the place to be.
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Foreword Page 3
1 the place to be for opportunities. Page 4
2 the place to be for business. Page 6
3 the place to be for art. Page 12
4 the place to be for science. Page 18
5 the place to be for city life. Page 22
6 the place to be for history. Page 28
7 be Berlin campaign Page 32
8 Imprint Page 35
Contents
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Imprint
Publisher
Berlin Partner GmbH Ludwig Erhard Haus
Fasanenstrasse 85 | 10623 Berlin Germany T +49 30 39980-0 | F +49 30 39980-239 info@berlin-partner.de | www.berlin-partner.de www.businesslocationcenter.de
In cooperation with the Berlin Senate Chancellery On behalf of be Berlin
© August 2012
Content and Design
von der Osten-Sacken Kommunikation Marie Knoll
Oktoberdruck AG Photos
p. 3: Berlin Senate Chancellery | p. 4: Matthias Haker | p. 5: Matthias Fischer | p.6: foto di matti | p. 7: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH | p. 8: Matthias Fischer, Thomas Bruns | p. 9: Siemens Pressebild, Berlinale 2006 | p. 10: ARD Pressebilderdienst, Wooga, EVS Digitale Medien GmbH, Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg | p. 9: AntheZ | Fotografie | p. 12: Sebastian Bolesch | p. 13: Berlin Partner GmbH /FTB Werbefotografie | p. 14: Berlin Partner GmbH/Fritsch Foto, Stiftung Berliner Schloss – Humboldt Forum/Franco Stella, Jüdisches Museum Berlin/Günter Schneider, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin/Ägyptisches Museum | p. 15: visitBerlin/Günter Steffen, Erik-Jan Ouwerkerk, Komische Oper Berlin/Hans Joosten | p. 16: Sammlung Boros/Noshe, e27, Berlin Partner GmbH/FTB Werbefotografie, visitberlin/Wolfgang Scholvien | p. 17: MICHALSKY, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin | p. 18: Sven Werkmeister | p. 19. David Ausserhofer / p. 20: WISTA-MANAGEMENT GMBH – www.adlershof.de, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin Partner GmbH /be Berlin | p. 21: Berlin Partner GmbH/
Wolfgang Scholvien, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Referat Öffentlichkeitsarbeit/Heike Zappe | p.
22: Berlin Partner GmbH/FTB Werbefotografie | p. 23: Erik-Jan Ouwerkerk | p. 24: visitBerlin/Philip Koschel, Karneval der Kulturen/Daniela Incoronato | p. 25: TOP Sportmarketing Berlin GmbH, Camera 4, Berlin Partner GmbH/be Berlin | p. 26: visitBerlin/Wolfgang Scholvien, visit Berlin/Günter Steffen, visit Berlin/Günter Steffen | p. 27: Berlin Partner GmbH/be Berlin, visit Berlin/Frank Nürnberger / p. 28:
Berlin Partner GmbH/Fritsch Foto / p. 29: Stiftung Stadtmuseum Berlin/ 775 Jahre Berlin | p. 30: Stiftung Berliner Schloss – Humboldt Forum/Franco Stella | p. 32: Berlin Partner GmbH/Dirk Lässig | p. 33: Berlin Partner GmbH/be Berlin, Sabine Wenzel, Berlin Partner GmbH/Dirk Lässig, Berlin Partner GmbH/be Berlin, Berlin Partner GmbH/ Matti Hillig. All information subject to change.
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be opportunity be berlin
Berlin offers a host of opportunities. The pulsating life and energetic mood that can be felt everywhere here have a magnetic attraction on people from all over the world, whether they are tourists, business people, students or artists.
More than 20 years after German reunification, Berlin stands as a shining example of a successfully completed transformation. East and West have become one. The Berlin Wall, once the symbol of its division, is hardly a visible part of the capital’s urban landscape anymore and, to a large extent, it has vanished from people’s minds. Instead, the metropolis is marked by new buildings, projects and ideas. In many places, the future is growing up out of the past, and apparent contradictions are newly interpreted and reconciled. Lively examples of this can be found at Pariser Platz, next to the Brandenburg Gate, and in the new quarter springing up around the main railway station.
Berlin has its eyes set on the future – and particularly in key fields. More new companies are launched in Berlin than in any other German state, particularly in the young and international Internet and IT scenes. Products and fashion designed in Berlin are in demand the world over. And, when it comes to the world’s major cities for art, Berlin is now mentioned in the same breath as New York, London, Barcelona and Shanghai.
The capital is also making a name for itself as one of the leading European locations for innovative, future-oriented industries and as an outstanding region for science and research. The driving forces of this success are not only the close collaboration between business and research, but also the excellent support and education provided to up-and-coming talent at Berlin’s universities, university- level institutions and companies.
Berlin is also one of the most exciting and livable cities in the world. It is a city of opportunities.
Its 3.5 million residents provide a fresh demonstration of that every day. But the most important strength of the metropolis is its diversity, which can be found in an open and tolerant climate.
Berlin is the place to be.
Klaus Wowereit
Governing Mayor of Berlin
the place to be.
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Foreword Page 3
1 the place to be for opportunities. Page 4
2 the place to be for business. Page 6
3 the place to be for art. Page 12
4 the place to be for science. Page 18
5 the place to be for city life. Page 22
6 the place to be for history. Page 28
7 be Berlin campaign Page 32
8 Imprint Page 35
Contents
2
Imprint
Publisher
Berlin Partner GmbH Ludwig Erhard Haus
Fasanenstrasse 85 | 10623 Berlin Germany T +49 30 39980-0 | F +49 30 39980-239 info@berlin-partner.de | www.berlin-partner.de www.businesslocationcenter.de
In cooperation with the Berlin Senate Chancellery On behalf of be Berlin
© August 2012
Content and Design
von der Osten-Sacken Kommunikation Marie Knoll
Oktoberdruck AG Photos
p. 3: Berlin Senate Chancellery | p. 4: Matthias Haker | p. 5: Matthias Fischer | p.6: foto di matti | p. 7: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH | p. 8: Matthias Fischer, Thomas Bruns | p. 9: Siemens Pressebild, Berlinale 2006 | p. 10: ARD Pressebilderdienst, Wooga, EVS Digitale Medien GmbH, Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg | p. 9: AntheZ | Fotografie | p. 12: Sebastian Bolesch | p. 13: Berlin Partner GmbH /FTB Werbefotografie | p. 14: Berlin Partner GmbH/Fritsch Foto, Stiftung Berliner Schloss – Humboldt Forum/Franco Stella, Jüdisches Museum Berlin/Günter Schneider, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin/Ägyptisches Museum | p. 15: visitBerlin/Günter Steffen, Erik-Jan Ouwerkerk, Komische Oper Berlin/Hans Joosten | p. 16: Sammlung Boros/Noshe, e27, Berlin Partner GmbH/FTB Werbefotografie, visitberlin/Wolfgang Scholvien | p. 17: MICHALSKY, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin | p. 18: Sven Werkmeister | p. 19. David Ausserhofer / p. 20: WISTA-MANAGEMENT GMBH – www.adlershof.de, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin Partner GmbH /be Berlin | p. 21: Berlin Partner GmbH/
Wolfgang Scholvien, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Referat Öffentlichkeitsarbeit/Heike Zappe | p.
