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Life Under the Berlin Wall: A Glimpse Into Berlin's Divided Past

Explore Berlin's rich Jewish heritage through its synagogues, museums, memorials, and vibrant community, offering an unforgettable journey of learning, reflection, and celebration.

My first visit to East Berlin/West Berlin was in 1981! I offer a unique perspective on the city's history, as I have a personal connection to its past.

Berlin's Jewish community has faced centuries of persecution, but it has also experienced periods of growth and prosperity. Today, the community is slowly rebuilding itself.

Looking for an exciting and informative Berlin adventure? Look no further than a Berlin tour with The Berlin Expert, your go-to tour guide for all things Berlin!

This photo is of capturing me from my first visit to Berlin in 1981 with My cousin Vicki, who was stationed with her husband Dan in the US military, likely played a role in my introduction to the city and its history.

20 July 1944: On this day in Berlin history, Colonel Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg – along with the help of a number of other co-conspirators – attempted to assassinate the Nazi dictator and launch a coup d’état in “The 20th of July Plot”, a.k.a. Operation Valkyrie, a.k.a. The Plot to Kill Hitler.

Real estate speculation is big in Berlin and from many parts of the world investors look on Berlin, considering purchases. A passionate storyteller who weaves Berlin’s places and history into a thrilling narrative and adventure. Not a boring academic history lesson. 5 star rating on Trip Advisor Stories are bridges to memories of the pastYour Berlin time is valuable and I want to make the most out it. Every aspect of your Berlin experience is yours to plan.

New National Gallery at Potsdamer Straße, in former West-Berlin’s Kulturforum, alongside National Library and Philharmonie buildings.

Amazingly, while in 2020-2021 Berlin was pretty much out of reach for tourists from abroad, quite a few projects were finished. My Blog will feature them all so you can include them into your plans for your Berlin visit! 

Amazingly, while in 2020-2021 Berlin was pretty much out of reach for tourists from abroad, quite a few projects were finished. My Blog will feature them all so you can include them into your plans for your Berlin visit!

No matter how great and insightful virtual tours can be, especially in Berlin: Once old-style travelling will be possible again and Berlin fills up again with travellers from all over the world (by now we are missing them so much), public transportation comes into focus when preparing a private Berlin tour. 

Feel like cruising out of town while in Berlin? Take a boat from Treptower Park down the Spree to Köpenick, a medieval town now part of Berlin. The cruise is not long, but nice, and Köpenick has a quaint old town part plus a little palace on an island. There, some 300 years ago, a military tribunal on demand of the king had to decide over having the crown prince executed for treason: the later Frederick the Great.

Bauhaus Villa Lemke, Mies van der Rohe, Berlin. An architectural gem, Villa Lemke from 1932, by Bauhaus master architect Mies van der Rohe.

For the young crowd, Neukoelln is the place to be. But it’s worth a visit apart from hipster venues. One structure strangely hidden though large and tall.