history west berlin
 
this tour through west berlin will acquaint you with a number of buildings and narratives that once played a key role in the history of democratic postwar berlin but that are almost (undeservedly) forgotten today: the city hall in schöneberg where jfk delivered his "i am a berliner" speech, the "rias" (radio in the american sector) station and willy brandt.   

you will see also the world-renowned former border crossing for the western allies: checkpoint charlie. many of the problems that once beset west germany's postwar democracy can still be identified on this city tour. after nazi rule had been crushed by military means, the western part of the city (later followed by its eastern half) was on its way to becoming a major european metropolis again. this development would not have been possible without the allied guarantee for west berlin's existence between 1945 and 1989.
willy brandt, mayor of berlin when the wall went up in 1961 (and later chancellor of the federal republic) laid one of the cornerstones for the end of communist dictatorship in east germany (and therewith for the city's reunification) with his policy of détente. whoever wants to learn more about this history should sign up for the basic tour of west berlin offered by unwrapping history.

meeting place and length of tour: the meeting place for this tour is the main entrance to the former rias (radio in the american sector) building at hans-rosenthal-platz 1, near the subway (u-bahn) station "innsbrucker platz." the tour last approximately 2 1/2 hours.
prices and booking: your pay 15 euros per person and tour. simply book by e-mail and you will immediately receive a message in reply. for this tour you will also need a local public transportation ticket. you may buy this from the tour guide for 2.10 euros.
special tour: should you wish to request a more customized tour on any special aspect of west berlin, the price will depend on the duration of the tour, the number of participants, the cost of preparation, and whether you want to go by foot or by bus. special tours will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and should be affordable for everyone. simply send an e-mail message to unwrapping history, or call at:

unwrapping history, c/o martin jander, tel.: 0049-(0)30-89068014