Berlin
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:''This article is about the city in Germany. For other uses, see Berlin (disambiguation).''
Basic Information
, International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA: , is the capital city|capital of Germany and its largest city; the city is now home to 3.4 million residents, down from a peak of 4.5 million before World War II. From 1949 to 1990 it was divided into East Berlin and West Berlin.
Berlin, built on sand, is located on the rivers Spree and Havel in the north of Germany. It is enclosed by the German States of Germany|state of Brandenburg, and has constituted a state of its own since 1920.
Political Berlin
The state
Berlin originally was a main city in the Duchy of Brandenburg. Today, it is the national capital of the Federal Republic of Germany, and was expanded to form ''Greater Berlin'' in 1920. Since German reunification on 3 October 1990 it has been one of the three city states, together with Hamburg and Bremen (state)|Bremen, among the present 16 German ''States of Germany|Bundesländer''.
Berlin is governed by the Senate of Berlin, which consists of the ''Regierender Bürgermeister'' (governing mayor) and up to eight senators holding ministerial portfolios. The governing mayor is mayor of the city and representative of the ''Bundesland'' (state) at the same time. The seat of office for the Berlin Mayor is the Rotes Rathaus. Presently, this office is held by Klaus Wowereit (SPD): for earlier mayors, see the list of Mayors of Berlin.
The city and state parliament is called the ''Abgeordnetenhaus'' or House of Representatives. The current Senate consists of a coalition of the Social democracy|social democrat Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD and the Socialism|socialist Left Party (Germany)|Left Party.
The boroughs
Berlin is subdivided into 12 boroughs, called ''Bezirke,'' which were created from the previously existing 23 boroughs, effective since 1 January 2001.
For a map and a list of the old and new borough names, see Boroughs of Berlin.
Each borough is governed by a ''Bezirksamt'' consisting of ten ''Stadträte'' (town councillors) and a mayor. The ''Bezirksamt'' is elected by the district-parliament, the ''Bezirksverordnetenversammlung''. The boroughs of Berlin are not independent municipalities, and the political power of the district-parliaments is fairly minimal and dependent on the ''Senate of Berlin''.
The district mayors form the council of mayors, called ''Rat der Bürgermeister'' under the leadership of the ''Regierende Bürgermeister'' (governing mayor), to advise the ''Senate''.
Population
Berlin has 3,426,000 inhabitants (as of January 2005) on a surface of 891.75 square kilometres, thus, the population density of the region amounts to 3,811 inhabitants per square kilometre. Berlin citizens' average age is 41.7 years (as of 2004). 450,900 inhabitants are foreigners coming from 185 states (as of December 2004). Among them, approximately 36,000 citizens come from the nearest neighbouring country, Poland and 119,000 are Turkish - Berlin has the largest Turkish municipality in Europe outside of Turkey. According to official statistics, in 2004, 22.3% of the population were Protestants, 9.1% were Catholics, 6.2% were Muslims, and 0.4% were Jews.
Between approximately the 1890s and the mid-1920s, Berlin was the fourth-largest urban area in the world after New York City|New York, London, and Paris. Today, it is only the sixth-largest Largest urban areas of the European Union|urban area in the European Union, and approximately the 80th-largest urban area in the world.
History
Berlin today
Tourist attractions
in Berlin]]
Even though Berlin does have a number of impressive buildings from earlier centuries, the city's appearance today is mainly shaped by the key role it played in Germany's history in the 20th century. Each of the national governments which had their seat in Berlin — the 1871 German Empire, the Weimar Republic, Nazi Germany, East Germany, and now the reunified Germany — initiated ambitious construction programs, each with its own distinctive character. Berlin was devastated by bombing raids during World War II, and many of the old buildings that escaped the bombs were eradicated in the 1950s and 1960s in both West and East. Much of this destruction was caused by overambitious architecture programs, especially to build new residential or business quarters and main roads. It would not be an exaggeration to say that no other city in the world offers Berlin's unusual mix of architecture, especially 20th-century architecture. The city's tense and unique recent history has left it with a distinctive array of sights.
Not much is left of the Berlin Wall. The East Side Gallery in Friedrichshain near the ''Oberbaumbrücke'' over the Spree preserves a portion of the Wall. By looking at the architecture it is still possible to tell if one is in the former eastern or western part of the city. In the eastern part, many ''Plattenbauten'' can be found, reminders of Eastern Bloc ambitions to create complete residential areas with fixed ratios of shops, kindergartens and schools. Another difference between former east and west is in the design of little red and green men on pedestrian crossing lights (''Ampelmännchen'' in German); the eastern versions received an opt-out during the standardization of road traffic signs after re-unification, and have survived to become a popular icon in tourist products. They are however starting to appear in western Berlin too.
