History of Berlin in Timeline

Berlin is the capital and largest city of Germany, with a population of 3.7 million within city limits, making it the most populous city in the European Union. It is also one of Germany's states, bordering Brandenburg. Berlin's urban area has over 4.6 million residents, and the Berlin-Brandenburg capital region houses approximately 6.2 million people, ranking as Germany's second-largest metropolitan region and the fifth-biggest by GDP in the EU.

November 1902: One of driest months on record

November 1902 was one of the driest months on record in Berlin, with only 1 millimeter (0.039 in) of rainfall.

July 1907: Wettest month on record

July 1907 was the wettest month on record in Berlin, with 230 millimeters (9.1 in) of rainfall.

October 1908: One of driest months on record

October 1908 was one of the driest months on record in Berlin, with only 1 millimeter (0.039 in) of rainfall.

1912: Deutsche Oper Opens

In 1912, the Deutsche Oper opened in Charlottenburg.

1913: Volksbühne Built

In 1913, the Volksbühne at Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz was built, though the company had been founded in 1890.

1918: Republic proclaimed at Reichstag building

At the end of World War I in 1918, Philipp Scheidemann proclaimed a republic at the Reichstag building.

1918: End of Kingdom of Prussia and German Empire

In 1918, Berlin ceased to be the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia and the German Empire.

1918: End of Hohenzollern Rule

In 1918, the rule of the Hohenzollern family in Berlin came to an end.

1918: End of Potsdam as Royal Residence

Potsdam was a residence of the Prussian kings and the German Kaiser until 1918.

1919: Berlin designated capital of the Weimar Republic

In 1919, Berlin became the designated capital of the Weimar Republic.

October 1920: Formation of Greater Berlin

Greater Berlin was formed on 1 October 1920.

1920: Greater Berlin Act

In 1920, the Greater Berlin Act expanded the city, incorporating suburban areas and doubling the population.

1921: Albert Einstein awarded Nobel Prize for Physics

In 1921, Albert Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics during his time in Berlin.

1924: Construction of the Funkturm Berlin begins

Construction of the Funkturm Berlin, a 150-meter-tall (490 ft) lattice radio tower, began in 1924.

1926: Construction of the Funkturm Berlin completed

In 1926, the Funkturm Berlin, a 150-meter-tall (490 ft) lattice radio tower, was completed.

September 1928: One of driest months on record

September 1928 was one of the driest months on record in Berlin, with only 1 millimeter (0.039 in) of rainfall.

1930: Museum Island construction complete

In 1930, the construction of the five museums on Museum Island in the River Spree was completed. These museums were built from 1830 to 1930.

1933: Nazi Party came to power

In 1933, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party came to power and started planning monumental construction projects in Berlin.

1933: Berlin designated capital of Nazi Germany

In 1933, Berlin became the capital of Nazi Germany.

1933: Decline of Berlin's Jewish community begins

In 1933, the decline of Berlin's Jewish community began due to emigration following the rise of the Nazi Party.

1936: Berlin hosts Summer Olympics

In 1936, Berlin hosted the Summer Olympics, for which the Olympic stadium was built.

1938: Kristallnacht

After Kristallnacht in 1938, thousands of Jews in Berlin were imprisoned.

1938: Relocation of the Siegessäule

In 1938, the Siegessäule (Victory Column) was relocated from its previous position in front of the Reichstag.

1939: Jewish emigration

By 1939, emigration had reduced Berlin's Jewish community significantly.

1940: Pneumatic postal network length peak

By 1940, Berlin's pneumatic postal network reached a maximum length of 400 kilometers.

1943: Allied air raids begin

During World War II, in 1943, large parts of Berlin were destroyed during Allied air raids.

1943: Greater German Reich

In 1943, Berlin was part of the Greater German Reich.

1943: Deportation of Jews begins

Starting in early 1943, many Jews from Berlin were deported to ghettos and concentration camps.

May 1945: End of World War II

In May 1945, after the end of World War II in Europe, Berlin received large numbers of refugees and was divided into four sectors.

1945: Allied-occupied Berlin

From 1945, Berlin was under Allied occupation.

1945: Greater German Reich

In 1945, Berlin was part of the Greater German Reich.

1945: End of Nazi Germany

In 1945, Berlin's time as the capital of Nazi Germany came to an end.

