History UsefulNotes / Berlin

With the [[UsefulNotes/HoleInFlag political climate in the world changing]], Berlin got directly affected. The Berlin Wall became obsolete when the GDR opened its borders to the West on November 9, 1989. Less than a year later, Berlin once again became the capital of a [[UsefulNotes/TheBerlinRepublic (re-)united Germany]]. But it had yet to take until 1999 until the all-German government and parliament finally moved back to Berlin (post-war and pre-unification, the capital of West Germany had been UsefulNotes/Bonn, in case you're wondering) and during much of TheNineties, Berlin was dubbed as the biggest construction site of Europe.

With the [[UsefulNotes/HoleInFlag political climate in the world changing]], Berlin got directly affected. The Berlin Wall became obsolete when the GDR opened its borders to the West on November 9, 1989. Less than a year later, Berlin once again became the capital of a [[UsefulNotes/TheBerlinRepublic (re-)united Germany]]. But it had yet to take until 1999 until the all-German government and parliament finally moved back to Berlin (post-war and pre-unification, the capital of West Germany had been Bonn, in case you're wondering) and during much of TheNineties, Berlin was dubbed as the biggest construction site of Europe.

Berlin suffered more destruction than any other European city in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII. Allied bombing raids and the invasion of the Red Army took a harsh toll on the city, making the population plummet to about three million, where it essentially remained since then. After UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler took his own life in a bunker and Germany surrendered, the Allies divided the old Reich capital akin to the rest of what remained of Germany, with the French in the northwest, the British in the west, the Americans in the south, and the Soviets in the east. Berlin suffered greatly under being the playball of the superpowers in the upcoming UsefulNotes/ColdWar, leading to its division. East Berlin was quickly integrated into the structures of UsefulNotes/EastGermany, serving as its capital. West Berlin survived the Soviet blockade of 1948/49 via the Berlin Airlift, keeping its status as an island of the free world amid the red sea of communism. For many years, it was easy to flee from the East to the West via Berlin. To turn off this leak in the Iron Curtain, the GDR built the infamous death trap commonly called the UsefulNotes/BerlinWall on August 13, 1961.

The name "Berlin" has nothing to do with bears (although their crest has one), but rather stems from the Slavic word for "meadow", not a miracle if you recall its location in a glacial valley.

* If you're at an airport, you're definitely not in the eastern half. East Berlin's airport was built at Schönefeld, outside the city limits; since reunification, it has been expanded into the modern Berlin-Brandenburg International Airport. The Tegel airport, built in the French sector at the time of the Berlin Airlift, was supposed to have closed years ago, but remains open for the moment. Tempelhof, Berlin's original airport, was closed in 2008. The small military airfield at Gatow, which lies near the city's western limits, was a [[UsefulNotes/BritsWithBattleships Royal Air Force]] base for nearly five decades after UsefulNotes/WorldWarII; the [[UsefulNotes/WeAreNotTheWehrmacht Bundeswehr]] took it over in 1994, but have since then mostly operated it as a museum.

* If the little men on the traffic lights (known as Ampelmännchen) are wearing [[NiceHat hats]], you are very likely to be in the eastern half. However, this method is somewhat hit and miss.

* ''Series/BabylonBerlin'', directed by Tom Tykwer (and others) is set in late 1920s Weimar-era Berlin, with all the expected virbant colours, jazzy parties, and [[BreadEggsMilkSquick political unrest]].

With the [[HoleInFlag political climate in the world changing]], Berlin got directly affected. The Berlin Wall became obsolete when the GDR opened its borders to the West on November 9, 1989. Less than a year later, Berlin once again became the capital of a [[UsefulNotes/TheBerlinRepublic (re-)united Germany]]. But it had yet to take until 1999 until the all-German government and parliament finally moved back to Berlin (post-war and pre-unification, the capital of West Germany had been Bonn, in case you're wondering) and during much of TheNineties, Berlin was dubbed as the biggest construction site of Europe.

* ''Film/GoodByeLenin!''- the fall of EastGermany.

Due to its special "four power state", West Berlin was not officially part of WestGermany, though it was treated like another German state as far as possible. This also meant that West German conscription didn't apply to West Berlin, making it a haven for draft dodgers from "the provinces".

* ''Film/{{M}}'', directed by Creator/FritzLang and featuring PeterLorre.

* Music/DavidBowie's ''Berlin'' trilogy are three albums recorded entirely or partly in Berlin (particularly the famous "Hansa-by-the-Wall" studio) and breathing a very specific city atmosphere: ''[[Music/LowDavidBowieAlbum Low]]'', ''Music/{{Heroes}}'', and ''Music/{{Lodger}}'' (with ''Music/StationToStation'', recorded in Los Angeles but inspired in part by Bowie's European travels, serving as an "introduction" and/or a bridge to his previous, soul/funk-influenced work, ''Music/YoungAmericans''). The title track of ''Heroes'' specifically mentions the UsefulNotes/BerlinWall. In Berlin it's almost seen as an anthem and Bowie even recorded [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXV3rlr9G04a German version of it]].

If you're lucky, you might see some of West Berlin's (extremely vibrant) music scene and nightlife (being one of the early centers of so-called "{{Krautrock}}" and Music/DavidBowie (the albums ''Music/StationToStation'', ''[[Music/LowDavidBowieAlbum Low]]'' and ''Music/{{Heroes}}'') and [[Music/TheStooges Iggy Pop]] (the albums ''Music/TheIdiot'' and ''Music/LustForLife'') both having recorded there on the basis of its reputation).

