In the days of communist East Germany, meanwhile, Hoppegarten was a popular attraction for tens of thousands of day-tripping East Berliners. Back then, the Cold War had yet to heat up while the soon to be formed East and West German nations were only beginning to recover from the devastation wrought by World War II. Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH"I suddenly thought, would it be possible to bring (Hoppegarten) back to its leading position in German racing?" "As far as racing goes, it's the Mecca for German horse racing," says Artur Boehlke, who was charged with running Hoppegarten in the days of the GDR, as East Germany was officially known. "In the GDR, Hoppegarten was the centre of racing," Stech recalls.

Source: CNN August 08, 2016 18:45 UTC