Historical sights in the city centre
(June 2003)]]
(Summer 2000)]]
The Brandenburg Gate and Unter den Linden, symbols of Berlin, Prussia, and now Germany. The Brandenburg Gate appears on German Euro coins.
Reichstag (building)|Reichstag building, the old and new seat of the German parliament, renovated by Norman Foster|Sir Norman Foster. Features a glass dome in which you can walk around and watch the parliamentarians from above.
Gendarmenmarkt, arguably the most beautiful square in Berlin, surrounded by two famous cathedrals and the concert hall.
Berlin victory column, monument to Prussia's victories.
The Berliner Dom, an historic cathedral. A large crypt houses the remains of the Prussian royal family.
Cathedral of St. Hedwig (St.-Hedwigs-Kathedrale)
Nikolaiviertel with the Nikolaikirche an historical city core, founded in the 13th century.
Schloss Bellevue, now the residence of the German President
Schloss Charlottenburg, the largest surviving historical palace in Berlin
The Neptunbrunnen (Berlin)|Neptunbrunnen, a famous fountain in Berlin Mitte.
Tiergarten is Berlin's largest park and a masterpiece of park design.
Cold War and sightseeing in the former East Berlin
The Palast der Republik, the old East German parliament building. It is seen by some as ugly, former East Berliners remember with affection restaurants, shops, clubs, and the concerts that took place there in the 1980s. Although it has some significance as a historical tourist attraction, the German Parliament voted for its demolition, which will commence in 2005. The Palast der Republik is built on the site of the Berlin City Palace, which was demolished in 1950 by the history of East Germany|Communists. The Palace Square was renamed Marx-Engels-Platz at the same time.
The Fernsehturm, the TV tower, the highest building in the city at 368 m (1207 ft), and the second largest structure in Europe (after Moscow's Ostankino Tower). The Fernsehturm is easily visible throughout most of the central districts of Berlin. Which boasts one of the fastest lifts in Europe, at 45 metres per minute
Alexanderplatz, formerly East Berlin's major shopping center, and home to the Centrum-Warenhaus, which was the Deutsche Demokratische Republik|DDR's department store. It is now a thoroughly Westernized shopping centre, belonging to the Kaufhof chain.
East Side Gallery a memorial for freedom based on the last parts of the Berlin Wall
Rotes Rathaus (the Red City Hall), historic town hall famous for its distinctive red-brick architecture
Rathaus Schöneberg with John-F.-Kennedy-Platz, whence John F. Kennedy made his famous "Ich bin ein Berliner!" speech.
Checkpoint Charlie, remains and a museum about one of the crossing points (albeit restricted to Allied forces) in the Berlin Wall. The museum, which is a private venture, exhibits interesting material about people who devised ingenious plans to leave the East, but is controversial in the city for its propagandistic Cold War didactics and publicity stunts that many consider tasteless.
Sights of modern Berlin
Potsdamer Platz, an entire quarter built from scratch after 1995. The historic Potsdamer Platz was not rebuilt as it was divided by the Wall. A must-see for people who like modern city planning. Just to the West of Potsdamer Platz is the Kulturforum (Berlin)|Kulturforum, which houses the Gemäldegalerie (Berlin)|Gemäldegalerie, and is flanked by the Neue Nationalgalerie and the Philharmonie.
Hackescher Markt, Spandauer Vorstadt and Scheunenviertel, the home to fashionable culture, with countless small clothing shops, clubs, bars, and galleries. This includes the New Synagogue area in Oranienburger Straße (originally built in the 1860s in Moorish style with a large golden dome and reconstructed in 1993), and the Hackesche Höfe, a conglomeration of several buildings around several courtyards, nicely reconstructed after 1996. This area was a centre of Jewish culture up until the 1930s.
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, a Holocaust memorial opened in May 2005.
Panoramic viewing points
Funkturm Berlin|Berliner Funkturm— the only observation tower in the world which stands on insulators. Its open-air observation deck is popular for photography.
Berliner Fernsehturm|Berlin Television Tower http://www.berlinerfernsehturm.de/— 368-m high television tower, built in 1969 close to Alexanderplatz. The entire city can be viewed from its 204-m high observation platform.
Grunewaldturm http://www.grunewaldturm.de— this 59-m high historic tower stands on a hill in Grunewald forest close to Wannsee lake.
Französischer Dom http://www.franzoesischer-dom-berlin.de— located on Gendarmenmarkt in the very heart of the city, the platform of the cathedral offers unique views.
Bierpinsel — literally "Beer Stick". 1970s style tower in the Berlin Borough of Steglitz-Zehlendorf|Steglitz with a café and bar at the top giving views over south-western Berlin.
Restaurant of the Forum Hotel Berlin
Berliner Dom http://www.berliner-dom.de— Protestant cathedral situated next to the Lustgarten, with a circular observation platform around the dome.
Bell tower Olympic Stadium Berlin|Bell tower at the Olympic Stadium http://www.glockenturm.de— part of the Reichssportfeld complex, the tower offers a view of the Olympic Stadium, Berlin|Olympic Stadium and also of the Waldbühne, an open-air stage.
Siegessäule http://www.berlin-tourist-information.de/cgi-bin/sehenswertes.pl?id=13353— the monument at the Großer Stern situated in the middle of the Tiergarten Park where it was relocated in 1938–39 from its previous position in front of the Reichstag (building)|Reichstag.
Müggelturm — a tower giving panoramic views over the Müggelsee lake.
Reichstag building— the roof of the parliament building, crowned by a large glass cupola designed by Lord Norman Foster|Foster is open to the public giving an impressive view over the city, especially at night.
Other interesting structures (not accessible to public)
Fernmeldeturm Berlin (Berlin Telephone Tower)
Richtfunkstelle Berlin-Frohnau
Transmitter Berlin-Britz
Radio mast Berlin-Scholzplatz
Transmitter Berlin-Alley of Stallupone
Radio mast Berlin-Olympiastadium
Radar facility Berlin-Teufelsberg
TV Tower Berlin-Mueggelberge
Power station Berlin-Wilmersdorf
Power station Reutter
Famous streets and boulevards
Unter den Linden is the street that heads east from the Brandenburg Gate. Many Classical buildings line the street. Part of Humboldt University is located there.
Friedrichstraße, Berlin's legendary street of the "Golden Twenties" which combines the tradition of the last century with modern architecture of today's Berlin.
Kurfürstendamm (Ku'damm), with the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche (Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church), which lies right at the top end of Kurfürstendamm, on Breitscheidplatz (underground station Kurfürstendamm). The church was bombed out in World War II and its ruins have been preserved in their damaged state. Near by is the Ka-De-We Berlin's equivalent to London's Harrods. Also nearby is the Zoologischer Garten Berlin |Zoologischer Garten, a zoo with a large number of species.
The Straße des 17. Juni connects the Brandenburg Gate in the East and Ernst-Reuter-Platz in the West, commemorating the uprisings in East Berlin of 17 June 1953. It features the golden ''Siegessäule'' (Statue of Victory), which used to stand in front of the ''Reichstag (building)|Reichstag''.
The Karl-Marx-Allee (formerly Stalinalle), a boulevard lined by monumental landmark buildings designed in the Socialist Classicism of the Stalin era. It is located in Friedrichshain and Mitte.
Street lighting
Berlin is unique in that it still has around 43,800 gas lamp standards in working order, usually to be found on back streets and historically sensitive places. The first 1,800 lanterns were erected by the English Gas Company in 1826. Operation of the Gas lamps was taken over by the City Authorities in 1847. The first electric street lighting appeared around 1880. Between 1963 and 1982 replacement of the gas lamps in East Berlin was completed apart from a few remaining streets in Köpenick. In West Berlin the reverse was the situation, new styles of gas lamp standards being introduced as late as the 1950s. There was a debate in the late 1970´s on whether replacement with electric lighting should go ahead, but public opinion was against it. This debate was revived again in 2005, due to rising costs of gas, but no definite decision on replacement has been made. There is an open-air collection of working gas lamps in Tiergarten near to S-Bahnhof Tiergarten, which as well as displaying historic examples from Berlin and other German cities also has examples from other European cities. http://www.dtmb.de/Aktuelles/Kooperationen/Laternen/body.html
Education and science
Universities
Freie Universität Berlin http://www.fu-berlin.deHumboldt-Universität zu Berlin http://www.hu-berlin.deTechnische Universität Berlin http://www.tu-berlin.deCharité http://www.charite.de(Medical Faculty of Freie and Humboldt-Universität)
Universität der Künste http://www.udk-berlin.de
Universities of applied sciences
Alice-Salomon-Fachhochschule für Sozialarbeit/-pädagogik http://www.asfh-berlin.deEvangelische Fachhochschule http://www.evfh-berlin.deKatholische Fachhochschule http://www.khsb-berlin.de/Fachhochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin http://www.fhtw-berlin.deFachhochschule für Wirtschaft http://www.fhw-berlin.deHochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler http://www.hfm-berlin.deTechnische Fachhochschule http://www.tfh-berlin.de
Zoos and Botanical Gardens
Zoologischer Garten Berlin, Berlin's oldest zoo, located in the city center.
Tierpark Friedrichsfelde, founded by the GDR in a historic castle park in eastern Berlin.
Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem|Botanic Garden and Botanic Museum Berlin, one of the most important botanical gardens of the world and the largest in Europe.
The Arts and Culture
After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 many buildings in the former city centre of East Berlin (today the district Mitte) were renovated. Many had not been rebuilt since World War II. Illegally occupied by young people, they had become a fertile ground for all sorts of underground and counter-culture gatherings. It was also home to many nightclubs, including Tacheles, Techno music|Techno clubs ''Tresor'', ''WMF'', ''Ufo'' and ''E-Werk''.
The art scene in Berlin is extremely rich and it is home to hundreds of art galleries. The city is host to the Art Forum annual international art fair. Berlin also offers one of the most diverse and vibrant nightlife scenes in Europe. Most Berliners take great pride in their city's reputation as one of the most socially progressive cities on the continent. http://www.presse.tk/
Berlin's annual Karneval der Kulturen|Carnival of Cultures, a multi-ethnic street parade, and Gay Pride|Chistopher Street Day celebrations, Central Europe's largest gay-lesbian pride event, are openly supported by the city's government.http://www.berlin-tourist-information.de/english/unterwegs/e_uw_berlinprogramm_gay.htmlli>http://www.berlin-tourist-information.de/english/zielgruppen/e_zg_gay_bezirke.php
Another event is the Techno music|techno-demonstration "Loveparade" (every year in July or August).
Despite the city's high unemployment levels, a significant number of young Germans and artists continue to settle in the city, and Berlin has established itself as the premiere centre of youth and pop culture in Europe.
Signs of this expanding role were the 2003 announcement that the annual Popkomm, Europe's largest music industry convention, would move to Berlin after 15 years in Cologne. Shortly thereafter, German (language)|German MTV also decided to move its headquarters and main studios from Munich to Berlin. Universal Music opened its European headquarters on the banks of the River Spree in an area known as the http://www.mediaspree.de
Film industry and films about Berlin
Berlin is the centre of the Cinema of Germany|German film industry, partly due to the existence of the Babelsberg Studios and many important film and TV production companies like UFA, Senator Film, Goldkind etc. Many international movies and European co-productions have been filmed there. Berlin is also home of the European Film Academy, the German Film Academy and host of the Berlinale film festival. There are many film|films that were set in or portray the special "Berlin-Atmosphere" from different eras, among them are:
'':de: Berlin: Die Sinfonie der Großstadt|Die Sinfonie der Großstadt'' - 1927 Documentary Type Film ''"1920s Berlin|Day in the life of Berlin" http://german.imdb.com/title/tt0017668/ ''Berlin Alexanderplatz'' - 1920s Berlin
''M (1931 movie)|M'' - Early 1930s Berlin
''The Testament of Dr. Mabuse'' - 1933 Berlin
''Germany, Year Zero'' - Shows the nightmarishly dilapidated remains of 1945 Berlin, post WWII.
''One, Two, Three'' - Cold War before the Wall 1961
''Funeral in Berlin'' 1966 Cold War Thriller - A bit dated, filmed in Berlin with some nice scenes in Kreuzberg
''Cabaret (film)|Cabaret'' - Filmed in 1972, set in the early 1930s
''Christiane F. - Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo'' - 1970s
''Linie 1'' - 1988 Film of the 1986 Musical theater|Musical about Berlin U-Bahn|U-Bahn U1 (Berlin U-Bahn)|Line 1 in West Berlin
''Run Lola Run'' - Filmed 1998 in post-reunification Berlin
''Good bye, Lenin!'' - Set in East Berlin in 1989
''Der Himmel über Berlin'' (Wings of Desire) - A cult film about divided city by ''Wim Wenders'' from 1987
''Hedwig and the Angry Inch'' - A cult film and Musical film|musical about a German singer-transvestite who escapes East Berlin in 1989. 2001.