22: Berlin Partner GmbH/FTB Werbefotografie | p. 23: Erik-Jan Ouwerkerk | p. 24: visitBerlin/Philip Koschel, Karneval der Kulturen/Daniela Incoronato | p. 25: TOP Sportmarketing Berlin GmbH, Camera 4, Berlin Partner GmbH/be Berlin | p. 26: visitBerlin/Wolfgang Scholvien, visit Berlin/Günter Steffen, visit Berlin/Günter Steffen | p. 27: Berlin Partner GmbH/be Berlin, visit Berlin/Frank Nürnberger / p. 28:
Berlin Partner GmbH/Fritsch Foto / p. 29: Stiftung Stadtmuseum Berlin/ 775 Jahre Berlin | p. 30: Stiftung Berliner Schloss – Humboldt Forum/Franco Stella | p. 32: Berlin Partner GmbH/Dirk Lässig | p. 33: Berlin Partner GmbH/be Berlin, Sabine Wenzel, Berlin Partner GmbH/Dirk Lässig, Berlin Partner GmbH/be Berlin, Berlin Partner GmbH/ Matti Hillig. All information subject to change.
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The fact that Berlin is in a constant state of reinvention makes it a special city. The rapid change that the city along the Spree has undergone politically, socially and architecturally during the two decades since the fall of the Wall demonstrates one thing above all: In addition to being the political center of Germany, Berlin is also a city that offers the mental and physical space in which to develop all sorts of ideas.
This can be seen in the many new places that have sprung up in the metropolis, such as with the federal buildings, embassies and consulates in the government quarter.
Or through ongoing major urban-development projects like the international Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER), the redevelopment of the area surrounding the Bahnhof Zoo railway station in the western part of the city or the spectacular construction of the Humboldt Forum, which is being built in the city center, behind three reconstructed façades of the former Berlin Palace.
However, Berlin’s uniqueness is most evident to the many young, well-educated and highly talented individuals from across the world. They are drawn to Berlin to gain inspiration and develop their ideas among like-minded individuals. This unparalleled mix of knowledge, experience and creativity lends the city an entirely special flair.
Likewise, it makes Berlin one of Europe’s most important cultural metropolises, one of world’s three most popular travel destinations and the capital for start-ups. As a location for business and science, Berlin particularly benefits from the pioneering spirit and the above-average qualifications of its workers, compared to the rest of Germany. Many internationally renowned companies in the technologies of the future have made names for themselves here thanks to their close-knit cooperation with others.
Furthermore, Berlin offers its inhabitants a unique quality of life with its broad range of entertainment offerings, many green spaces, comparatively affordable costs of living and cosmopolitan atmosphere. Some 3.5 million people from 185 nations take pleasure in living and working in the city. That makes Berlin a place where each resident can exploit his or her own potential and take advantage of opportunities.
Creative, lively, extraordinary: Berlin’s unique dynamism inspires people the world over. More than two decades after German reunification, the metropolis on the Spree River offers individuals active in art, culture, business and science ideal conditions for successfully realizing their ideas – and an incomparable living environment.
the place to be
for opportunities.
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4 www.berlin.de 4 www.berlin-partner.de 4 www.berlin-sciences.de 4 www.businesslocationcenter.de 4 www.convention.visitberlin.de 4 www.loginberlin.de
4 www.be.berlin.de
4 www.sportmetropole-berlin.de 4 www.visitberlin.de
L i n k s
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Looking for the washing machine of the future? It’s being developed in Berlin. At their joint “Technology Center Laundry” in Spandau, engineers working for the German electronics giants Bosch and Siemens are meticulously developing high-performance devices for the global market. At the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, which focuses on materials and energy and is located in the Adlershof technology and business park, researchers are developing the most efficient thin-film solar cells in the world. These are just two examples of the innovative power of Berlin as an industrial and business location. At the same time, they are tangible proof of the successful interplay of production and science in the region, which makes Berlin one of the most exciting business locations in the world.
Among the other advantages of Germany’s capital are its central location in the heart of Europe, its large pool of highly qualified workers, its reasonably priced office and commercial spaces, its well-developed supply structures and its attractive economic development instruments. These are appreciated not only by the international corporations based here, such as Pfizer and Bombardier Transportation, but also by a constantly growing number of young companies from all over the world. With a share of newly founded companies that is roughly 50 percent higher than the national average, Berlin is currently known as the “start-up capital.”
Yet another factor that makes the metropolis internationally attractive is its
outstanding infrastructure. Berlin’s main train station is Europe’s largest railway hub.
And the forthcoming Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) will unite all of the region’s air traffic as Europe’s most modern airport. Each year, up to 27 million passengers will fly from here to destinations across the world. Berlin is already an economic and political springboard to both east and west, but the new airport will transform it into a gateway to the world.
Innovative, attractive, internationally competitive: Berlin is a business location with a future. In a region once dominated by traditional industries, this city has developed into a
dynamic metropolis for the service and technology sectors.
Here, politics, business and science work closely together to strengthen the region.
the place to be for business.
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4 Central location in the heart of Europe
4 Excellent infrastructure
4 Affordable office and commercial space
4 Highly qualified workforce 4 Unique interplay of science and
research
4 Germany’s largest and most modern high-tech communica- tions network
4 Forthcoming Berlin Brandenburg Airport as a key engine for growth 4 Highest subsidies in the EU
F a c t s
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STRUCTURAL CHANGE, future-oriented mix
At the beginning of the 20th century, Berlin was visually dominated by electricity masts, transformer substations and power plants. Buildings that are protected as historical monuments, such as the AEG factory grounds near Humboldthain Park in the district of Wedding, recall the era in which Berlin was an “electropolis,” a city with blossoming electronics and mechanical engineering industries. Today, companies in the IT and medical technology industries as well as research institutes and media firms have found homes in the historical building complexes here. Indeed, the area is a fine example of the rapid structural trans- formation that Berlin has undergone – changing from a city dominated by traditional industries into a center for the future-oriented high-tech and service industries. The same holds true for the Adlershof technol- ogy and business park and the grounds of Tegel Airport, which will become home to the technology of the future once it has transitioned from being an airport to a research and industrial location.
