career of the American actor and singer who set a Guinness World Record as the most watched man on TV. The displays will remind you of his stardom in Baywatch and Knight Rider.
In Germany, he became linked to freedom and the fall of the Berlin Wall. On New Year’s Eve 1989, after the fall of the wall but before its full removal, he performed at the Brandenburg Gate. Sporting a piano-keyboard scarf (which is on display in the museum) and a leather jacket covered in motion lights, he sang his Looking for Freedom song, whilst hanging in a bucket crane. This performance has fixed the song and the man into German pop-culture.
And there’s more than a spot of idolising going on here: the museum is also campaigning to have a street named to honour this star.
It is only a small museum, so that is the excitement over for now – time for more coffee and cake!
Or, time for a longer wander around this area. It is great for shopping and eating, and there’s a beautiful little park, Volkspark am Weinberg, in the area that used to be vineyards. I’ll leave you to decide.
If this walk was not enough for the Hasselhoff fans out there, if you’re within reach of London the Hoff will be on stage in 9 to 5 at the Savoy Theatre from 2 December.
Or, find a Doughnut Time store, scattered across London, and grab a David Hassel-biscoff!
Copyright Debbie Smyth, 18 November 2019
Posted as part of Jo’s Monday Walks
Travel with Intent 
This is really cool
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I’m still chuckling about the museum, et al, Debbie. As they say “Who’d a thunk?” I do love the little figure on the crossing light. Much more fun than just “Walk.”
janet
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We have stayed at this hotel! Didn’t know about the museum though, or maybe it’s new since we visited (2012). I can confirm that the cafe was good then too.
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Yes, definitely opened since then. It looked a good place to stay – good price and food, and friendly.
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Great walk — but just to put David Hazelhoff a bit in perspective. Knight Rider was very popular in Germany, as was Bay Watch (although I don’t think it surpassed Knight Rider) and he could call on this following when he tried to start a singing career which was modestly successful here. But many people consider his clutching onto the fall of the Berlin wall ridiculous and it is mostly met with derision. So yes, he is part of German pop culture but not quite as reverently as a museum dedicated to him might suggest. I wouldn’t put it past him that he or his PR man initiated it.
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You never know – I assume he has some skilled PR people. Though it is probably too small to be the work of PR.
Thanks for the perspective – I think we picked up on the German popularity because you liked him more than we did over here! or seemed to, anyway
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It is all quite bizarre!
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Amazing the things that are out there 😀
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My stepdaughters began to praise The Hoff, years after Baywatch. They hadn’t even heard of Knight Rider. He must have amazing publicists. It was always Kitt who I adored!
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I had no idea! I did occasionally watch Knight Rider… He sounds like a really good guy 🙂 🙂 Many thanks for sharing, Debs. Just finishing breakfast here.
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I wasn’t a big follower either but the museum gave me a laugh. And found me good food and coffee. 😀
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