1307: Berlin develops from the union of the merchant’s settlements of Berlin and Cologne.
Mid 15th century: residential castle of the Hohenzollern dynasty is built making Berlin the capital of the Mark with, at that time, approx. 60,000 inhabitants.
1685 onwards: immigration of approx. 6,000 Huguenots after the 30-year war.
Under Frederick II (1740-1786), Prussia developed to an influential major power and, with this, Berlin’s prestige. The representative buildings in the Berlin-Mitte district (centre) come from this period.
1709: Berlin becomes the residential seat of Frederick I – incorporating three towns on the outskirts.
With the founding of the German Reich in 1871, Berlin becomes the German capital and Otto von Bismarck becomes Reich Chancellor.
From now on, the city experiences continual economic and social upturn.
1902: Berlin’s first underground train.
After WW1 ends in 1918, declaration of the republic by the Berlin Reichstag.
1920: joining of seven surrounding towns, 59 municipalities and 27 estate areas to what is today “Greater Berlin” with, at the time, 3.8 million inhabitants.
At this time, Berlin was Europe’s biggest industrial city as well as an intellectual and cultural centre.
When Hitler was named Reich Chancellor in 1933, Berlin’s “dark hour” began which only ended in 1945 with the end of WW2.
With his takeover, Jews and dissidents were persecuted and deported including 170,000 Berlin Jews.
1945: Berlin was divided into four sectors by the victorious allied powers.
1948-1949: West Berlin blockade by the Russians which led to the famous Berlin Air lift of the allies.
1949: founding of both German states with East Berlin as the capital of the DDR (East German Republic).
West Berlin had, since this time, the status of a federal state of the BRD (West German Republic).
13th August 1961: the Berlin Wall is built between East and West Berlin to stop East Germans escaping to the West.
Until 1989, both halves of the city developed separately to each other.
East Berlin became a model and industrial city, West Berlin a centre for congresses and trade fairs.
1987: 750-year anniversary celebrations in city.
9th November 1989: fall of the Berlin Wall after months of protests for more freedom in the DDR.
3rd October 1990: unification of both German states in a state ceremony in Berlin.
From 1991: office of governing mayor is, once again, in the traditional “Rotes Rathaus” (Red Town Hall) in Berlin-Mitte (centre).
Since 1991, Berlin is the capital of unified Germany after voting in the Bundestag.
From 1998: government moves from Bonn to Berlin.