Today, Berlin’s industry is defined by a mix of next-generation tech- nologies and modernizing traditional industries. In addition to the creative, media and healthcare industries, the capital region’s key growth industries are environmental technology and mobility as well as the manufacturing industry with its core sectors, which include the chemical industry, metal, mechanical and automotive engineering and the food industry. Business and science collaborate closely with each other in order to strengthen Berlin’s status as an innovative technology metropolis. Support is particularly focused on the fields of biotechnol- ogy, medical technology, information and communications technology, transport systems technology, photonics and energy technology.
4 Entrance gate to the former AEG factory grounds in the Berlin district of Wedding.
Jörg Börner
Master Assembler, BMW Motorcycles
Everyone here has the opportunity to grow personally and professionally.
Berlin is my home city and I’ve spent my entire life here. The multicultural metropolis has so much to offer! The fact that BMW is here is not only great for me – the whole city benefits from it!
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4 Production of a gas turbine at Berlin’s Siemens factory.
4 Berlinale Palast at Potsdamer Platz.
INDUSTRY, modern, multifaceted and well networked
Berlin is one of the most innovative industrial locations in Germany.
Not only is the capital one of the leading regions for rail technology in Europe; in 2012, it also became one of Germany’s four national showcases for electromobility. Large companies active in traditional industries take advantage of the city’s close proximity to research to develop new ideas and products. For example, BMW has been manu- facturing high-performance motorcycles at its factory in the Berlin district of Spandau for roughly 40 years; Siemens produces the largest gas turbines in the world in the district of Moabit; and Rolls-Royce has been manufacturing engines for short and medium-haul aircraft on the outskirts of Berlin since 2006.
Other companies, such as the candy maker Storck and the Gillette razor blade factory, at the southern edge of the former Tempelhof Airport, export their Berlin-made products to destinations all over the world.
New and competitive companies continue to grow, for example, in the flourishing solar industry, which counts among the most forward- looking sectors in the capital region. Berlin-Brandenburg is also one of the leading locations in Europe for the health and pharmaceutical industries. More than 480 companies active in the fields of biotechnol- ogy and medical technology are headquartered in the region. There are also roughly 30 pharmaceutical companies operating here, including such global players as Bayer HealthCare and Pfizer.
FILM,
prime production location
Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Tom Hanks and many other prominent names frequently flock to the city on the Spree, where an ever-increasing number of major TV series and international films are being made.
Productions such as Roland Emmerich’s “Anonymous,” Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds” and the Bollywood thriller “Don 2”
confirm that the German capital has once again taken up its historical role as a top city for film. The Berlin International Film Festival is one of the most important film gatherings in Europe alongside those in Cannes and Venice. Roughly 300 films are shot in the region each year, and Berlin continues to offer national and international filmmakers outstanding production conditions.
Studio Babelsberg, located just outside of Berlin, is not only the oldest major studio in the world; it is also the largest studio complex in Europe. The diversity of talented authors and actors combine with renowned production companies and attractive funding opportunities to make Berlin an ideal location for film.
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MEDIA,
center of journalism
Berlin is not only the political center of Germany; it’s also a city that sets major trends. This status has transformed Berlin into the capital of journalism. More than 2,000 correspondents from Germany and abroad, report daily from the center of German political life. 18 na- tional and international broadcasters also have their capital studios here, as do news agencies from all over the world. The city is also home to roughly 90 regional daily newspapers, about 20 national newspa- pers and magazines, countless film and TV production companies and more than 40 radio stations.
Axel Springer AG is one of Europe’s largest media corporations and just one of the many media companies located in Berlin. The city’s diverse media landscape is complemented by many publishers: 300 for books and 500 for press. Berlin is indeed considered a writer’s Mecca. Many longstanding publishing houses such as Suhrkamp Verlag and Ullstein are based here. New companies are drawn to the city as a major source of talent.
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4 ARD capital city studio with its trademark “eye.” 4 Reception area at the games company Wooga.
IT,
booming start-up scene
Nowhere else is Berlin’s pioneering spirit so strongly felt as in the city’s start-up and IT scene. Investors, strategists, designers and developers from all over the world meet here to transform their ideas in the fields of Web, social media, mobile apps and games into realities. It’s no coincidence that Berlin is referred to internationally as “Silicon Allee.” Indeed, since 2004, the city’s dynamic entrepreneur scene has generated the most start-ups in Germany. In addition to promising newcomers, such as 6Wunderkinder, Amen and Gidsy, other platforms and eBusiness companies have already established themselves successfully in the city, including, DaWanda, Zalando, brands4friends and the social games developer Wooga. Industry giants, such as eBay, Google, SAP, Nokia Siemens Networks and Microsoft, are also represented in the German capital.
Berlin’s highly modern infrastructure, its young and highly qualified and cosmopolitan workforce and above all its unconventional, inspiring atmosphere make the city the ideal location for IT companies. High- ranking events, such as the Berlin Web Week with its re:publica and NEXT Berlin conferences under one roof, and the annual medienwoche@
IFA provide experts opportunities for high-end interaction at an interna- tional level.
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MUSIC,
recognized worldwide
The headquarters of Universal Music Deutschland lie directly on the Spree River at the border be- tween the two Berlin districts of Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg. On the opposite bank of the river, in- ternationally renowned DJs thrill fans from all over the world every night with their beats. This close spatial proximity is no coincidence. In Berlin, talent has a direct and inspiring influence on business.
The city’s music scene sets worldwide trends, whether in the field of electronic music, pop, rock, world music, jazz or classical music. And, ultimately, the music industry is the biggest winner. Roughly €700 million is generated by the 1,400 companies involved in Berlin’s music industry each year, including market leaders such as Universal Music Deutschland but also Viacom International Media Networks Germany, Sony Music Entertainment and Deutsche Entertainment AG.
The Berlin Music Week and the associated Berlin Festival is a five-day event that features live music, newcomer performances, conferences and networking opportunities. A number of other concerts and festivals also help to secure Berlin’s reputation as a music metropolis, as does the ECHO Award, the gala presentation of the world’s second largest music award each year in spring.
4 Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER)
The forthcoming Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) is set to be Europe’s most modern airport and will bring together all regional air traffic and create up to 40,000 new jobs.
Architects JSK International Architects and gmp Architects
Area 1,470 hectares
Take-off and landing runways 3,600 and 4,000 meters Airplane parking spots 85
Capacity Up to 27 million passengers
Energy Innovative heat recovery, integration of regenerative energy systems
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Rap artists and Reggae musicians, orchestras and opera divas, from pop and rock to soul and German
‘Schlager’ – Berlin brings the sound of music to life.
The city provides a strategic vantage point from which to observe the latest trends and enjoy the vast diversity of cultural life. For everyone who doesn’t want to miss a thing, there’s only one
‘place to be’ in Germany.
Frank Briegmann, President & CEO Universal Music Germany
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4 DJ Paul van Dyk.