''Der Untergang'' (Downfall) - 2004 German film portraying the final days of the Third Reich in Führerbunker|Hitler's bunker.
''Sonnenallee'' - A teen comedy set in East Berlin in the 1970s.
Museums
Archenhold Observatory Archenhold-Sternwarte http://www.astw.deMuseum Island with the Altes Museum, Pergamon Museum and Alte Nationalgalerie
German Museum of Technology (Berlin)|German Museum of Technology in Kreuzberg, located at the site of an old freight train hub
Museum for Post and Telecommunication (Berlin)|Museum for Post and Telecommunication
Gemäldegalerie (Berlin)|Gemäldegalerie (Picture Gallery), European art (mostly paintings) from the 13th to the 18th century http://www.museen-berlin.de/gg/e/s.htmlNeue Nationalgalerie (New National Gallery), one of the last buildings by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Alte Nationalgalerie (Berlin)|Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery), 19th-century painting and sculpturehttp://www.smpk.de/ang/e/s.htmlJewish Museum Berlin
Hamburger Bahnhof (Museum for contemporary art)
Museum of European Cultures (Berlin)|Museum of European Cultures
Berlin State Gallery http://www.berlinischegalerie.de/en/71-1-1_0.htmBauhaus Museum http://www.bauhaus-archiv.de/english/index.htmBroehan Museum http://www.broehan-museum.de/home1.htmDeutsche Guggenheim Museum http://www.deutsche-bank-kunst.com/guggenheim/e/German Film Museum http://www.berlin-tourist-information.de/english/veranstaltungen/e_ve_filmmuseum.htmlKaethe Kollwitz Museum http://www.dhm.de/museen/kollwitz/english/home.htmMuseum of European Cultures http://www.museen-berlin.de/mek/e/s.htmlVitra Design Museum http://www.design-museum.de/berlin.phpThe Berggruen Collection (Picasso and his Age) http://www.smb.spk-berlin.de/shb/e/s.htmlHumboldt Museum|Museum of Natural History http://www.museum.hu-berlin.de/home.asp?lang=1German Museum of Technology http://www.dtmb.de/index_en.htmlMuseum of Medical History http://www.charite.de/kompakt/english/p8.00_frame.htmlBerlin Wall Documentation Center http://www.berliner-mauer-dokumentationszentrum.de/index_e.htmlPrussian Palaces and Gardens in Berlin http://www.spsg.de/index.php?id=1&sessionLanguage=enSchwules Museum (Gay Museum) http://www.schwulesmuseum.de/ http://www.dtmb.de/Aktuelles/Kooperationen/Laternen/body.html http://www.berliner-unterwelten.de http://www.ag-berliner-u-bahn.de/
Theatres
Schaubühne http://www.schaubuehne.deVolksbühne http://www.volksbuehne-berlin.deDeutsches Theater http://www.deutsches-theater.deBerliner Ensemble http://www.berliner-ensemble.deTheater des Westens http://www.theater-des-westens.deGrips-Theater
Theater am Potsdamer Platz http://www.stageholding.de/6307.htmMaxim Gorki Theater http://www.gorki.deRenaissance Theater
Opera houses
Deutsche Oper
Staatsoper Unter den Linden
Komische Oper
Transport
Public transport
Berlin U-Bahn|U-Bahn, Metro subway system
Berlin S-Bahn|S-Bahn, mostly overground urban railway system
Berlin Tram|Straßenbahn, a tram system, mainly in eastern Berlin
Berlin Bus|Bus,
Passenger Berlin Ferry
All means of public transport - U- & S- Bahn, trams, buses and ferries - can be accessed with the same ticket.
A map of the current http://www.bvg.de/index.php/de/Common/Document/field/file/id/68(Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe|BVG)
Railway Termini
Berlin was, pre-1945, the hub of the central European railway network. World War Two and the political division of Germany had very negative effects on the railway network in Berlin. Today only two pre-1945 Termini, Berlin Ostbahnhof|Ostbahnhof and Berlin-Zoologischer Garten station|Zoologischer Garten, remain in service. In the early 1950s, in an effort by the East German government to isolate West Berlin, railway services were diverted away from termini in West Berlin . These stations became disused and were demolished during the 1950s and 1960s.
