Berlin is a fascinating city, both now and then

Origins explained

As a young city (think Athens!) where did Berlin come from? From a 12^th century Slavic village to Prussian royal residence town in the Middle Ages – Berlin’s rise to world prominence is a story like no other European city. Hear about the rapid rise of Berlin from village to European power under Frederick the Great.

Berlin takes on the world twice: As Berlin emerged as the new Imperial German capital in 1871, it set itself on a course that would lead the world into WWI and WWII leaving a city today that shows the forces and pressures of the 20^th C like no other.

During your tour we also discover Berlin now, a dynamic, fascinating and fast changing city. Along the way we can explore:

• Tour what’s left of Hitler’s WWII Nazi capital, the ruins of dictatorship and monuments to its victims – how could it happen, what happened, why did it happen? (I was involved in the creation of the information board at Hitler’s bunker site)
• Trace the route of the Red Army invading Berlin in 1945 and the last hours of the war for Berliners and the Nazi regime.
• Understand the reasons why the Berlin Wall was built and its legacy then and now,
• see how Berlin deals with its past and future at the Brandenburg Gate and Reichstag parliament, home of a German government once more.

Today, Berlin is finally rebuilding from the years of the Berlin Wall, unifying and modernizing for its new role as the heart of Germany and the EU.

This tour covers the following sites and stories: