New Nazi Germany exhibit opens at former Gestapo HQ

Marking the 80th anniversary of Adolf Hitler's ascent to power, Berlin is hosting a series of exhibitions, lectures, art installations and events examining the Nazi period in German history. 

A new exhibit, "Berlin 1933 - Road to dictatorship," opened at the Topography of Terror documentation center this week. 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel presided over the opening ceremony alongside Berlin's mayor Klaus Wowereit.

Merkel spoke about the need for society to fight against the state of complacent tolerance that allowed for the rise of Nazi Germany.  

The center housing the exhibit is already one of Berlin's most visited memorial sites -- the now-razed buildings on the site served as the headquarters for the Secret State Police, and were the central institutions for the Nazi reign of terror from 1933 to 1945. 

Also this week, the German Historical Museum kicked off a new exhibition in conjunction with the City of Berlin.

The museum installed pop-up columns -- "urban memorials" -- at historical sites throughout the city, featuring giant portraits, biographies, timelines and background information on 1930s and '40s Berlin. 

Called "Diversity Destroyed, Berlin 1933, 1938, 1945," it runs until November 10, 2013. The closing date was chosen for its historical significance: on November 9-10, 1938, known as "The Night of Broken Glass," organized violence against Jews broke out across the Reich. 

Topography of Terror; January 30-November 9; Niederkirchnerstraße 8 10963 Berlin; +49 30 254509 50; 10 a.m.–8 p.m. daily; www.topographie.de

For a calendar of more events and exhibitions in Berlin, click here. 

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