4 Runway at the forthcoming Berlin Brandenburg Airport.
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Anyone interested in having a real impact on the international art and culture scene comes to Berlin. Indeed, since German reunification, Berlin has emerged as one of the most exciting art centers in the world, on par with cities such as New York, Shanghai, London and Barcelona. Internationally prominent artists and members of the young, experimental avant-garde value Berlin above all for the many open spaces that appeared after the fall of the wall. These spaces provide inspiration and a level of creative diversity that is unparalleled in the world. As such, they form an ideal environment for a new generation of artists.
Berlin’s creative energy is impressive, and the city’s constant transformation is noticeable most of all at its cultural hotspots, including “Kreuzkölln,” Mitte and along Potsdamer Straße. Designers, painters, photographers, sculptors, architects and musicians meet here in unique ways and the result is inevitably a wealth of new ideas and interconnections.
Berlin’s artistic diversity has transformed the creative industries into an essential sector in the city’s economy. The capital is also internationally acknowledged as one of the most influential design and advertising cities in Germany. Indeed, it is no coincidence that Berlin is the only German city so far to be included in UNESCO’s global Creative Cities Network.
Vibrant, inspiring and brimming with life: Berlin is an art and cultural metropolis that continues to attract creative minds from all over the world. The most fascinating features of the city are no doubt its fractures: the new stands next to the old, the beautiful next to the ugly and the colorful next to the gray.
This is precisely what makes Berlin so interesting.
the place to be for art.
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4 3 opera houses, 150 theaters, roughly 180 museums and collections
4 Over 1,500 cultural events daily UNESCO City of Design
4 Member of the global Creative Cities Network
4 European city with the most gal- leries with over 400 and also 200 non-commercial exhibition spaces 4 Major private art collections
F a c t s
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MUSEUMS,
rich exhibition landscape
Work is still underway at Berlin’s Schlossplatz, where the Berlin’s new Humboldt Forum is scheduled for completion by 2019. The structure is the largest cultural building project currently underway in Germany and is being built based on designs by Italian architect Franco Stella behind three recon- structed exterior façades of Berlin’s former Baroque city palace. This art, culture and science complex will place special emphasis on the non-European world. The Humboldt Forum sees itself as a new type of museum whose collections will help to complete the otherwise Euro-centric Museum Island ensemble. The most famous museum complex in the world has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list since 1999 and forms the brilliant center of Berlin’s rich exhibition landscape together with the Kulturforum at Potsdamer Platz.
Approximately 180 museums and collections and roughly 15 million visitors annually make Berlin Germany’s most important city for museums. The capital is also known for its thematic scope, with a spectrum that ranges from the famous bust of Nefertiti at the Egyptian Museum, which is housed within the Neues Museum, to the Museum of Communications and the Sugar Museum. An entirely unique symbol of the city is the Jewish Museum, which opened in 2001. This striking building designed by New York-based architect Daniel Libeskind is one of the world’s most respected museum structures and now houses a lively center for German-Jewish history and culture.
4 Berlin Palace – Humboldt Forum.
4 Jewish Museum from above:
Libeskind building and old museum building.
4 Bust of Nefertiti in Berlin’s Egyptian Museum.
4 Bode Museum on Museum Island.
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CLASSICAL MUSIC, at the highest level
When the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra performs under its chief conductor Sir Simon Rattle, audiences sit spellbound in their seats at the Berliner Philharmonie – or they can enjoy the concert at home on their couch via live stream as part of the world’s first “Digital Concert Hall.” And when Daniel Barenboim, star conductor and music director of the Staatsoper im Schiller Theater, performs with the state orchestra or with his West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, you can be sure that music lovers all over the world will be on their feet at the end.
Music is something very dear to the hearts of Berliners. Indeed, the city even has three opera houses of international stature, the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, the Deutsche Oper and the Komische Oper, which was named opera house of the year in 2007.
A special highlight on Berlin’s annual classical music calendar is the Young Euro Classic Festival, which showcases the best youth symphony orchestras in the world. Berlin is also a leading city for musicals. In 1999, a new musical theater was built at Potsdamer Platz, and the long-standing stage at the Theater des Westens has seen the likes of world stars such as Josephine Baker and Enrico Caruso.
STAGE,
an open and colorful spectrum
Berlin is a city of theaters and home to roughly 150 stages. The spec- trum ranges from small, local theaters to world-famous venues, such as the Berliner Ensemble at the Theater am Schiffbauerdamm, which was founded by Bertolt Brecht. Berlin’s theater landscape is vibrant, innovative and highly-regarded all over the world. The Deutsches Theater was named Theater of the Year in 2008, and performances at the Volksbühne on Rosa-Luxemburg Platz under the creative director Frank Castorf have long since achieved cult status. And anyone who likes theater with a touch of dazzling glamour needs to look no further than the Friedrichstadtpalast, Germany’s biggest revue theater.
In addition to its big theaters, Berlin’s lively “off” scene also sets in- novative standards in the areas of theater and dance. World-renowned artists such as Robert Wilson, Sasha Waltz and Vladimir Malakhov make the most of the city’s cosmopolitan character to experiment with new forms of expression. The annual “Berliner Theatertreffen” high- lights the best productions of a particular season and is considered the most important theater festival in the German-speaking world.
A further highlight of Berlin’s cultural calendar is the internationally well-known “Tanz im August” festival.
Berlin never tries to curry favor. It’s unfinished and yet always complete. It accepts all forms of living and never stagnates. I like Berlin because rubbing people the wrong way is a way of moving forward here. Because you can go astray without getting lost. Because you can develop your own speed, and you’ll always find someone who’ll go along with you.
Maren Kroymann, actress and winner of the Preis für Zivilcourage (Civil Courage Award)
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4 Komische Oper Berlin.
4 Classical music open-air concert at Gendarmen-
markt. 4 Dance performance by choreographer Sasha Waltz at
the opening of the Alte Nationalgalerie.
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ART,
constant state of reinvention
Berlin is a city of opposites. An impressive and simultaneously em- blematic example for that typical Berlin mixture of old and new is the Bunker in Berlin-Mitte. This brooding gray building was once an air raid shelter, later a techno club and now home to the Boros Collection, probably the most unusual private art collection in Berlin.
Berlin’s many open spaces – especially the ones used temporarily for special events – make the city on the Spree one of the most exciting locations for contemporary art. Over 400 commercial and artist-run galleries and more than 6,000 artists from all over the world attract not only visitors from Germany and abroad but also wealthy collectors from all over the world. Numerous exhibitions and regularly scheduled tours provide insight into the young and bustling gallery scene in the capital.
Today, Berlin is a symbol primarily of contemporary art, with spec- tacular exhibitions at the Hamburger Bahnhof, Neue Nationalgalerie, Martin Gropius Bau and Berlin Biennale.