Berlin Anhalter Bahnhof|Anhalter Bahnhof
Berlin Stettiner Bahnhof|Stettiner Bahnhof
Berlin Görlitzer Bahnhof|Görlitzer Bahnhof
Berlin Potsdamer Bahnhof|Potsdamer Bahnhof
Berlin Lehrter Bahnhof|Lehrter Bahnhof
See also List of Berlin metro stations
Airports
Tegel International Airport (TXL), to close after BBI starts operations
Schönefeld International Airport (SXF), to be expanded and renamed Berlin Brandenburg International Airport (BBI) in 2011
Tempelhof International Airport (THF), to close 2007
http://www.berlin-airport.de
Ports
Berlin Westhafen|Westhafen ''(Westport)'' - largest port in Berlin with an area of 173,000 m²: transshipment of grain, pieced and heavy goods.
Berlin Südhafen|Südhafen ''(Southport)'' - an area of about 103,000 m² for transshipment of pieced and heavy goods.
Berlin Osthafen|Osthafen ''(Eastport)'' - the area of 57,500 m² is still in use, but partly under urban redevelopment
Hafen Berlin Neukölln|Hafen Neukölln ''(Port Neukölln)'' - with only 19,000 m² the smallest port; transshipment of building materials.
Power Supply
The power supply of Berlin has some peculiarities. In World War II it was planned to supply the grid of Berlin over an HVDC-underground cable from Dessau power station . The construction of this facility was begun in 1943, but was abandoned (see Elbe-Project).
During the time of the division, the power grid of former West Berlin was cut off from the power grid of the surrounding countryside. Electricity supply was from thermal power stations in the city (Reuter, Wilmersdorf ,etc.). For buffer|buffering the load peaks, accumulators were installed in the 1980s in some of these power stations, which were connected by static inverters to the power grid and were loaded during times of low power consumption and unloaded during times of high consumption. In 1993 the power connections to the surrounding country, which were broken in 1951, were restored again. In the western districts of Berlin nearly all power lines are underground cables - only a 380 kV and a 110 kV-line, which run from Reuter power station to the urban motorway, are overhead lines. In Berlin there is the longest 380 kV three phase cable, the 380kV-crossing Berlin. It may be the most expensive power line in Germany (http://www.seo.ag/.
Sport
Berlin hosted the 1936 Summer Olympics|1936 Olympics.
Berlin will be one of the host cities for the , to be held in Germany.
Berlin will be hosting the 2009 athletics world championships.
Berlin is home to Hertha BSC Berlin, a football (soccer)|football team in the Bundesliga (football)|Bundesliga.
Berlin is home to Berlin Thunder of NFL Europe.
Quotes concerning Berlin
''"Berlin ist arm, aber sexy." ("Berlin is poor, but sexy.")''
(Klaus Wowereit, Governing Mayor, in a television interview, 2004)
''" Ich bin ein Berliner."''
(John F. Kennedy, President of the USA, 1963 while visiting Berlin)
''"Ihr Völker der Welt ... schaut auf diese Stadt!" ("Peoples of the world ... look at this city!")''
(Ernst Reuter, Governing Mayor, during the Berlin blockade, 1948)
''"Mikhail Gorbachev|Mr. Gorbachev, Tear down this wall!"''
(Ronald Reagan, President of the United States, speech at the Brandenburg Gate, 1987)
''"Ich hab noch einen Koffer in Berlin" ("I still keep a suitcase in Berlin")''
(Marlene Dietrich, actress and singer born 1901 in Berlin-Schöneberg)
''"Paris is always Paris and Berlin is never Berlin!"''
(Jack Lang (French politician)|Jack Lang, French former culture minister, talking about how fast Berlin is changing, 2001)
''"What could have possessed people to found a city in the middle of all this sand?"''
(Stendhal, French writer who travelled extensively in Germany and elsewhere)
''"Berlin is a city that never is, but is always in the process of becoming."''
(Karl Scheffler, author of ''Berlin: Ein Stadtschicksal'')
External links
http://www.berlin.de/english/index.htmlhttp://www.berlinonline.de/http://www.alt-berlin.info/http://germany.archiseek.com/brandenburg/berlin/index.htmlhttp://www.statistik-berlin.dehttp://www.panorama-cities.net/berlin/berlin.htmlhttp://www.stadtentwicklung.berlin.de/planen/stadtmodelle/de/extra_fenster_schwarzplaene.shtmlhttp://www.western-allies-berlin.com/
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