1945: Demolition of Oberbaumbrücke center portion

In 1945, the center portion of the Oberbaumbrücke was demolished to prevent the Red Army from crossing.

June 1948: Berlin Blockade begins

In June 1948, the Soviet Union imposed the Berlin Blockade, which led to the Berlin airlift.

May 1949: Berlin Airlift ends

In May 1949, the Berlin airlift ended after supplying West Berlin with food and other supplies for almost a year.

1949: Pneumatic postal network split

In 1949, the Berlin pneumatic postal network was divided into two distinct networks.

1949: Berliner Ensemble Established

In 1949, the Berliner Ensemble, famous for performing the works of Bertolt Brecht, was established.

1952: Konzerthausorchester Berlin Founded

In 1952, the Konzerthausorchester Berlin was founded as the orchestra for East Berlin.

June 1953: Uprisings in East Berlin

The Straße des 17. Juni commemorates the uprisings in East Berlin of 17 June 1953.

1955: Tierpark Friedrichsfelde Founded

In 1955, Tierpark Friedrichsfelde, the city's other zoo, was founded.

1955: Migration background definition start

In December 2019, there were 542,975 German citizens with a "migration background", meaning they or one of their parents immigrated to Germany after 1955.

1961: Restrictions on pedestrian traffic at Oberbaumbrücke

After the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, pedestrian traffic was heavily restricted at the Oberbaumbrücke.

1961: Construction of the Berlin Wall begins

In 1961, East Germany began constructing the Berlin Wall around West Berlin.

1962: Schaubühne Founded

In 1962 the Schaubühne was founded.

June 1963: "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech

On 26 June 1963, John F. Kennedy gave his "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech in West Berlin.

1963: Hertha BSC Founding Member of Bundesliga

In 1963, Hertha BSC represented Berlin as a founding member of the Bundesliga.

1963: West Berlin system shut down

The West Berlin pneumatic postal system remained in public use until 1963.

1967: Town twinning with Los Angeles

Town twinning between West Berlin and other cities began with its sister city Los Angeles, California, in 1967.

1969: Construction of the Fernsehturm

In 1969, the Fernsehturm (TV tower) at Alexanderplatz in Mitte was built. It is among the tallest structures in the European Union, standing at 368 m (1,207 ft).

1971: Four-Power Agreement

In 1971, a Four-Power Agreement guaranteed access to and from West Berlin through East Germany.

1972: West Berlin pneumatic system discontinued

The West Berlin system continued to be utilized for government correspondence until 1972.

1976: East Berlin pneumatic postal network shutdown

The East Berlin pneumatic postal network remained functional until 1976.

1981: Schaubühne Moved to New Location

In 1981, the Schaubühne moved to the building of the former Universum Cinema on Kurfürstendamm.

1988: European Film Academy Founded

In 1988, the European Film Academy was founded in Berlin.

1989: Fall of the Berlin Wall and Rise of Underground Culture

After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, many historic buildings in Mitte were illegally occupied and rebuilt by young squatters, becoming a fertile ground for underground and counterculture gatherings.

1989: Fall of the Berlin Wall

In 1989, on 9 November, the Berlin Wall fell, leading to significant urban development in the city.

1989: Development of Transport Network

Since 1989, the public transport network in Berlin has been developed extensively, following the 20th-century division of the city.

October 1990: German Reunification

On 3 October 1990, the two parts of Germany were reunified, and Berlin became a reunified city.

December 1990: City-wide elections

In December 1990, city-wide elections were held in Berlin, leading to the election of the first "all Berlin" mayor.

1990: Germany

From 1990, Berlin was part of Germany.

1990: German Reunification

In 1990, following German reunification, Berlin once again became the capital of all of Germany.

January 1991: First elected mayor of a reunited Berlin

In January 1991, Eberhard Diepgen became the first elected mayor of a reunited Berlin.

June 1991: Bundestag votes to move capital

On 20 June 1991, the Bundestag voted to move the seat of the German capital from Bonn to Berlin.

1991: Lowest number of births

In 2014, Berlin recorded highest live births since 1991

1992: Increase in muslim population

Between 1992 and 2011 the Muslim population almost doubled in Berlin

1993: Power Grid Renewal

In 1993, the power grid connections in the Berlin-Brandenburg capital region were renewed.

June 1994: Allied troops withdrawal parade

On 18 June 1994, soldiers from the United States, France, and Britain marched in a parade to mark the withdrawal of allied occupation troops.