DESIGN, young, modern, trendsetting
In recent years, as an official UNESCO City of Design, Berlin has developed into a major center of international design. This status is especially noticeable at the beginning of June each year at the DMY International Design Festival Berlin. In the hangars of the decommis- sioned Tempelhof Airport and at other locations throughout the city, product designers present young and experimental works and show- case international design trends.
Graphic designers discuss font styles and font types at TYPO Berlin in the Haus der Kulturen der Welt. And the annual Pictoplasma Confer- ence showcases street and comic art.
Berlin’s creative scene is complex and vibrant. Renowned public institu- tions, such as the Berlin University of the Arts, and private institutions educate the talented young artists of tomorrow. The Create Berlin initiative, which is a network of Berlin-based creative companies who work together to make the Berlin better known abroad as a design location, is also unique in the city
4 The Boros Collection in a converted bunker in Berlin-Mitte.
4 The Hamburger Bahnhof Museum at night.
4 Berlin-made product design by e27.
4 Berlin University of the Arts (UdK).
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FASHION,
stylish and inspiring
The world of fashion meets twice a year in Berlin. Top models present haute couture in special tents set up opposite the Brandenburg Gate as part of the Berlin Fashion Week. Fashion made in Berlin has long since emerged as a brand name with worldwide standing, as evidenced by top events such as the Bread & Butter, the leading international tradeshow for street and urban wear, and the Premium trade exhibition.
Young fashion from Berlin can also be found in the many small shops and workshops around Hacke- scher Markt, in Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg and Prenzlauer Berg. Creations from Berlin labels such as Mongrels in Common, Lala Berlin and barre|noire are in high international demand. Roughly 800 designers and labels are active in Berlin. And the city’s nine fashion schools mean that the capital has the most educational institutions of any city in Europe. This is most definitely one of the reasons why the fashion scene in the city on the Spree is now so dazzling and creative.
Cities like Paris and London are established, but Berlin has a feeling similar to New York in the 1980s. It’s in a state of constant development. This is ideal for designers, because fashion is all about change. For me, Berlin is the ideal environment to showcase MICHALSKY as a lifestyle label on the international market.
Michael Michalsky, fashion designer and founder of MICHALSKY
4 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin.
4 MICHALSKY Fashion Show.
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Berlin is a science city. Famous scholars such the Humboldt brothers, Robert Koch, Max Planck, Albert Einstein and Rudolf Virchow set worldwide standards here in their time. Historical institutions laid the foundation for today’s science landscape in Berlin, which now counts among the most innovative in Europe. Rich in history are the Berlin Charité, the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, which was founded in 1948 and rooted in the Berliner Universität founded in 1810, and the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin. Berlin- Brandenburg’s advantages as a location for science and R&D include its diversity and quality, but also above all the close-knit cooperation between research and industry in the region. With a total of 4 universities, 34 university-level institutes of higher educa- tion, 70 non-university research institutes and 22 technology parks and business incubators, the capital offers a diversified and solid base for interdisciplinary projects.
Roughly 50 percent of Berlin-based companies cooperate with scientific institutions.
These are ideal conditions for the development of new ideas and their transformation into market-ready products, in particular in the technologies of the future. Leading names, such as the institutes of the Max Planck Society, the Helmholtz Association and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, attract young scientists from all over the world.
Outstanding complexes, such as the science and technology park at Adlershof, bring together research, production and services in an ideal way. Berlin also works very hard to further its leading position as a research location. The city invests approximately four percent of its gross domestic product in education and research.
Berliners demonstrate their high level of interest in science each year at the popular Long Night of the Sciences: On this night, more than 34,000 people in Berlin and Brandenburg embark on scientific adventures at various regional institutes and laboratories.
Diverse, innovative, interdisciplinary: Berlin is one of the leading cities for science and R&D in Europe. Among its
advantages are the city’s high density of scientific institutions as well as the close-knit cooperation between research and industry.
the place to be for science.
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4 4 universities
7 universities of applied science 4 art colleges
23 state-recognized private colleges 4 2 “universities of excellence”
4 “clusters of excellence”
9 “graduate schools of excellence”
4 70 non-university research institutes
4 One of Europe’s most innovative locations
4 Highest concentration of research institutions in Europe
4 Close-knit cooperation between science and industry
4 Charité, one of the world’s biggest university hospitals
4 22 innovation, science and technology parks in the metropolitan area
F a c t s
RESEARCH,
leading position in Europe
The “amoeba” is the name given to the Center for Photonics and Optical Technologies at the Adlershof Science and Technology Park. The build- ing’s colorful glass façade weaves futuristically through the park and acts as an eye-catching illustration of Berlin-Brandenburg’s status as a leading science location. The focus of research in the capital region is on the humanities and social sciences, but also on technologies of the future, including health and life sciences, material sciences, energy technology, transport and the environment, information and communi- cations technology as well as photonics and microsystems technologies.
Berlin’s universities combine with roughly 70 non-university research institutes and use their close ties to business and political spheres to translate knowledge quickly and efficiently into new and competitive products. Many leading research institutions have facilities in Berlin, including the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the Max Planck Society, the Helmholtz Association and the Leibniz-Gemeinschaft.
Berlin-Brandenburg is above all a leader in the field of life sciences.
More than 480 companies active in biotechnology and medical tech- nology, 30 pharmaceutical companies and 120 hospitals, including such institutions as the Charité – one of the world’s largest university hospitals – guarantee an outstanding level of research, diagnostics and therapy in the field.
Young and innovative entrepreneurs working in other fields will also find excellent conditions at Berlin’s many innovation centers and business incubators. The Adlershof Science and Technology Park , for example, is one of the foremost such locations in the world with almost 900 companies calling it home. The complex simultaneously embodies the economic future of Berlin. Campus Berlin-Buch, which specializes in biotechnology, is yet another location that is entirely unique in Germany.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. norBert LAnghoff
Managing Director
Institute for Scientific Instruments gmbh (Ifg)
Our goal has always been to bring sci- ence and industry together. IFG works closely together with partners from other disciplines, including physics, medicine and chemistry. This constant transfer of knowledge and know-how is ideal for getting new market-oriented technologies ready for market. What motivates me is the search for new solutions and ways to optimize processes. There are always new ideas worth testing.”
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4 Adlershof Science and Technology Park, Johann von Neumann-Haus.
4 Charité-
Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte.
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FUNDING, investing in the future
Knowledge is Berlin’s most valuable raw material. In order to showcase leading research from Berlin on a national and international level, the Berlin senate joined with business partners to call a series of founda- tions and awards into being. One example is the Einstein Foundation Berlin, a state-funded program that brings together outstanding university and non-university researchers in medicine as well as in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and engineering. The foundation gives leading foreign researchers the opportunity to teach and work closely together with Berlin-based scientists.
