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chancellor and initiating a program of persecution against communists, political opponents, Jews and many others. on September the 1st in 1939, hitler began Second World War which led to enormous bomb attacks of Berlin by the allied forces. Berlin capitulated on may 8th in 1945 followed by germany’s capitulation on the 9th. there were serious consequences, Berlin lay in ruins and its population had almost halved. from 1961 after taking over by the allied powers, Berlin was divided in two parts, east Berlin and West Berlin, separated by the well-known Berlin Wall. traveling between east germany and West germany has been made impossible for the population until the night of november the 9th in 1989, when the Berlin Wall was unexpectedly opened and both Berlin and the rest of Germany began celebrating the reunifcation. Berlin was once again chosen as the capital city of germany on october the 3rd in 1990. Berlin therefore is the seat of the German executive housed in the Chancellery (Bundeskanzleramt) by hosting the german parliament (Bundestag) and the federal government (reichstag). Since it had been divided prior to the German reunifcation in 1990 Berlin doesn’t have an outlined center. the subdivided capital resulted in a duplication of the several touristic sights. Unlike other european cities, its complexity of an interlocking neighborhood results in a unique status of Berlin. most tourists will be attracted by the “Berlin mitte” neighborhood with its dense gathering of history-charged attractions. the easiest way to get around is by foot. after taking a short look at the Berlin cathedral on the island of museum move on to the famous “Alexanderplatz”, the center of the former communist East Berlin with the world-renowned tV tower. Walking the promenade of “Unter den linden” will lead you to Berlin’s well-known (and probably the most crowded) landmark, the Brandenburg gate, a monument to the prussian empire. it is also the very spot of John f. Kennedy’s famous speech in which he declared: “ich bin ein Berliner”. now the Brandenburg gate stands there as a symbol of germany’s former division. Just to the north of this imposing monument you will fnd the current government headquarters of the country, the so- called Bundestag. if you head south, you’ll reach checkpoint charlie, a border crossing
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