History of Berlin

Berlin has had a rather dark 800-year history, not least for the fact that Hitler used the city as his control centre during the Nazi reign or that Berlin was the dividing line of the Cold War. However, despite the many conflicts which have mired this great city in turmoil, the reunited Berlin is once again the capital of Germany and one of the most confident, vibrant and determined cities in Europe.

The beginning

It all started in 1300, when the two neighbouring trading towns of Coelln and Berlin decided to join forces. Although the Thirty Years War all but destroyed the young city, French Protestants, escaping religious persecution in their home country, were invited to emigrate to Berlin in large numbers.

The Soldier King

In 1709, the Prussian king Frederick William I made Berlin his capital and began to develop the city. His son, Frederick the Great, continued these efforts as he strengthened Prussias position in Europe. During this era, the Prussian court was a major centre of enlightenment, frequently entertaining such luminaries as the philosopher Voltaire. The kings passion for culture and humanity resulted in a wave of immaculate classicist architecture and the birth of a love affair with the arts which continues today.

The founding years

At the end of the 19th century, Berlin boomed as it jumped on board the industrialisation wave. Scientists such as Robert Koch were leading the world in scientific research and development. The industrial powerhouse, Siemens, constructed a modern subway system which revolutionised public transport in the city and artists such as Gerhard Hauptmann were breaking new ground in modern art.

The Nazi era

Berlin remained the capital of Germany during the rule of the Nazis in WWII. Hitler envisioned this city as the capital of his Aryan global empire. But the average Berliner suffered greatly under Hitlers iron fist, especially the left-wing movements and the Jews.

The aftermath and the Cold War

At the end of WWII, Berlin was little more than a pile of rubble. Its population had been halved by the war and the city was divided into four sectors, each controlled by one of the Allies: the USA, Britain, France and the USSR. Soon after the division, Berlin became the focus of the Cold War animosities, with the Soviet Union on the eastern side and the Allies on the western side of the Iron Curtain.

The fall of the wall

When the Berlin Wall was torn down in 1989, the world rejoiced. It happened almost overnight, made successful by the peaceful revolution of the people of East Germany. An entire generation knew Berlin only as a divided city. Today, the capital of Germany is unified, but is still a work in progress.

A phoenix rises

Steel and glass structures tower over streets that were once barren and empty, and lush green parks dot the cityscape. The new Berlin has reinvented itself as Europes capital of cool, with its hip clubs, high fashion and vibrant gay community. Slowly, the city is also reconciling itself with its dark past, as the opening of the new Jewish Museum testifies. This is a great time to visit Berlin, as this immensely historical metropolis falls in love with itself all over again.