Berlin: A city with history

Bec Storey delves into the past of one of Europe’s most evocative cities

By Bec Storey

It is hard not to think of the past when you think of Berlin. It is a city that is steeped in history. When you think of Berlin, images of graffti covered walls, mass rallies and Hitler’s bunker come to mind.

So what does this city have to offer in the 21st Century? To understand Berlin it is essential to understand the city’s past.

Berlin became a capital in the 1870s when Prussian forces crushed Berlin. The Prussians’ sucess in the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71), placed Berlin at the head of the new united Germany. This new Germany was to face some of the most devestating and famous events of the 20th Century.

In 1914 the Berliners agreed that the country should go war. That war became the First World War. The enthusiasm for war soon faded on account of the death toll. The defeated nation broke into revolution. Social Democrats opposed the Republic Socialists.

The Social Democrats assassinated the leader of the Republic Socialists in 1919 to take power. The coup lasted five days and set the tone for Germany’s fragile future in parliamentary democracy.

The 1920s are referred to as the Golden Twenties of Berlin. The population doubled overnight to four million as it became the centre of culture in Europe. The city celebrated radical adventures in social and artistic expression.

Today Berlin is clearly in touch with its roots, and remains true to its heritage. There is a strong movement of creativity which is playing a huge part in its future.

1933 was the beginning of Germany’s darkest history. The Reichstag (Parliament) was burnt down. Adolf Hitler blamed the fire on the communists so as to eliminate the competition. Suspiciously no one ever found the real culprits who started the fire, but one can take a guess.

This time the public were not as excited. They were still suffering from the last World War with massive financial crippling from the Treaty of Versaille.

Hitler spent the last few days of the war in his bunker where he killed himself and his family. The bunker today is sealed up and under a carpark full of burnt out cars, litter and weeds. A fitting end to one of the most horrendous figures in history.

After the war the city was split into four sections. The Eastern sector was controlled by Stalin and the West was divided between the British, Americans and French.

In Berlin’s first election since 1933 the Soviet Democrats won a vast victory driving the Soviets to tighten their grip on the eastern sector.

Many fled East Berlin for the better standard of living on offer in the West. This was put to an end in the early hours of August 13 1961 when the city was physically divided. Initially the divide was simply barbed wire but a solid wall was built up shortly after. The wall stayed in place untill 1989 when a mistake was made by an official in a press conference.

Throughout the 1980s there had been much protest across East Berlin. East Berliners demanded travel restrictions between East and West to be lifted and campaigned for a better standard of living.

When the wall came down, Berlin’s population was set to surge. Apartments, offices and hotels popped up all over the city. The population surge failed to happen, leaving many half-built buildings.

Berlin does not hide its history. Parts of the wall still remain as a reminder of the city’s past; buildings are peppered with bullet holes and memorials litter the streets.

This is a city that acknowledges its past, by unashamedly displaying icons of its complex history. At the same time there is a sense that the city is moving on into the future in spite of its past.

The divide between East and West is still apparent across the city; it is only 16 years since the wall crumbled, a relatively short space of time. This is a city that is still learning to be united. And it is making a great start. The former Eastern areas are up-and-coming with its funky coffee shops, night clubs and galleries.

Berlin is a city still under construction. It is ever-changing, making it exciting and diverse.