Recognized as one of the most important awards of its kind in Germany, the annual Berlin-Brandenburg Innovation Prize (Innova- tionspreis) is jointly awarded by the Berlin senate and the state of Brandenburg. It celebrates business ideas and products that boost the region’s potential for innovation. A similar award is the Transferpreis WissensWerte, a prize awarded by the Förderverein Technologiestiftung Berlin to successful regional technology transfer projects. A number of private foundations, such as the Schering Foundation and the Charité Foundation, provide additional and ongoing support designed to foster the quality of Berlin’s scientific landscape.
UNIVERSITIES, excellent teaching
Talent is given tremendous support in Berlin. This fact is reflected in the outstanding education provided to young scholars from all over the world at the city’s four flagship universities: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin and the Berlin University of the Arts (UdK). Roughly 150,000 university- level students are enrolled at four universities, seven universities of applied science, four art schools and 23 private colleges. And more than 20,000 students graduate each year, thus helping to generate an ongoing pool of young talent in the capital of science.
Berlin offers a broad array of study progams. These range from the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and medicine – which have traditionally been based primarily at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Freie Universität Berlin – to engineering, economics and administration. The city also has leading schools in the fields of act- ing, theater and art. Charité Hospital, which is associated with Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, is one of the largest medical hospitals in Europe. A major characteristic of Berlin’s university landscape is its openness and international flair: Roughly 16 percent of students registered at universities and universities of ap- plied science are from abroad, and each school has partner universities reaching across the globe.
Evidence of Berlin’s leading role as a location for science and research in Germany is provided by the success of the Freie Universität Berlin and the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin in attracting funds associated with the federal government’s “Excellence Initiative.” Other Berlin uni- versities, such as the Technische Universität Berlin, also receive support as part of the Excellence Initiative.
4 Statue of Alexander von Hum- boldt at the main entrance to the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.
4 Laboratory at Technische Universität Berlin.
Berlin is the source of many important trends in environmental protection. The science, industry and political spheres here enjoy a lively collaboration. Berlin’s distinctive mix of creativity, international flair, diversity and love of experimentation is unique in the world.
Miranda Schreurs, Director of the Research Department for Environmental Policy, Freie Universität Berlin
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Berlin is different. It’s creative, dynamic and brimming with opportunities. The city’s diversity and openness provide space for all ways of living. Indeed, life in Berlin is an exciting mixture of past and present, of conventional and alternative lifestyles and of international flair and neighborhood charm. The numbers speak for themselves: More than 1.7 million people have moved to Berlin since the fall of the wall. And the city on the Spree continues to act as a magnet for tourists from all over the world. With a total of 22 million annual overnight stays, Berlin is a close third to London and Paris in terms of most visited cities in Europe.
Berlin’s wealth of culture, unique atmosphere and countless landmarks and events continue to fascinate. And the city has even more to offer: Among Berlin’s many ad- vantages are a low cost of living, attractive recreational opportunities and a culturally diverse environment. In fact, as a result of its outstanding infrastructure, made up of schools, shops and playgrounds alongside an excellent variety of educational and daycare facilities, Berlin’s inner city is also a great place to raise a family.
Yet another “plus” for Berliners is the city’s much touted public transport system, which allows you to reach any destination in Berlin at any time of the day or night without a car. With a network of over 700 kilometers of bike paths, Berlin is also a very bike-friendly city. In short, everyone is welcome in Berlin, no matter their origins, religion, worldview or lifestyle. The city’s membership in the charter of diversity (Charta der Vielfalt) underscores this position.
Cosmopolitan, tolerant and unconventional: In Berlin, everyone can live as he or she chooses. For the city’s roughly 3.5 million people from more than 185 nations, Berlin’s unique magnetism lies in the diversity it offers its inhabitants. The capital is a forward-looking city and also a great place to live, work and try new things.
the place to be for city life.
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4 3.5 million inhabitants 4 185 nationalities
4 30 percent of city comprises green spaces and lakes
4 197 kilometers of waterways 4 700 kilometers of bike paths 4 Culturally diverse environment 4 7,000 restaurants, pubs, cafés
and bars
F a c t s
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GREEN CITY, parks and lakes
Berlin offers many opportunities to relax and unwind outdoors. In fact, 30 percent of Berlin’s surface is covered by forests and green spaces.
Berlin has roughly 2,500 public parks and gardens. The most notable, of course, are the Grunewald and the Tiergarten, the city’s centrally located “green lung.” But also more recent recreational spaces, such as the park situated on the airfield of the former Tempelhof Airport and the Ostpark at Gleisdreieck near Potsdamer Platz are popular destina- tions all year long.
Plant lovers are invited to explore a total of nine theme-oriented gardens at the Gärten der Welt in the district of Marzahn and to discover exotic species in Steglitz in one of the world’s most diverse bo- tanical gardens. Berlin’s “Mauerpark” on a former strip of the wall be- tween Prenzlauer Berg and Wedding is a meeting spot for young people especially on weekends. Still younger visitors are especially drawn to the Tierpark and Berlin Zoo, which is the oldest of its kind in Germany and, together with the aquarium, houses the most animal species in the world. If you like, you can also go on a boat tour of Berlin on the 197 kilometers of waterways that make their way through the city.
The surrounding countryside is also worth a visit, especially to popular destinations such as Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam, the Spreewald Forest and Rheinsberg Palace.
INTEGRATION,
side-by-side in harmony
Japanese dragons slither across the street, Brazilian dancers sway their lightly clothed hips and African drummers keep the beat in their color- ful costumes: Berlin’s international flair is on great display each year at the Carnival of Cultures in Kreuzberg. At many lively city areas, such as Kreuzberg, Prenzlauer Berg, Friedrichshain and Neukölln, you will hear languages from all over the world. People from over 185 countries live together peacefully in the city. This includes more than 25 non- indigenous ethnic groups.
Roughly one-quarter of all Berliners have a foreign background. And almost half of them now have a German passport. In addition, Berlin is home to the most Turkish citizens outside of Turkey itself. This makes Berlin the city with the largest foreign population in Germany. And, at the same time, it makes it a city where integration is lived on a daily basis. Here, harmonious and tolerant living is a given – in a manner unlike any other city.
4 Club der Visionäre in Berlin-Kreuzberg. 4 Carnival of Cultures.
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SPORTS METROPOLIS, at the head of the pack
Each year in late September, when the starting pistol for the Berlin Marathon sounds in the Tiergarten, roughly 40,000 participants from over 100 countries join together to race in one of the five biggest mara- thons in the world. Other sporting highlights that demonstrate Berlin’s status as one of the world’s leading sports metropolises are the DFB Football Cup (soccer), the FINA World Cup in swimming, the legendary Six-Day Cycling Race and the DKB-ISTAF International Track and Field Competition. A number of Berlin-based athletes are world champions in their field. With 145 teams competing in the first and second division leagues of their respective sports, Berlin is also Germany’s premier city for top team sports.
