Berlin History

Berlin truly has a rich history. Over the years there have been so many changes in this city, and yet the people never seem to give up. While watching the fifteen part video, Berlin History, I learned a lot about this amazing city. It seems to be a place where ideas have always clashed. One aspect of Berlin’s past that I find fascinating is how the architecture of the city has evolved. Berlin started out as an average city, but under the guidance of architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel, the city transformed. Inspired by the elegance and classical style of cities like ancient Greece, Schinkel made the city look older than it really was. He turned the city into a European capital. Before long though, he became inspired by industrialism. Schinkel loved romanticism and beauty, but progressive form also excited him, so he melded the two into his architecture. And the city continued to progress. 

As the video tells us, “By the turn of the twentieth century, Berlin had become the most modern city in the western world.” This is quite remarkable, considering that this metropolis had just been a small city. It’s amazing to see how much Berlin changed, and continued to change. Another famous architect, Peter Behrens, left his mark on the city as well. Behrens believed that advances in technology had to be designed with artistic form. He wanted everything to be beautiful. And so creativity and beauty blossomed in the city, as modernism transformed Berlin. This seemed like a wonderful time in the history of Berlin’s architecture, combining both aesthetics and practicality. But this ended with Hitler. He wanted to create a new capital city under his reign. This didn’t last long though, as Berlin was demolished during WWII. The city was left in such ruins that some believed it would never be rebuilt. “But Berlin is a city that simply won’t give up,” Matt Frei states in the video. “A succession of new, old buildings keep appearing. They acknowledge rather than deny their history.” Throughout history the people of the city have not given up. They always seem to look forward, and yet don’t forget the past either. The city continues to grow, change, and rebuild even today.

the current Berlin skyline

Another historical aspect that I find both fascinating and heartbreaking is that of the Berlin Wall. After the end of WWII, Germany was divided between the Allies. The East was controlled by Russia, while the West was under the control of America, Britain, and France. Unofficially Berlin was also divided into East and West. Soon the ideologies of the two sides clashed. When East Berliners started fleeing to the West, the East German government decided to build a wall to keep East Berliners out of West Berlin and to keep West Berliners out of East Germany. Family, friends, and neighbors were separated overnight. Many still tried to flee to West Berlin, with people even jumping from windows on the border.  Some people were successful in crossing the new border and others lost their lives.

 I can’t even imagine what it must have been like for the citizens of Berlin. They were separated from the people they loved, cut off from work and supplies, not allowed to travel freely through their own city, and all of West Berlin was completely trapped within the wall. Although, these citizens in the West were free and came to stand as a symbol for freedom in the western world. They would not simply give up and bow their heads in defeat. The people of Berlin truly represented freedom. In 1963 John F. Kennedy visited West Berlin and gave a speech that ended with, “All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words ‘Ich bin ein Berliner!’” He gave support and hope to the people of this divided city. 

people celebrating the fall of the wall

  When the wall finally came down in 1989, it marked the end of the cruelties of the cold war. Germany was once again unified and free. Today a double line of bricks marks a path through the city where the wall once stood, as a reminder of the past. The video is truly correct in stating that “Berlin is a city where the past and the future just keep colliding.” The resilient Berliners keep moving forward while never forgetting their past. I now feel that I know a lot more about the history of this remarkable city and cannot wait to experience it in person. 

Word Count: 754

Martin Luther: Reluctant Revolutionary

Martin Luther

The video, Martin Luther: Reluctant Revolutionary gives the audience a look into the life of Martin Luther. He was a very influential figure in history. As a monk, Martin Luther saw problems within the Catholic Church and a need for reformation. Rather than just waiting for change to happen, Luther spoke out against the church. He stood up for what he believed in.

Luther's Ninety Five Theses

His Ninety-Five Theses first outlined his issues with the church in 1517. This was followed by more writings, which quickly circulated Europe with the help of the printing press. Of course the Pope was outraged with Luther and excommunicated him. When Luther was then called to appear before the Diet of Worms in 1521, he bravely refused to recant any of his writings because they were all true. Under the protection of Prince Frederick the Wise of Saxony, Luther was able to spark the Reformation.

Luther appears before the Diet of Worms

As quoted from the video, Martin Luther stated, “I decide to believe freely and to be a slave to the authority of no one, whether counsel, university, or pope. And I was bound not only to assert the truth but to defend it with my blood and death.” This is truly a remarkable statement for this time period. His strong belief in freedom was exemplary. He stood up to the authority of the church and the state and became a leader. Luther was a new kind of free thinker. He wanted to liberate mans’ relation with God, liberate the vision of salvation, free the people from oppression, and put an emphasis on the individual. His radical principles of religious freedom faced opposition, but also received support. The people of Germany found hope in his words and views. Traveling across the country to the Diet of Worms, Luther found he had gained more popularity than he had imagined. It was moving to see the support of the German people. A hope had been awakened in them, and now they were calling for reform too. Before long his ideals began to spread across the world.   

Martin Luther was successful as a cultural, religious, and political revolutionary. Although, I don’t think he meant to cause such a revolution initially. He just wanted to see change in the church and spoke out about it. Once the people were on board with his beliefs, a revolution was born. He gave people hope and a new thirst for freedom. For his efforts, Luther will forever go down in history as a great emancipator of humanity. I truly have a great respect for this man, as I too strongly believe in personal freedoms. In a time where he knew his beliefs could easily get him killed, Luther shared his vision of freedom. He stood up for his beliefs and changed the course of history. 

pictured here are Luther and others important to the Reformation

 Word Count: 465

Germany: A New History

Martin Luther

After reading the first two chapters of Hagen Schulze’s book, Germany: A New History, I feel that I have a better understanding of early German history. I find it fascinating to learn how Germany evolved into what we see today. The aspect I found most intriguing though was how religion shaped this part of the world. When the churches were becoming greedy and taking advantage of the citizens, calls for reform rang across the lands. Martin Luther became an important figure in this Reformation. His beliefs and teachings gave people a new way to look at Christianity. He even made the Bible accessible to a much greater population by translating it into the vernacular. Luther challenged the corruption he saw in Catholicism and gave a new hope to the people. 

Of course not everyone believed in the teachings of Lutheranism, but rather believed the only true faith was that of Catholicism. These denominational divisions eventually led to the Thirty Years’ War from 1618 to 1648, which aimed to restore a religious unity to Europe. This bloody war cost millions of lives and ended up just giving the Catholics and Protestants equal representation. 

The Battle of Rocroi, near the end of the Thirty Years' War

This religious turmoil seems to reveal something common across humanity, not just in Germany. I myself am not a very religious person, but I know that religion is important to much of the world. In this case, religion was important in the shaping of Germany and German culture, even though it led to war. Throughout history, differing religious beliefs have been the basis for many wars and other violence. In Europe alone there have been many wars of religion, including the Crusades and the Spanish Reconquista. So why does history keep repeating itself? Why do people keep fighting over religion? 

I believe it is a part of human nature for people to defend their beliefs and retaliate when they feel threatened. With so many ways to look at the world, religion can easily become a touchy subject. It forms a basis in the lives of so many people. The problem is that everyone believes their way of thinking is the right way of thinking. Intolerance of other religions or groups of people throughout time has led people to try to convert others to their belief system, or even entirely eliminate the other party. 

For me, growing up in this particular time and place it seems silly to fight over religion. I don’t see why people can’t just live peacefully together and let different religions coexist. But this is a different time after all. Learning about the religious turmoil of the past helps me to understand how the present day has come to be. Religion may have caused a great deal of conflict over time, but it has brought countries together and delivered us to where we are today. 

Word Count: 470