BERLIN
OUR CITY
History and Present
History of Berlin
12th -13th century
• 1230
•
•
The church Nikolaikirche (St. Nicholas’s) is built in
the area known today as the Nikolaiviertel. The first
documentary reference of the Marienkirche (St.
Mary’s) dates from 1292.
1237
Berlin dates its official founding to 1237, the year of
the first recorded mention of Cölln. The first
documentary reference to Berlin followed in 1244.
1280
Berlin is given a new town seal depicting, for the first
time, two bears.
14th -15th century
• 1400
Berlin and Cölln have roughly 8,500 inhabitants and 1,100 buildings. The
twin cities have three town halls, three hospitals, churches, and monasteries
with residences for the clergy and the court of the margrave.
• 1411
Administration and control of the Mark is given to the Burgrave of
Nuremberg, the Hohenzollern Friedrich VI, initiating 500 years of
Hohenzollern rule in Berlin. At the Council of Constance in 1415,
King Sigismund elevates him to the rank of Elector and Margrave of
Brandenburg as Friedrich I
• 1443
The foundation stone of what will become Berlin’s City Palace is laid
on the “Spree island” in Cölln. Construction and reconstruction
continue until 1716, when the building takes its final form.
17th -18th century
• 1701
On 18 January 1701 in Konigsberg, the elector
Friedrich III has himself crowned Friedrich I, King in
Prussia. Berlin becomes the royal residence.
• 1709
King Friedrich I decrees the unification of the five
towns of Berlin, Cölln, Friedrichswerder,
Dorotheenstadt, and Friedrichstadt to form t he
capital and royal residence of Berlin. The unified
city has a population of 55,000.
• 1732
Until 1739, around 1,200 Bohemians settle in
Berlin to escape religious persecution. In 1737
they found Böhmisch- Rixdorf (now Neukölln).
Berlin became bigger in the 18th century.
18th -19th century
1809
New municipal legislation gives Berlin wide powers of self-government. Elected for
the first time, a city assembly puts forward a mayoral candidate to be approved by
the king.
1883
New Theatres open. Amongst them the still well known “Deutsches Theater” and a
Theater which later becomes the home of Berthold Brecht’s Berliner Ensemble.
1891
The Berlin mechanical engineer Otto Lilienthal makes the first successful gliding flight
in history (25 meters). Lilienthal died in a flying accident in 1896. The Lilienthal
memorial at the “Fliegeberg,” his artificial hill in Lichterfelde, and today’s Otto
Lilienthal Airport in Tegel commemorate him and his pioneering achievement.
Berlin and the Second World
War
1933
Adolf Hitler’s rise to power leads to
the end of democracy in Germany
and Berlin. On March 21, the first
concentration camp in the Berlin
area was opened. Thousands of
people were killed there.
The first organized boycotts of
Jewish businesses, doctors, and
lawyers took place on April 1st.
1934/35
All chosen committees of
the city were closed. Hitler
took over all power in
Berlin. The Nazis made
many demonstrations and
marched through the
Brandenburg Gate.
Everybody who did not join
them was an enemy.
1938
On November 9, during
the pogrom known as the
“Night of Broken Glass”
(“Kristallnacht”),
members of the SA and
the SS set fire to nine of
the twelve synagogues in
Berlin, destroyed Jewishowned shops, and
arrested 1200 Jewish
citizens. Most of those
arrested are taken to the
Sachsenhausen
concentration camp.
1939
On 1st September
Germany declared
war against Poland.
The Second World
War starts in Berlin,
too.
1940
Enemy aircraft
bombed the city for
the first time in
August. The half city
was destroyed till
the end of the war.
Thousands of
people died.
1945
On April 21 the Red Army
crossed the city
boundaries for the first
time and the battle for
Berlin began. It ended
with Hitler’s suicide on
April 30 and the surrender
of the city on May 2. For
Berlin, the war is over.
Results of the war:
The German economy was
destroyed. Thousands of
people were homeless,
injured or dead. America,
France, England and the
Soviet Union (Russia) divided
Germany and Berlin into 4
parts. Later England,
America and France created
one part. Germany was
divided into East Germany
and West Germany. Berlin
was divided, too.
The Berlin Wall
As a result of the second
world war and the cold war
East Germany built a wall to
West Germany and around
West Berlin.
People from East Berlin could
not go to West Berlin
anymore and the people in
West Berlin could not leave
the town for many years.
The Berlin Wall was built 13th
August 1961.
The Berlin Wall was 167,8 km Long.
From the east side it was forbidden
to go near it.