September 1994: Final departure of Western Allies forces

On 8 September 1994, the final departure of Western Allies forces from Berlin took place.

1994: Clause added to Basic Law

In 1994, Article 118a, was added to the Basic Law, which allows Berlin and Brandenburg to unify without federal approval.

1995: Resumption of U-Bahn service on the Oberbaumbrücke

In 1995, after German reunification, U-Bahn service resumed on the Oberbaumbrücke, and the center portion was reconstructed with a steel frame.

1996: Reconstruction of Hackesche Höfe

Around 1996, the Hackesche Höfe, a conglomeration of buildings around several courtyards, was reconstructed.

1996: Unsuccessful attempt of unifying Berlin and Brandenburg

In 1996, there was an unsuccessful attempt to unify the states of Berlin and Brandenburg.

1998: Government relocation to Berlin

In 1998, the German government relocated to Berlin, housing the German Parliament (Bundestag) in the renovated Reichstag building.

1999: Simon Rattle Becomes Principal Conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

In 1999, Simon Rattle became the principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

1999: Capital moved to Berlin

In 1999, the move of the German capital from Bonn to Berlin was completed.

1999: Federal Government Relocation Completed

In 1999, the relocation of the federal government and Bundestag to Berlin was mostly completed, although some ministries and departments remained in Bonn.

2000: Berlin Loses Bid for Summer Olympics

Berlin bid to host the 2000 Summer Olympics but lost to Sydney.

2001: Administrative reform

Berlin's administrative reform in 2001 merged several boroughs, reducing their number from 23 to 12.

2001: The Social Democratic Party (SPD) and The Left (Die Linke) take control of the city government

The Social Democratic Party (SPD) and The Left (Die Linke) took control of the city government after the 2001 state election.

2002: Construction of the Berlin Wall Trail begins

In 2002, construction of the "Berlin Wall Trail" (Berliner Mauerweg) began.

2003: German Film Academy Founded

In 2003, the German Film Academy (Deutsche Filmakademie) was founded in Berlin.

2005: City of Design

In 2005, Berlin was named "City of Design" by UNESCO.

2006: Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) Construction

Construction of the Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) began in 2006.

2006: Berlin Hosts FIFA World Cup Final

In 2006, Berlin was the host city for the FIFA World Cup final.

2006: FIFA World Cup Final

In 2006, the FIFA World Cup Final was held in Berlin.

2006: Berlin Wall Trail completed

In 2006, the construction of the "Berlin Wall Trail" (Berliner Mauerweg) was completed.

2006: The Social Democratic Party (SPD) and The Left (Die Linke) win another term

The Social Democratic Party (SPD) and The Left (Die Linke) won another term in the 2006 state election.

2008: Closure of Tempelhof Airport

Until 2008, Berlin was also served by the Tempelhof Airport.

2009: Culture industry growth

From 2009 to 2014, the culture industry grew at an average rate of 5.5% per year.

2009: Estimated unregistered inhabitants

In 2009, Berlin was estimated to have 100,000 to 250,000 unregistered inhabitants.

2009: Muslim population in Berlin

In 2009, approximately 249,000 Muslims were reported by the Office of Statistics to be members of mosques and Islamic religious organizations in Berlin.

2009: World Athletics Championships Held in Berlin

In 2009, the World Athletics Championships were held at Olympiastadion in Berlin.

2010: Daily Bike Riders

In 2010, around 500,000 daily bike riders accounted for 13 percent of the total traffic in Berlin.

2010: Largest religious denomination

In 2010, the largest religious denomination recorded in Berlin was the Protestant regional church body—the Evangelical Church of Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia (EKBO).

2011: Census on Religious Affiliation

According to the 2011 census, approximately 37 percent of the population in Berlin reported being members of a legally-recognized church or religious organization.

2011: Museums and Art Galleries

As of 2011, Berlin is home to 138 museums and more than 400 art galleries.

2011: Increase in muslim population

Between 1992 and 2011 the Muslim population almost doubled in Berlin

2012: Highest Annual Employment Growth Rate

From 2012 to 2015, Berlin had the highest annual employment growth rate as a German state.

2012: Scientists in R&D

In 2012, around 65,000 professional scientists were working in research and development in Berlin.

