History
The area that is now Berlin was originally inhabited by Wends (a Slavic group). The first German colonists settled there around the 10th century. Berlin was chartered about 1237. Because of the settlement's location along a major trade route, it grew rapidly. In 1470 Berlin became the home of the Hohenzollern family, rulers of the German state of Brandenburg.
In 1701 Berlin became the capital of Prussia and in 1871 the capital of the newly formed German Empire. During World War II, Allied bombing caused extensive damage. The city fell to Soviet forces May 2, 1945, after a two-week battle that left the city in ruins.
On July 1, 1945, Berlin was divided into United States, British, French, and Soviet occupation sectors and placed under the joint administration of these four powers. This arrangement lasted for almost three years, during which time Berlin gradually achieved a degree of self-government.
Four-power control broke down in 1948, and the Soviets blockaded all highways and railways connecting the city with West Germany. The Western powers established the Berlin Airlift in June, 1948, to supply West Berliners with food and other necessities. The airlift lasted until the blockade was ended 11 months later. In 1953 an anti-Communist uprising in East Berlin was brutally put down by Soviet troops.
On August 13, 1961, East Germany began barricading the boundary between East and West Berlin to halt the increasing flow of refugees out of the country. Despite protests from the Western powers, the East Germans divided the city by a concrete wall, ending all traffic between the two parts. By 1962 the flow of refugees had been reduced.
Beginning with Christmas, 1963, West Berliners were allowed into East Berlin for certain holidays, but in 1966 the East Germans barred all further visits. On several occasions the East Germans also temporarily blockaded access routes between Berlin and West Germany. In 1972 a four-power accord on Berlin went into effect. Provisions included the Soviet Union's guarantee of unimpeded travel to the city and the right of West Berliners to visit East Germany for up to 30 days a year.
East and West Germany reached an agreement in 1978 to build a highway between West Berlin and Hamburg, West Germany; it was completed in 1982. In 1989 East Germany eased travel restrictions to West Berlin and began dismantling the Berlin Wall. In 1990 East and West Berlin, along with the rest of Germany, were reunited and Berlin became the capital of Germany. Many federal offices, however, remained in Bonn, the former capital of the Federal Republic of Germany.
During 1990–91 virtually of what remained of the Berlin Wall was removed. Also during that period, many major construction projects were begun, mainly in what was East Berlin. In 1993 government leaders agreed that most of the federal government offices and ministries would be moved from Bonn to Berlin by 2001.
Population: 3,454,200.