From the west side people painted
the wall with pictures and graffiti.
The Wall lasted more than thirty
years until the wall fell and the
people in Berlin and Germany were
united again.
The Wall was through the
whole town.
The famous Brandenburg
Gate was directly on the
borderline. For many years
nobody was allowed to
cross it.
Many famous people like
John F. Kennedy came to
Berlin and demanded the
opening of the wall.
„TODESSTREIFEN“ „DEATH STRIP“
That means that there
was a zone where nobody
was allowed to go.
Who tried to cross it was
killed.
Regularly soldiers with
dogs and guns patrolled
the „Death Strip“ – day
and night.
The fall of the Berlin Wall
In summer and autumn 1989 the people
in East Germany started to demonstrate
against the government and demanded a
free Germany.
The Berlin Wall fell on 9th November1989
Everybody in Germany was very happy.
Thousands of Berliner went to the
checkpoints.
The first checkpoint opened at about
10.30 p.m. in the Bornholmer Straße.
Sights of Berlin
Berlin Wall
Memorial
Bernauer Straße separates the districts Wedding and Mitte. Until
1989 the Wall ran along here. The documentation centre on the
history of the division of Berlin was opened in November 1999. It
shows the political background and people’s individual experience of
being permanently faced with the wall in the daily life. Very little is
left of the original Wall, most of the wall segments are given to
museums all over the world or sold.
Brandenburg Gate
It was built 1788-1791 as a
victory gate.
Berlin once had 18 city gates this is the only one remaining.
Badly damaged in the war, it
was rebuilt in 1957. After the
wall was built the Gate
became a landmark and
symbol of the division and
reunification of Germany.
The 70-metre-high
column is crowned by the
gilded victory goddess,
nicknamed "Goldelse" Golden Lizzie -by the
Berliners. Among other
things, she has decorated
the cover of certain
books. Incidentally, the
gun barrels around the
column are genuine.
Below are the Austrian,
then the French and on
top the Danish.
Victory Column
House at Checkpoint Charlie
Permanent and special exhibition
cover topics in German history
after 1945, especially the division
of Berlin, the building of the Wall
and its influence on daily life.
Documentary film shows and
especially talks with eyewitnesses
give a memorable picture of the
relationship between the two
parts of Germany during the Cold
War.
Olympiastadion
Olympic Stadium Built by Werner March on the Maifeld for the
1936 Olympic Games, the stadium holds up to76,000 spectators.
In 1936 the black runner Jesse Owens won the 100-metre race
here (a completely un-Aryan result).
Berliners hope the local football team Hertha will soon win the
cup here. Plenty to see around here for history fans.
Berlin Cathedral
Berlin’s most impressive church
building with a bigger floor area
than Cologne Cathedral. It was
severely damaged in the war and
restoration work went on into the
1990s. The magnificent dome
gives the building it’s character. In
the Hohenzollern Crypt the
Prussian kings and Kaisers lie in
dust and ashes.
TV-Tower at Alexanderplatz
TV Tower at Alexanderplatz
Berlin's tallest building. So
that everybody could see the
heights socialist building.
Today it's three meters taller
with a new . Since Berlin lies
on the North German plain
it's worth going up the tower
to see the view over the city
from the platform at 203
metres or the revolving café
at 207 metres. On the
horizon you can imagine the
city limits even if you can't
see them.
The Reichstag
A symbol of German history. Pictures that went round
the world: in 1945 the Soviet flag was hoisted on the
Reichstag, in 1995 it was wrapped by Christo and
Jeanne-Claude and since 1999 it has been the seat of
the German Parliament. The dedication above the
entrance reads: "To the German People". The dome
built by Sir Norman Foster is not entirely in tune with
this, because: anyone, if German of from abroad, can
walk around freely inside it until midnight
Ice Hockey Club “Eisbären”
Berlin
The „Eisbären Berlin“
(Polar Bears Berlin) is
one of the most
successful ice hockey
teams in Germany.
Home is the “O2 World”
They won the German championship tree times: in 2005, 2006 and 2008.
The team played in the Berlin district of Hohenschönhausen but in autumn
2008, the team moved to their new home arena, the O2 World.
The old stadium is still being used as a training facility.
The old stadium
The new stadium
The official Eisbären anthem "Hey, wir wollen die
Eisbären seh'n" was recorded by the veteran East
German band the Puhdys in 1997.
Colours
League
Head coach
This is the whole
team with
managers and
mascot.
Red, white, blue
German Eishockey-Liga
Don Jackson
That is the Logo of the Team.
