Berlin und Berliner Geschichten

Cities – The Real Berlin 1 of 2 – BBC Travel Documentary, recorded 26.09.2010 In Berlin the past is always present, and the present is on the fast-track to the future. The German capital is a confident, sassy and irreverent city that buzzes with giddying energy and a zest for experimentation. Over the past decade, it’s become a pillar of the fashion, art, design and music worlds, not just keeping up with but setting new trends. The bustling city of Berlin is always on the go A global influx of creative people has turned the city into a cauldron of cool that’s often compared to New York in the 80s. What draws them is Berlin’s legendary climate of tolerance, openness and experimentation infused with an edgy undercurrent that gives this ‘eternally unfinished’ city its street cred. But the times are a-changing, ever so slowly. As foreign investors snap up cheap real estate, the city’s famously low rents are evaporating, open lots are sprouting high-rise offices and ‘loft-living’ is becoming the new buzzword. Formerly gritty areas – that until recently made headlines for their high crime rates and low educational levels – are now firmly in the grip of gentrification. Changing circumstances Still, Berlin remains undeniably addictive. Like some hyperactive child, this dynamic capital hates standing still. Having adapted to changing circumstances so many times, it has made a virtue of reinventing itself. Berlin staged a revolution, was ruled by fascists, bombed to bits, ripped in …