Berlin Cold War History Tour

Explore the deep divisions between East and West Berlin during the 20th century
From US$267 privately
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Tour Details
Duration
3 hours
Product Type
Tour
Venues
  • Karl-Marx-Allee
  • Hansa Quarter
Photos & Highlights
  • Examines history of Cold War Berlin through an architectural lens
  • Led by local architect or historian
Select a date
Tour Description
As Europe began to rebuild following the wreckage of the Second World War, Berlin was instead cleaved in two: East Berlin, under Soviet control, and West Berlin, an “island of democracy” deep inside East German territory. On this 3-hour Berlin Cold War tour we will join a local architectural historian for an in-depth comparison of East and West. We'll focus mainly on buildings and landscapes to build a compelling picture of a divided city and fractured years.

A Model Project of Soviet Architecture

We begin our discussion in the east side of the city, at Frankfurter Tor on Karl-Marx-Allee. A striking example of Berlin's boulevards, this avenue reminds us that part of the history of the two Berlins is recorded in the naming and renaming of streets and sites. Stalinallee’s immense boulevard was the primary focus of East Germany’s post-war development project, attempting to reorganize Berlin’s urban landscape and stressing the political and visual importance of the city center. In the shadows of the Frankfurter Tor’s twin towers, we will discuss the 1950 decision by communist East German leadership to do away with the “cosmopolitan fantasies” of modernist, decentralized planning and to create instead a monumental architecture capable of embodying the promise of a new socialist society.

The West’s Response: Democracy and Commerce

After uncovering the layers of meaning in the architecture of the former East, we will hop on Berlin’s historic S-Bahn train line and cross to the West. Here, we will explore West Berlin’s response to the communist model of Stalinallee: the reconstructed Hansa Quarter.

In this neighborhood, in ruins since the Second World War, a host of internationally prominent architects designed a series of individual, overtly modernist buildings scattered across the green, park-like area. We'll discuss how the spaces and structures embody Western principles of freedom, individuality, and the non-authoritarian order of democracy and the marketplace.

Berlin Cold War Tour

By the end of our time together we will have investigated how architecture and urban planning in Berlin were one of the main fronts in the political and ideological struggle of the Cold War. We'll also be newly equipped with an insightful perspective that will transform the way we see the city thereafter.

For help planning your visit to an icon of the city’s Cold War history, see our guide on how to tour the Berlin Wall, or join us for our Berlin Wall tour.
Where You'll Start
60 Reviews (4.76)

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Dora was extremely knowledgeable and thorough in her explanation of the history of the Cold War, the cultural differences between the sectors and the aftermath. Her supplemental presentation of photos and maps also helped with a true understanding of the events of the time. She was extremely engaging. I highly recommend her.
The tour was well conceived. Nina made cityscapes that might otherwise pass by unnoticed come alive for us as contending parties in a debate. The major drawback to the tour was something she could not control, an excessively hot day. I appreciated her bringing water with her.
We had a fantastic day with John. He was clearly a clever man and so knowledgable. We adored every second and it was over long before we were ready!