2012: Berlin Athletes at the Summer Olympics

In the 2012 Summer Olympics, forty-seven elite athletes participated, and Berliners achieved seven gold, twelve silver, and three bronze medals.

2012: Planned Opening of Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER)

The Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) was previously set to open in 2012, but was delayed.

2013: Motor Vehicle Registration

In 2013, 1.344 million motor vehicles were registered in Berlin, with 377 cars per 1000 residents.

2013: Sports and Fitness Club Registrations

In 2013, around 600,000 Berliners were registered in one of the more than 2,300 sport and fitness clubs.

2013: Federal budget

In 2013, the total annual federal budget managed by the German government exceeded €310 ($375) billion.

2014: Education Statistics

As of 2014, Berlin had 878 schools, teaching 340,658 students in 13,727 classes and 56,787 trainees in businesses and elsewhere.

2014: Airlines Serving Berlin

In 2014, 67 airlines served 163 destinations in 50 countries from Berlin.

2014: Creative Companies Operated

In 2014, around 30,500 creative companies operated in the Berlin-Brandenburg metropolitan region, predominantly SMEs, generating a revenue of 15.6 billion Euro.

2014: Beate Uhse Erotic Museum Closes

In 2014, the Beate Uhse Erotic Museum, which claimed to be the largest erotic museum in the world, closed.

2014: Record number of live births in Berlin since 1991

In 2014, the city-state Berlin had 37,368 live births (+6.6%), a record number since 1991. The number of deaths was 32,314.

November 2015: Unemployment Rate Low

In November 2015, the unemployment rate in Berlin reached a 24-year low, standing at 10.0%.

2015: Student Enrollment

A record number of 175,651 students were enrolled in the winter term of 2015/16 in Berlin.

2015: Leading Organizer of Conferences

According to figures from the International Congress and Convention Association, Berlin became the leading organizer of conferences globally in 2015, hosting 195 international meetings.

2015: Largest Power Plants

As of 2015, the five largest power plants in Berlin, measured by capacity, are the Heizkraftwerk Reuter West, the Heizkraftwerk Lichterfelde, the Heizkraftwerk Mitte, the Heizkraftwerk Wilmersdorf, and the Heizkraftwerk Charlottenburg.

2015: Venture Capital Leader in Europe

In 2015, Berlin generated the most venture capital for young startup companies in Europe.

2015: FIBA EuroBasket and UEFA Champions League Final Hosted

In 2015, Berlin was one of the hosts of FIBA EuroBasket and the venue for the UEFA Champions League Final.

2015: Airport Passenger Traffic

In 2015, Tegel Airport and Schönefeld Airport together handled 29.5 million passengers.

2015: Arkenberge hills become highest point in Berlin

In 2015, the Arkenberge hills in Pankow, reaching an elevation of 122 meters, became the highest point in Berlin due to the disposal of construction debris, surpassing Teufelsberg.

2015: Berlin as Europe's capital of Arab culture

The 2015 refugee crisis made Berlin Europe's capital of Arab culture.

2015: Total annual budget of Berlin

The total annual budget of Berlin in 2015 exceeded €24.5 ($30.0) billion, including a budget surplus of €205 ($240) million.

2016: Coalition between the Social Democratic Party, the Greens and the Left Party

From the 2016 state election until the 2023 state election, there was a coalition between the Social Democratic Party, the Greens and the Left Party.

2016: Euroleague Final Four in Berlin

In 2016, Berlin hosted the Euroleague Final Four basketball competition.

2016: Terrorist attack at Christmas market

In 2016, a terrorist attack linked to ISIL occurred at a Christmas market in Berlin, resulting in casualties.

2016: Estimated number of Muslims observing Ramadan

In 2016, the newspaper Der Tagesspiegel estimated that about 350,000 Muslims observed Ramadan in Berlin.

2016: Public Wireless LAN Sites

Since 2016, Berlin has installed several hundred free public Wireless LAN sites across the capital.

2017: Residents with a migration background

In 2017, 48 percent of the residents under the age of 15 in Berlin had a migration background.

2017: Digital Television Standard

Since 2017, the digital television standard in Berlin and Germany is DVB-T2.

2018: Members of the Evangelical and Catholic Churches

According to the Berlin residents register, in 2018 14.9 percent were members of the Evangelical Church, and 8.5 percent were members of the Catholic Church.

2018: Demonstrations against racism

In 2018, more than 200,000 protestors demonstrated against racism in Berlin.

