With the end of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, many of its dukes and princes joined the Confederation of the Rhine, a confederation of Napoleonic client states. These states preferred to use their own flags. The confederation had no flag of its own; instead it used the blue-white-red flag of France and the Imperial Standard of its protector, Napoleon. [22]

After World War II the country of Germany ended up dividing into two separate countries. East Germany became a communist country under the control of the Soviet Union. At the same time West Germany was a democratic country and allied with Britain, France, and the United States. The initial plan was that the country would eventually be reunited, but this didn't happen for a long time. a b Government of the German Reich (11 April 1921). "Verordnung über die deutschen Flaggen"[Regulation on the German Flags]. documentArchiv.de (in German) . Retrieved 9 August 2007.In the face of the increasingly violent conflicts between the communists and Nazis, the growing polarisation of the German population and a multitude of other factors, mainly the drastic economic sinking, extreme hyperinflation and corruption of the republic, the Weimar Republic collapsed in 1933 with the Nazi seizure of power ( Machtergreifung) and the appointment of Adolf Hitler as German chancellor. Another option is the normal Welcome Card which gives you discounted entrance to the museums on Museum Island plus discounts at many other museums and attractions. It also includes a transport pass with an option for either 48 hours, 72 hours, 4 day, 5 day, or 6 day. Between 1913 and 1954, the civil flag was similar to the current one, except the design of the bear was different. Until 1935, the emblem itself was not established.

At the end of World War II, the first law enacted by the Allied Control Council abolished all Nazi symbols and repealed all relevant laws. [44] The possession of swastika flags is forbidden in several countries since then, with the importation or display of them forbidden particularly in Germany. The church was deconsecrated in 1938 and, after belated post-war restoration, has been used as a church museum and concert venue. The surrounding area is one of the quieter places to visit in Berlin, but well worth a brief visit. Neue Synagoge The massive front of the Neue Synagoge Much was added over the ensuing century, and you can visit the opulent state rooms and apartments and Oriental porcelain collections.

Although the East Germans tried to keep people from leaving, it was fairly easy for people to leave the city of Berlin because the inside of the city was controlled by all four major powers.

After reunification, the East German economy suffered significantly. Under the adopted policy of privatization of state-owned firms under the auspices of the Treuhandanstalt, many East German factories were shut down—which also led to mass unemployment—due to gaps in productivity with and investment compared to West German companies, as well as an inability to comply with West German pollution and safety standards in a way that was deemed cost-effective. Because of this, a massive amount of West German economic aid was poured into East Germany to revitalize it. This stimulus was part-funded through a 7.5% tax on income for individuals and companies (in addition to normal income tax or company tax) known as the Solidaritätszuschlaggesetz (SolZG) or "solidarity surcharge", which though only in effect for 1991–1992 (later reintroduced in 1995 at 7.5 and then dropped down to 5.5% in 1998 and continues to be levied to this day) led to a great deal of resentment toward the East Germans. [8] [9] [10] Twenty-five years after the two cities were reunified, the people of East and West Berlin still had noticeable differences between them, which became more apparent among the older generations. The two groups also had sometimes-derogatory slang terms to refer to each other. A former East Berliner (or East German) was known as an " Ossi" (from the German word for east, Ost), and a former West Berliner (or West German) was known as a " Wessi" (from the German word for west, West). Both sides also engaged in stereotyping the other. A stereotypical Ossi had little ambition or poor work ethic and was chronically bitter, while a stereotypical Wessi was arrogant, selfish, impatient and pushy. [11] Boroughs [ edit ] Boroughs of East Berlin (as of 1987) After World War II and its subsequent occupation by the victorious countries, the devastated city was divided; West Berlin became a de facto exclave of West Germany, surrounded by the Berlin Wall (from August 1961 to November 1989) and East German territory. [16] East Berlin was declared capital of East Germany, while Bonn became the West German capital. Following German reunification in 1990, Berlin once again became the capital of all of Germany. The Museum Island Welcome Card gives you a 72 hour transport pass, free entry to all museums and collections on Berlin’s Museum Island (Pergamon Museum, Bode Museum, Altes Museum, Alte Nationalgalerie, and Neues Museum), and discounts at many other museums and attractions. A polyglot, David is fluent in English, Welsh, and French, and can also converse in Italian, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Czech and PolishIndividual Jewish athletes from a number of countries also chose to boycott the Berlin Olympics or Olympic qualifying trials. In the United States, some Jewish athletes and Jewish organizations such as the American Jewish Congress and the Jewish Labor Committee supported a boycott, as did a number of liberal Catholic politicians and many college presidents. However, once the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States opted in a close vote to participate in December 1935, other countries fell in line and the boycott movement failed. Preparation for the Games The Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Strasse is the only fully preserved part of the Wall in the city. Cross the street and climb to the viewpoint where you can look down on the Death Strip between the two sections of Wall, with the central Berlin skyline in the distance. Fernsehturm The Fernsehturm towers above Alexanderplatz The Fernsehturm and Berlin Wall Further information: List of sights in Berlin and List of tallest buildings in Berlin Panorama of the Gendarmenmarkt, showing the Konzerthaus Berlin, flanked by the German Church (left) and French Church (right) The Berlin Cathedral at Museum Island The TV Tower ( Berliner Fernsehturm) Since the students who served in the Lützow Free Corps came from various German states, the idea of a unified German state began to gain momentum within the Urburschenschaft and similar Burschenschaft that were subsequently formed throughout the Confederation. On 18 October 1817, the fourth anniversary of the Battle of Leipzig, hundreds of fraternity members and academics from across the Confederation states met in Wartburg in Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (in modern Thuringia), calling for a free and unified German nation. Lau, Mariam (17 October 2018). "Deutschlandfahne: Farbe bekennen". Zeit Online . Retrieved 5 January 2019.

Karl-Marx-Allee – originally Stalinallee – was the showcase street of the German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany). It’s one of the widest streets I’ve ever seen, 89 metres wide. There is an excellent information centre underground on the east side of the Memorial. One of the most moving monuments in Berlin. East Side Gallery, Berlin Wall Birgit Kinder’s Trabant mural at the East Side Gallery As people in East Germany began to realize that they did not want to live under the rule of the Soviet Union and communism, they started to leave the eastern part of the country and move to the west. These people were called defectors.For two weeks in August 1936, Adolf Hitler's Nazi dictatorship camouflaged its racist, militaristic character while hosting the Summer Olympics. Softpedaling its antisemitic agenda and plans for territorial expansion, the regime exploited the Games to bedazzle many foreign spectators and journalists with an image of a peaceful, tolerant Germany. a b Borcholte, Andreas (12 June 2016). "EM-Patriotismus: Schwarz-rot-kompliziert". Spiegel Online . Retrieved 5 January 2019. Berlin City Highlights Walking Tour: This walking tour also includes lots of Berlin attractions such as Brandenburg Gate, Tiergarten, Government district, Museum Island, and more It is estimated that around 5000 people escaped over or through the wall during the 28 years it stood. Around 200 were killed trying to escape. in Günter Heeman, Günther Meyer (eds.), Historisches vom Strom: Die deutschen Wasserschutzpolizeien - Geschichte und Gegenwart, Dr. Neufang Verlag, Gelsenkirchen, 2000.