come to our tour of discovery through seven centuries! That's how long it took for a few small villages from the historical Margraviate of Brandenburg to develop into a vibrant borough in the heart of Berlin. Join us on an exciting journey through time that begins with medieval life in rural cottages, before taking us through the imperial period (1871 to 1918) and the turbulent 20th century right up to the end of the Cold War.
We will learn about life in the quiet towns and villages of the Lower Barnim area, see the impact of rapid industrialisation and get a taste of Berlin's "Milieu" in the days of the artist Heinrich Zille in the overcrowded homes of late 19th century Prussia.
We will experience upheavals and new beginnings: the death of Wilhelm Liebknecht marked the beginning of Friedrichsfelde Central Cemetery's tradition as a "Socialists' cemetery". During street fights in Lichtenberg in March 1919, there were clashes between revolutionary workers and brutal and relentless "Freikorps" militias. In Lichtenberg underground resistance groups fought the Nazi regime as forced labourers from all over Europe were crammed into camps, to be used as slave labour in arms factories. Lichtenberg is also where World War II in Europe came to an end with the signing of the German forces' unconditional surrender in what is now the German-Russian Museum.
We will remember the more recent German history at the Normannenstrasse Research Site and Museum, once the headquarters of the East German Ministry for State Security, which was stormed by angry citizens following the fall of the Berlin Wall. The museum at Hohenschönhausen, formerly a remand prison for political opponents, today attracts a lot of interest from visitors.
For all those with an interest in history, we have compiled the historical background information displayed on the Wall steles that can be found near famous sights across the city.