2018: GDP Increase

In 2018, the GDP of Berlin totaled €147 billion, representing an increase of 3.1% over the previous year.

2018: Berlin Described as World Capital of Underground Electronic Music

In 2018, the New York Times described Berlin as "arguably the world capital of underground electronic music".

December 2019: Registered residents of foreign nationality

In December 2019, there were 777,345 registered residents of foreign nationality in Berlin.

2019: Berlin Functional Urban Area Population

As of 2019, the functional urban area of Berlin was home to about 5.2 million people.

2019: Best Future Prospects

In 2019, Berlin was honored for having the best future prospects of all cities in Germany.

2019: Registered residents with migration background

In 2019, about 437,000 registered residents of Berlin, 11.6% of the total, reported having a migration background from one of the Member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

October 2020: Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) Opens

In October 2020, Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) opened for commercial operations after extensive delays and cost overruns.

December 2020: Berlin Brandenburg Airport opens

In December 2020, the connecting link of U-Bahn line U5 from Alexanderplatz to Hauptbahnhof opened along with the new stations Rotes Rathaus and Unter den Linden.

2020: Commuting between Berlin and Brandenburg

In 2020, there were over 225,000 residents of Brandenburg that commute to Berlin.

2020: Partial opening of the Humboldt Forum postponed

The partial opening of the Humboldt Forum museum, housed in the reconstructed Berlin Palace, was postponed in 2020.

March 2021: Partial opening of the Humboldt Forum

In March 2021, a partial opening of the Humboldt Forum museum took place.

March 2021: Closure of BER's Terminal 5 announced

In March 2021, plans were announced to close Berlin Brandenburg Airport's (BER) Terminal 5.

2021: Berlin Ranks High in Michelin Star Restaurants

In 2021, 23 restaurants in Berlin were awarded one or more Michelin stars in the Michelin Guide, ranking the city at the top for the number of restaurants having this distinction in Germany.

2021: Berlin Urban Area Population

In 2021, the urban area of Berlin had a population of over 4.6 million inhabitants.

September 2022: Completion of the Humboldt Forum museum

On 16 September 2022, the Humboldt Forum museum was completed, becoming Germany's most expensive cultural project.

November 2022: Ukrainian refugees registered in Berlin

As of November 2022, an estimated 85,000 Ukrainian refugees were registered in Berlin, making Berlin the most popular destination of Ukrainian refugees in Germany.

2022: Tesla Gigafactory Opens

In 2022, American electric car manufacturer Tesla opened its first European Gigafactory outside the city borders in Grünheide (Mark), Brandenburg.

April 2023: New government coalition

Since April 2023, the government of Berlin has been formed by a coalition between the Christian Democrats and the Social Democrats.

2023: Headquarters in Berlin

As of 2023, Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe and Bundesverband der Deutschen Volksbanken und Raiffeisenbanken are headquartered in Berlin.

2023: Berlin Hosts Special Olympics World Summer Games

In 2023, Berlin hosted the Special Olympics World Summer Games, the first time Germany hosted the event.

2023: Fotografiska Berlin Opens

In 2023, Fotografiska Berlin opened in the Kunsthaus Tacheles, focusing on modern and contemporary photography through local and international photographers and public programming.

2023: Kai Wegner becomes Governing Mayor

Since 2023, Kai Wegner of the Christian Democrats has held the office of the Governing Mayor of Berlin.

2024: Quality of Living Ranking

According to Mercer, Berlin ranked number 19 in the Quality of Living City Ranking in 2024.

2024: Berlin Population

At the end of 2024, the city-state of Berlin had 3.897 million registered inhabitants.

2024: Livability Ranking by Monocle

In 2024, according to Monocle, Berlin was the 17th-most-livable city in the world.

2024: Taxicabs in Service

In 2024, around 8,000 taxicabs were in service in Berlin.

2025: Global Power City Index Ranking

In 2025, Berlin was ranked 10th on the Global Power City Index.

2025: Unemployment Payments

In 2025, approximately 330,000 people in Berlin received unemployment payments.

2025: Future World Athletics Championships

The World Athletics Championships will be held at Olympiastadion in Berlin in 2025.

2040: Planned Terminal Capacity

The planned initial capacity of around 27 million passengers per year at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) is to be further developed to bring the terminal capacity to approximately 55 million per year by 2040.