Large audiences are always on hand at the games of major Berlin teams, including the Hertha BSC and 1. FC Union football teams, ALBA Berlin basketball, EHC Eisbären ice hockey, the Füchse Berlin handball team and the Berlin Recycling Volleys volleyball team. Berlin is also a much sought after and gracious host for major sporting events.
Special sporting events, such as the final game of the 2006 FIFA World Cup™, the 2009 IAAF World Championships in Athletics and the 2012 Beach Volleyball Grand Slam, provide the opportunity for hundreds of thousands of fans from all over the world to celebrate together in sta- diums and on the fan mile at the Brandenburg Gate. Berliners them- selves are also very athletic, whether they’re jogging, rowing, climbing or even flying kites. There’s hardly a sport that you won’t find in Berlin.
MIchAeL BALLhAuS
cinematographer and director of “In Berlin”
Since the wall came down, Berlin has become an international metropolis at the intersection of east and west. Berlin is my hometown, and after 25 years in the USA, I have happily returned.
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4 International Track and Field Competition (ISTAF) at the Olympiastadion.
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Berlin is a mysterious city. Noth- ing here is as it seems. Every time I went out to eat, I discovered that the Italian restaurant was run by a Greek, that the Japanese places were actually operated by Mongolians, and that the Turkish shopkeepers next door were speaking Bulgarian among themselves. No one really knows what Berliners do during the day. At night, they go to the corner pub. In reality, Berlin is just one big pub.
Wladimir Kaminer, author and founder of “Russendisko”
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TOURISM,
popular travel destination
With more than 22 million overnight stays and almost ten millions guests, Berlin is right behind London and Paris in terms of the most popular cities in Europe. The city’s wide range of art, culture, music and entertainment, in particular, and also its general way of life, is inspiring. More than two decades after the fall of the wall, a brand new dynamic shapes the city – one that is fed by a process of constant transformation. Berlin sets new trends. Here, nothing remains what it was. And there is always something new to discover. Modern buildings now stand where the wall once stood, and new and unusual locations have sprung up everywhere. This mixture of historical and modern architec- ture fascinates tourists from all over the world.
Berlin’s inimitable character is also shaped by its music scene and club culture. The city’s bars and discos are open into the early hours of the morning, and at popular locations like Berghain, techno fans dance well past the break of dawn. Berlin is also well-known for its many festivals. The city’s gay and lesbian community celebrates its pride through Christopher Street Day, and the Straße des 17. Juni Boulevard, which runs between the Siegessäule victory column and the Brandenburg Gate, is the set- ting for a number of annual street festivals that act as a magnet for visitors from all over the world.
Anyone interested in going on a shopping tour in Berlin will find exactly what they’re looking for, not only at the famous Kaufhaus des Westens – a department store that boasts roughly 180,000 daily customers and is the queen of all stores of its kind – or in one of the four major shopping areas Kurfürstendamm, Potsdamer Platz, Friedrichstraße and Alexanderplatz. Above all in the small shops and boutiques in Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg, Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain, shoppers are invited to dis- cover an array of designer fashion “made in Berlin” and enjoy a latte macchiato in one of the many organic shops and trendy cafés. Berlin’s hotel landscape is also unique and offers everything from affordable hostels and overnight stays in stylish trailers to 5-star luxury suites. And the city’s wide array of culinary offerings is guaranteed to provide something for every taste.
4 Mauerpark Berlin. 4 On Friedrichstraße.
4 Above Potsdamer Platz.
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TRADESHOWS AND CONGRESSES, internationally prominent
Whether it’s the TV Tower, an industrial ruin, a former airport hangar or a rooftop terrace with a view of the Brandenburg Gate: Berlin’s many unusual conference and event locations are one of the essential reasons why the city is so successful as a congress destination. Roughly 116,000 annual conferences and congresses take place in the capital. And more than nine million participants travel to Berlin each year to take part in high-end events while also making valuable contacts and exchanging ideas on a high level.
Berlin’s leading trade fairs enjoy global standing. Among the most important are the IFA Consumer Electronics Unlimited (IFA), the world’s most important trade fair for entertainment and consumer electronics, but also ITB, the world’s leading travel trade show, the International Aerospace Exhibition (ILA) and Bread & Butter, the leading international tradeshow for street and urban wear.
Berlin continues to hold a top position as a location for trade fairs and congresses on a national and international scale. In an official ranking of the world’s leading locations issued by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), Berlin takes up fourth place right behind Vienna, Barcelona and Paris. One of Berlin’s essential advantages is its modern hotel landscape that stands out not only because of its wide array of offerings but also due to its high level of service quality and excellent cost-performance ratio. Furthermore, Berlin has short travel times within Europe. The list of destinations will extend even further with the opening of the forthcoming Berlin Brandenburg Airport, and Berlin also has a dense public transportation network. A new, two-storey event hall is being built on the site of the former Deutschlandhalle on Berlin’s exhibition grounds and will stand in for the Internationales Congress Centrum Berlin (ICC) while it is undergoing renovation. In the long term, this new structure will double the capacity of Messe Berlin and serve to further enhance the capital’s status as an ideal location for congresses and trade fairs.
4 Berlin among the top 3 travel destinations in Europe 4 22 million overnight stays
annually
4 Germany’s leading location for conferences and congresses 4 Among the top 4 locations for
international association meetings 4 Europe’s most modern hotel land- scape with high quality standards and excellent cost-performance ratios
4 Large selection of first-class event locations
T r a v e l a n d
conference destination
B e r l i n
4 Bread & Butter fashion trade show in the hangars of the decommissioned Tempelhof Airport.
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the place to be for history.
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Unlike almost any other city, Berlin has been molded by a history of frequent change.
The exact founding date of the city is not known. However, Berlin’s twin city Cölln was first mentioned in official documents on October 28, 1237. Thus we know that Berlin came into being at the beginning of the 13th century. At that time, the city had only 2,000 inhabitants and its total area was smaller than Berlin’s Tierpark zoo. This is, of course, no comparison to the 3.5 million people and 892 square kilometers that make up Berlin today. In the course of 775 years of history, Berlin has gone from a lively medieval trading post to a city of diversity influenced by migration, cultural exchange and massive political upheaval.
In 1871, Berlin became the capital of the newly founded German Reich, or empire, and thus its political, economic and cultural center. However, widespread political discontent and starvation during the First World War lead to mass strikes and ultimately to the founding of the Weimar Republic. In the 1920s, Berlin experienced a golden age and became the largest industrial and cultural center in Europe. The city’s rapid rise ended abruptly, however, with the National Socialists’ seizure of power in 1933. Berlin was the city in which the Second World War and the genocide of the Jews were planned and organized. In 1945, the city lay in ruins. Berlin was divided into sectors and in 1961, the Berlin Wall was built.