I play ice hockey myself, but I play not
at the Eisbären but at F.A.S.S. Berlin.
This is a regional league team. My
position is defence or forward.
I visit every now and then the Eisbären
in the O² World. I know the team,
because I played at the “Eisbären
Juniors Berlin e.V.” for some years.
Hertha BSC
The full name is Hertha Berlin sport
club.
The nick name is “the old lady” because
Hertha is also a woman´s name.
Hertha was founded July 25.1892.
The chairman is Werner Gegenbauer
and the Manager is Lucien Favre.
Hertha is a first league of Germany.
They are on the first place in the
ranking.
Hertha is a German Football club based
in Berlin.
Hertha BSC was a founding club of the
German football association in Leipzig
1990.
Hertha is a big sport club with 15000
members.
The colours of the tricots are blue and white.
Here you can see the Olympia Stadium Hertha plays its matches in this.
The Olympia Stadium was built in 1934.
The Olympia Stadium was rebuilt from 2000 to 2004.
The stadium has 74.228 seats.
The Olympia Stadium is for the Olympic games and for the football games.
On the picture you can see the players of Hertha and the mascot It's a kind of bear.
This is the
mascot
Herthino.
I like Hertha because they play well and they look well.
I was at a game in the Olympia Stadium where Hertha
played against Cologne.
Hertha won the game.
The mood was very good and funny.
We sang and danced
And the mascot Herthino is she best.
MegaMega
Events
in Berlin
Events
in Berlin
OneOne
of the
events
in Berlin
the New
Year’s
Eve Party
of mega
the mega
events
in is
Berlin
is the
New
at Brandenburg
Gate
(Brandenburger
Tor). People
Year’s Eve
Party
at Brandenburg
Gate from all
over the world cheerfully celebrate the turn of the year,
(Brandenburger Tor). People from all over the
and Berliners together with German guests and visitors
theextraordinary
turn of the event in
fromworld
all overcheerfully
the world celebrate
celebrate this
year, and
Berliners
together
German
the German
capital.
An overall
spacewith
of 80,000
square
guests
over the
meters
with and
showvisitors
stages, from
video all
screens,
partyworld
tents, food
celebrate this
extraordinary
in the
and refreshment
stands
and of courseevent
the spectacular
midnight
fireworks
as the
highlight
of the event.
German
capital.
An ultimate
overall space
of 80,000
With more
than
one million
500 journalists
square
meters
with guests,
show stages,
video from all
overscreens,
the worldparty
and 350
national
tents,
food and
andinternational
refreshmentTV
channels
Year’s Eve
in Berlin is
one of the
standsthe
andNew
of course
theParty
spectacular
midnight
world’s largest events at the turn of the year.
fireworks as the ultimate highlight of the
event.
With more than one million guests, 500
journalists from all over the world and 350
national and international TV channels the
New Year’s Eve Party in Berlin is one of the
world’s largest events at the turn of the year.
Sporting Events
A big sporting event was the World Cup in
2006 in Germany. In Berlin it was celebrated at
the Brandenburg Gate on the Street of the
17th June and in the Olympic stadium
(Olympiastadion).
But there are many other celebrations. For
example the American-Football-Team Berlin
Thunder controverter their games in the NFL
Europe till 2007. Sometimes there are events
without sporting background. Like the church
congress. The Olympia stadium owns the
biggest stadium chapel in the world.
Parks and Outdoor Activities
One of the biggest Parks in Berlin is the
Tiergarten. It‘s located in Berlin-Mitte.
With 210 square metres it is the second
largest Park in Germany. In German
parks it’s allowed to walk out with the
dog and to relax and to barbecue. There
are many chances to jog and to
sunbathe.
Discos, Clubs and Restaurants
In Berlin are many international restaurants.
For example Indian Restaurants, Asia
Restaurants and Italian Restaurants. You can
also find all kind of clubs and discos. Some are
open 24 hours. Berlin is very multifaceted.
That’s maybe the reason for celebrities to visit
Berlin as Barbra Streisand. She said she won’t
put a step into Germany because of the history
(She comes from a Jewish family). But she
came to Berlin and gave a brilliant concert.
Every day there are concerts in
Berlin. We have big concert halls
and small clubs for Rock-Fans, Rap
and R&B-Fans and many more.
There is something for everyone.
Sinah, Lisa, Leonie
Eric, Melanie, Ben
That was something about the history and about today's life in our city, Berlin.
Berlin had a difficult history but today it offers something for everybody.
The people in Berlin are open minded and tolerant. We all love to live in Berlin.
Berlin is cool and full of life.