The Capital of Germany

Berlin - union of the divided

Political confrontation between the western allies and the USSR led to the creation of the "two Germanies" - FRG in the west and GDR in the east in 1949 and 12 years later the construction of the famous Berlin Wall (Berliner Mauer) began. This had separated the city not only topographically but architecturally and culturally as well: officials from the both sides - the eastern and western ones - were disregarding the reconstruction plans of the other side and creating the image of the city according to the "instructions from above". As a result eastern and western Berlin do have different appearance and cultural "message"


By ANNA TKACH
from Berlin, GERMANY


There are some cities where one can feel trapped in, enchanted by and at the same time ever surprised with. One of such cities is Berlin. Berlin is the city that had survived long and turbulent history which had endowed it with a special spirit and atmosphere. The city bears the specific air of the eclectic union, of the mosaic gathering and uniting the seemingly incompatible elements and detail. No wonder, Berlin had always been united through division and vice versa.

Berlin arose from the two twin-towns - Berlin and Koeln - which were first mentioned in the late 1230's early 1240's. Later in the early 1300 both towns melted together by building a common city hall. This time is considered to be the beginning of the history of Berlin as a city.

Berlin had incorporated the suburbs step by step and it actually never managed to "digest" them properly to form a homogeneous product - city itself. All its districts, which were separate towns and suburbs before, still preserve their special characteristic features. Moreover, these districts and towns were legally united into a city only in the 20th century: only after WWI in 1920 the famous Big Berlin Decree was issued - the one following the proclamation of the German Republic.

During WWII an enormous part of Berlin was destroyed and later it was divided into four sectors of influence by the allies: USA, Great Britain and France took over the western part and the eastern part fell to the USSR.

Political confrontation between the western allies and the USSR led to the creation of the "two Germanies" - FRG in the west and GDR in the east in 1949 and 12 years later the construction of the famous Berlin Wall (Berliner Mauer) began. This had separated the city not only topographically but architecturally and culturally as well: officials from the both sides - the eastern and western ones - were disregarding the reconstruction plans of the other side and creating the image of the city according to the "instructions from above". As a result eastern and western Berlin do have different appearance and cultural "message".

Therefore when in 1989 the Berlin Wall was eventually destroyed on the initiative of the people living in the eastern part of the city (the one under the protectorate of the USSR) and shortly after in 1990 "the two Germanies" were united into the Federal Republic of Germany, its capital - Berlin - appeared to be anything but a homogeneous city.

Time passed but modern Berlin is still very different from all the other European capitals. It is very decentralized, culturally first of all. Each district bears the memory of the times when it used to be a separate town with own churches, own rules and entertainment places. This is very convenient however, because one is guaranteed to find his/her own "corner", to find a place where one would fit in all respects and enjoy the diversity of the (night) life of Berlin. This city is sometimes called the European New York - because of its multiculturalism. Indeed, Berlin is one of the most multi-ethnical and multinational cities of Europe, on the streets of which many languages are spoken, representatives of all races can be seen and the unexpected fusion of the archetypical German features with the features of other nations can be observed and enjoyed. And of course Berlin is the capital of different cultural festivals and events, exhibitions and performances: Berlinale, International Theatrical Festival, Love Parade, Carnival of Cultures, Sounds like Home music festival, Fete de la Musique, Jazz Fest Berlin, and many others.

The spirit of the city is reflecting its past and present interlacing them with people, memories and languages into a phantasmagoric, mobile and ever changing, ever surprising through the union of the divided canvas.


(Published: 10.01.2008.)

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