* Music/DavidBowie's ''Berlin'' trilogy are three albums recorded entirely or partly in Berlin (particularly the famous "Hansa-by-the-Wall" studio) and breathing a very specific city atmosphere: ''[[Music/LowDavidBowieAlbum Low]]'', ''Music/{{Heroes}}'', and ''Music/{{Lodger}}'' (with ''Music/StationToStation'', recorded in Los Angeles but inspired in part by Bowie's European travels, serving as an "introduction" and/or a bridge to his previous, soul/funk-influenced work, ''Music/YoungAmericans''). The title track of ''Heroes'' specifically mentions UsefulNotes/TheBerlinWall. In Berlin it's almost seen as an anthem and Bowie even recorded [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXV3rlr9G04a German version of it]].

* If you're standing next to the East Side Gallery, you're in the eastern half (see BerlinWall).

Berlin suffered more destruction than any other European city in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII. Allied bombing raids and the invasion of the Red Army took a harsh toll on the city, making the population plummet to about three million, where it essentially remained since then. After UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler took his own life in a bunker and Germany surrendered, the Allies divided the old Reich capital akin to the rest of what remained of Germany, with the French in the northwest, the British in the west, the Americans in the south, and the Soviets in the east. Berlin suffered greatly under being the playball of the superpowers in the upcoming UsefulNotes/ColdWar, leading to its division. East Berlin was quickly integrated into the structures of UsefulNotes/EastGermany, serving as its capital. West Berlin survived the Soviet blockade of 1948/49 via the Berlin Airlift, keeping its status as an island of the free world amid the red sea of communism. For many years, it was easy to flee from the East to the West via Berlin. To turn off this leak in the Iron Curtain, the GDR built the infamous death trap commonly called the BerlinWall on August 13, 1961.

The city is generally depicted in these contexts as grey and dreary, especially the eastern part (not quite true, as a third of the city is in the form of parks). It works best at night. Dead drops, double-crosses and defections are the order of the day. Expect someone to attempt to run the BerlinWall.

Throughout the UsefulNotes/ColdWar, Berlin was "The CityOfSpies" (a title that has also been held by Lisbon, Tangiers, Beirut, Istanbul, and {{Casablanca}} at various points in their history), and the Glienicke Bridge, which links (West) Berlin and Potsdam, was the most well-known venue for the exchange of captured spies. SpyFiction from that period will almost always mention Berlin.

* ''A Foreign Affair'', a 1948 BillyWilder comedy starring Jean Arthur as a U.S. Senator visiting post-war Berlin and Marlene Dietrich as a cabaret torch singer.

Divided in two for the duration of the UsefulNotes/ColdWar.

WeimarGermany's Berlin is a very vibrant and colourful place, comparable with Paris. TruthInTelevision here. Portrayals focus on the development of Cabaret culture, sexual egalitarianism and great night-life. Some fictions even portray it as a CityNoir setting. Interestingly a lot of the classic writers and directors of FilmNoir -- Creator/BillyWilder, Robert Siodmak, Creator/FritzLang -- were Berliners during the 20s and many of them admitted in interviews that their films about the American underbelly were often inspired by their memories of 20s Berlin, which came very close to resembling the exaggerated CityNoir landscape beloved in later fictions.

* ''Theatre/{{Cabaret}}''. Set in WeimarGermany.

Before that, UsefulNotes/NaziGermany Berlin is a very oppressive place or a positive deathtrap when you're dealing with the [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarTwo 1945 Battle of Berlin]].

* ''Aimée & Jaguar'', the [[BasedOnATrueStory story of a lesbian romance between a Jew and a non-Jew]] during WorldWarTwo.

* ''The Good German''. Set in Berlin and Potsdam just after UsefulNotes/WorldWarTwo, before the division of Germany.

WeimarGermany's Berlin is a very vibrant and colourful place, comparable with Paris. TruthInTelevision here. Portrayals focus on the development of Cabaret culture, sexual egalitarianism and great night-life. Some fictions even portray it as a CityNoir setting. Interestingly a lot of the classic writers and directors of FilmNoir -- Creator/BillyWilder, Creator/OttoPreminger, Robert Siodmak, Creator/FritzLang -- were Berliners during the 20s and many of them admitted in interviews that their films about the American underbelly were often inspired by their memories of 20s Berlin, which came very close to resembling the exaggerated CityNoir landscape beloved in later fictions.

* ''Unknown''.

* ''Olympia'', the official film of the 1936 Olympic Games, directed by [[TriumphOfTheWill Leni Riefenstahl]].

* The PhineasAndFerb episode ''Summer Belongs to You'' shows three Berlin landmarks in the "Bouncing Around the World" sequence: The glass dome of the Reichstag, the Brandenburg Gate, and Alexanderplatz with the world clock and the television tower.

* Music/DavidBowie's ''Berlin'' trilogy are three albums recorded entirely or partly in Berlin (particularly the famous "Hansa-by-the-Wall" studio) and breathing a very specific city atmosphere: ''[[Music/LowDavidBowieAlbum Low]]'', ''Music/{{Heroes}}'', and ''Music/{{Lodger}}'' (with ''Music/StationToStation'', recorded in Los Angeles but inspired in part by Bowie's European travels, serving as an "introduction" and/or a bridge to his previous, soul/funk-influenced work, ''Music/YoungAmericans''). The title track of ''Heroes'' specifically mentions UsefulNotes/TheBerlinWall. In Berlin it's almost seen as an anthem and Bowie even recorded a German version of it.