City Profile: Berlin

Abstract

Berlin was the center of the Cold War conflict. • After reunification in the 90s, Berlin became the biggest building site in Europe. • Today, the productive force of Berlin lies in its culture and media industries. • Recent developments of start-ups place Berlin among the leading positions in Germany. • Berlin is a dynamic city where 40% of the population is younger than 35 years

Berlin is a German city and federal state, situated in the heart of Europe. It has been the capital city since 1991, and is the largest city in the country with around 3.4 million inhabitants. This profile explains Berlin’s historical development and emphasizes changes which took place during the 20th century (the Weimar period in the 1920s, followed by the Nazi takeover in 1933 and the city’s destruction during World War II, then the division of the city into West Berlin and East Berlin, until its final reunification in 1990 after the Wall fell down). After reunification, Berlin experienced a new period of urban redevelopment in which many new buildings were constructed. This profile also outlines some recent positive changes in terms of Berlin’s economic growth and its transformation into the capital of innovative new companies in the digital, culture and media industries.