The Berlin Wall came down on November 9, 1989, and the city grew back together.
Visitors can experience this history at many locations throughout the city, for example at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, at the Berlin Wall Memorial and at the Topography of Terror exhibition. An open discussion of our own history is the only way to create room for new ways of thinking. Berlin is a city with an eventful history, an exciting present and a promising future.
Versatile, dynamic, eventful: In the early 13th century, Berlin developed out of the settlements of Berlin and Cölln. The city has experienced many highs and lows since then. The fall of the wall in 1989 ultimately united Berlin and Germany and also brought Western and Eastern Europe together. Today, Berlin is once again an exciting metropolis in the heart of Europe.
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F a c t s
4 2012: Berlin‘s 775th anniversary 4 The city will celebrate this
occasion with a major party between Schlossplatz and Nikolaikirche. Key events leading up to the celebrations will round out the program.
4 www.berlin.de/775
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1237 to
1307
The city develops out of the settlements of Berlin and Cölln.1701
Berlin becomes the seat of the royal residence.1871
Berlin becomes the capital of the newly-founded German Reich.1918
The First World War is over. SPD politician Philipp Scheidemann proclaims the Republic in Berlin.“The old and the rotten, the monarchy has collapsed! Long live the new; long live the
German Republic!”
SPD politician Philipp Scheidemann, November 9, 1918
1920
The Greater Berlin Act creates the new munici- pality of Berlin. It is made up of 20 districts. The capital now has roughly four million inhabit- ants.1933
With the Nazi seizure of power, Berlin becomes the capital of the Third Reich. Under the Nazis, almost the entire Jewish community of Berlin is deported and murdered.1945
The Second World War ends on May 8. Berlin is largely destroyed; only 2.5 million people still live in the city. The victorious powers divide Berlin into four sectors at the Potsdam Conference.1948 1949
Overnight on June 24, the Soviets blockade Berlin’s western sectors. The western powers sup- ply Berliners via a Luftbrücke or airlift. The block- ade is lifted on May 12, 1949.1961
On August 13, 1961, the GDR begins building the Berlin Wall, setting the seal on the division of Berlin.“No one has the intention of building a wall!”
Chairman of the GDR State Council, Walter Ulbricht, June 15, 1961
1963
On June 26, US President John F. Kennedy makes his famous speech in front of the Rathaus Schöneberg.“All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and, therefore, as a free man,
I take pride in the words
‘Ich bin ein Berliner!’”
US President John F. Kennedy, June 26, 1963
1987
Berlin celebrates its 750th anniversary. In a speech held in front of the wall at the Branden- burg Gate, US President Ronald Reagan appeals to Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the wall.“...come here to this gate!
Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate!
Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”
US President Ronald Reagan, June 12, 1987
1989
Mass protests in the GDR against the political regime lead to the opening of the Berlin Wall on November 9.1990
The Second World War’s victorious powers and the two German states sign the “Two Plus Four Agreement”, which arranges for German reuni- fication and ends Berlin’s Four Powers status on September 12. German reunification is complete on October 3.1991
On June 20, the German Bundestag resolves to move the headquarters of the government and parliament from Bonn to Berlin.1995
From June 24 to July 7, Christo and his wife Jeanne-Claude wrap Berlin’s Reichstag in a spec- tacular art event.“It’s a project of freedom. And that’s why it can’t stay wrapped. Because freedom is
the enemy of possession.”
Artist Christo, 1995
2000
The central celebrations for the Day of German Unity on October 3 take place for the first time in Berlin.2001
The German chancellor moves into the new Federal Chancellery (Bundeskanzleramt) in Berlin in May.the place to be
for history.
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2006
On May 26, Berlin’s new central rail station (Hauptbahnhof) is officially opened. During the FIFA World Cup 2006™ from June 9 to July 9, hun- dreds of thousands of fans gather on the fan mile in front of the Brandenburg Gate.“Germany has breathed life into the World Cup’s motto, ‘time to make friends.’”
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, 2006
2008
On March 11, Berlin‘s Governing Mayor Klaus Wowereit presents the new be Berlin marketing campaign to the public. On July 24, US presiden- tial candidate Barack Obama speaks to Berliners at the Siegessäule.“… History proved that there is no challenge too great for a world
that stands as one.”
US-presidential candidate Barack Obama, July 24, 2008
2009
On March 2, the be Berlin marketing campaign and the slogan “the place to be” are launched internationally for the first time; from August 15 to 23, 2009, the IAAF World Championships in Athletics™ are held in Berlin; Berlin celebrates the 20th anniversary of the fall of the wall as the year’s theme.“The world is watching Berlin.
The fall of the wall 20 years ago is in the limelight again. To the questions, ‘How has the
city seized its chance, how has it changed and where is it headed?’ we answer with be Berlin.”
Klaus Wowereit, Governing Mayor of Berlin, 2009
2010
The capital celebrates 20 years of German Reunification and 300 years of Berlin as a city of science. Together with prominent business part- ners, be Berlin launches the industry campaign“ich bin ein berliner.”
2011
On August 13, Berlin commemorates the 50th anniversary of the day the Berlin Wall went up and all the related human tragedies via an exhi- bition and individual events.2012
Berlin celebrates its 775th anniversary.2013
Berlin lays the foundation for the Humboldt Forum behind three reconstructed exterior fa- çades of the former city palace at the historic Schlossplatz.4 Berlin Palace – Humboldt Forum.
city in the Middle Ages A number of excavation sites in the historical center of the city will be accessible via guided tours. Each of these locations will showcase Berlin as a medieval city and will have a story to tell.
Berlin celebrates Berlin 1937 marked the first year that Berlin celebrated its anniversary, one year after the Olympic Games and four years after the Nazis seized power. In 1987, East and West Berlin fought for bragging rights to their respective celebra- tions marking the city’s 750th anniversary. This open-air exhibi- tion provides an overview of the public staging of these three city anniversaries and examines their presentations.
city of diversity
Berlin’s growth and the city’s dynamics have been influenced for centuries by the impact of im- migrants. An open-air exhibition in the center of the city will allow visitors to experience Berlin’s historical and enduring status as a city created jointly by old and new Berliners.
Berlin-makers
This exhibition at the Ephraim- Palais presents 75 portraits of historical Berlin figures – from the student leader Rudi Dutschke and the actress Hildegard Knef all the way to the former Berlin Parliamentary President Hanna- Renate Laurien. These impressive portraits will be featured side-by- side with 700 short portraits of contemporary Berliners.
4 775 Years of Berlin
www.berlin.de/77531
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