History

Berlin is the capital of Germany and also a federal state. With around three and a half million inhabitants, Berlin is the largest German city and the largest city in the European Union. It is located in eastern Germany and is surrounded on all sides by the state of Brandenburg. South of Berlin lies the Brandenburg capital Potsdam.

Berlin was founded almost 800 years ago. It became the capital of Prussia and, from 1871, also of Germany. The city expanded rapidly at that time because many factories were built, attracting more and more people to live and work there. To facilitate faster commutes, Berlin was home to the first suburban and underground railway systems in Germany.

Much of Berlin was destroyed during World War II. The victors divided Berlin: the west was occupied by Great Britain, France, and the USA, the east by the Soviet Union. Because increasing numbers of people fled from East to West Berlin, the Berlin Wall was built in 1961. Thus, the inhabitants of the two districts lived separated for 28 years, until the fall of the Wall in 1989. Soon after, Berlin once again became the capital city.

Going to Berlin as an au pair