Berlin

Berlin can trace its roots back to a small 13th century town. In the following centuries, the town grew into a major European city. Berlin became the capital of Prussia (from 1701), next the German empire (from 1871), then the Weimar Republic (from 1919), followed by the Third Reich from 1933. In 1945 at the end of World War II, the city was divided. East Berlin was claimed by the Russians and became the capital of East Germany. West Berlin stayed in the hands of the Americans/British and remained part of West Germany. For almost a year, the only way West Berlin could receive supplies was by air. In 1961, the East Germans built the Berlin wall to completely surround West Berlin. 29 years later, people politics led to the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the reunification of Germany. The city once again became capital of all Germany.

To get a feeling of Berlin's turbulent 20th century history, two places can be particularly recommended. First visit the East Side Gallery, the longest section of Wall remaining. The wall was actually built by the East German government to prevent their own citizens from fleeing to West Berlin - almost 200,000 had done so before the wall was built. Second visit the Haus der Wannsee - Konferenz, where during 1942, Reinhard Heydrich, Head of the Reich Security Main Office chaired a meeting of 14 SS officers. The subject of the meeting was the organisation and implementation of the 'Final Solution', the Nazi plan to murder the entire population of European Jews.