Berlin

Berlin (German: Berlin [bɛɐ̯li ː n]) - the capital of Germany, the largest and most populated city in Germany. After London Berlin - the second in terms of population and the fifth area of ​​the city the EU. Berlin - one of the 16 states in the Federal Republic of Germany. The city is situated on the banks of the Spree (connected with this "nickname" of Berlin «Spree-Athen» - «Athens on the Spree") and Havel in the center of the federal state of Brandenburg, of which it is not (since 1920).
Around 1200 on the site of modern Berlin offers two trading settlement - Cologne and Berlin. The exact date of receipt of the rights of the urban unknown. Cologne city rights were first mentioned in 1237, the city rights of Berlin - in 1244. In 1307 the city joined together to form the overall city government. In 1400 the combined population of Berlin was 8000. The historical name of "Cologne" is reflected in the title of the Berlin district of Neukölln.
Berlin was the capital margraviate / Electorate of Brandenburg (since 1417), Prussia (Brandenburg Electorate after the merger with the Duchy of Prussia), and after the creation of the German Empire became its capital.
After World War II, in accordance with the decisions of the Yalta Conference in Berlin, although located in the Soviet zone of occupation in Germany was divided into four victorious powers to the occupation sectors. Later, three sectors have been transformed Allied occupation in West Berlin, was admitted as a special public education, but certainly closely associated with Germany. Movement between sectors of Berlin for a long time remained free and in order to prevent leakage of the population in the western sector of the GDR government decided on the construction of the Berlin Wall, is surrounded on August 13, 1961 West Berlin. The Berlin Wall, which has become one of the main symbols of the Cold War, lasted until 1989. After the unification of Germany in 1990, it became the capital of a reunited Berlin. In 1994 he moved there from
Bonn presidential administration and the Bundestag in 1999 and the administration of the Federal Chancellor, along with the federal ministries.
Today Berlin is a world cultural center. This is a major European transport hub and one of the most visited cities on the continent. Universities, research institutions and museums in Berlin are known all over the world. The city living and working artists, diplomats and immigrants from all over the world.
Geography
Berlin is located in eastern Germany, 70 kilometers from the border with Poland. Berlin has the rights of federal land and is located entirely within the federal state of Brandenburg. The historic center of Berlin is located in the valley, in the valley of the River Spree, between moraine hills (hills), called Barney and Teltow. A significant part of the modern city is also in these hills: part of the administrative districts Raynikkendorf, Pankow, Lichtenberg, Marzahn-Hellersdorf Barnime located on and in the districts of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Tempelhof-Schöneberg, and Neukölln - an elevated Teltow.
Climate
The city is located in the temperate climate zone. The average annual temperature is +9,9 ° C. The warmest months - are June, July and August with an average temperature +18,8 ° C, and the coldest - December, January and February with an average temperature +1,3 ° C. In the city the average winter temperature is 2-3 degrees higher than in the surrounding area.
Emergence
Berlincity originated from a pair of Berlin - Cologne. Cologne was located on an island in the River Spree, Berlin in front of him, on the eastern shore. Cologne was first mentioned in 1237 (28.10), Berlin in 1244 (26.01). In 1307, the two cities were united and constructed a general hall. According narodnoetimologicheskoy version (for example, a researcher Theodore Zell (German Theodor Zell), name of the city comes from the German word for "bear" (German Bär). As is known, at least since 1280 bear is a symbol of Berlin.  According to one name "Berlin" (like other with impact-in - Schwerin, Stettin) is of Slavic origin and dates back to Ziva berl-/birl- («Swamp").  From a similar Indo-European root wern-/werl (which also means "moorland") are the names of many European cities.
City-Residence Electors
In 1415 I founded the Elector Frederick the Margraviate of Brandenburg and the rules in it until 1440. Since that time, members of the Hohenzollern dynasty ruled in Berlin until 1918, first as margraves of Brandenburg, then as kings of Prussia, and finally as German Emperor (Kaiser). Urban residents welcomed the change of power is not always the case. For example, in 1448, referred to the urban riots against the construction of the castle Elector Frederick II the Iron. But this protest was not successful, and the population, in turn, has lost many of the economic and political freedoms. In 1451, Berlin was proclaimed a city-residence of the Brandenburg electors, and Margraves and lost its status as a free trade city. The Thirty Years War (between 1618 and 1648) strongly affected the city: one-third of homes were destroyed, the city lost half of the population. Frederick William, known as the Great Elector of Brandenburg, in 1640 adopted a rule from his father. His policy was characterized by stimulation of immigration and a high degree of religious tolerance. In the second year of his reign, he founded the suburbs Friedrichswerder, Doroteenshtadt and Friedrichstadt. In 1671, Friedrich Wilhelm gave refuge to 50 Jewish families from Austria. Edict of Potsdam in 1685, he invited the French Huguenots to Brandenburg. Brought together more than 15,000 French, 6,000 of them settled in Berlin. Around 1700 for 20 percent of the residents of Berlin were French, and the French cultural influence was enormous. Also in the city already had a lot of immigrants from Bohemia, Poland, and Salzburg.

Royal capital
In 1701, as a result of the coronation of Frederick I in Berlin has acquired the status of the capital of Prussia. In 1709 followed the union of Berlin, Cologne, Friedrichswerder, Doroteenshtadt and Friedrichstadt. But in fact, these suburbs have long been regarded as Berlin. October 9, 1760 during the Seven Years' War (1756-1763 years) Berlin surrendered to the Russian corps under General Count ZG Chernyshev. Were taken prisoner 4500 soldiers. As trophies Russian got 143 guns, 18,000 rifles and pistols and nearly 2 million thalers indemnity. Symbolic keys to the Berlin city authorities transferred Russian general, now stored in the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg. After four days in Berlin, the news of the approach to the city's major enemy, Chernyshev brought his body to the winter quarters. October 14, 1806 in a battle with Napoleon's army at Jena and Auerstadt Prussia suffered a crushing defeat. This led to the beginning of the reforms that have become critical in the future development of the Prussian state. "Prussian reform" gave a powerful impetus to the economy and education. In November 1806, French troops entered Berlin. 21 (9) in November 1806 in Berlin, Napoleon declared the continental blockade of England. In February 1813, the Russian troops led by the AI ​​Chernyshev again occupied Berlin, chasing the remnants of Napoleon's army. By 1861 in the Berlin included new suburbs, such as Wedding, Moabit, Tempelhof, Schöneberg.
The capital of the German Empire and the Weimar Republic
In 1871 Berlin became the capital of the newly formed German Empire. At the end of the First World War in 1919, in Berlin, was proclaimed the so-called Weimar Republic. Officially, the state continued to be called "German Reich" (German: Deutsches Reich), as in the days of the German Empire. In 1920 he followed the law on the basis of Greater Berlin, bringing together many small towns, estates and districts around Berlin. After that, the population of Berlin, over 4 million people. Berlin became the largest industrial, scientific and cultural center of Germany and
The capital of Nazi Germany
In 1933, after coming to power of the National Socialists in Berlin became the capital of Nazi Germany. In 1936, the Berlin Olympic Games were held, which were used by the Nazis for propaganda purposes. Under the direction of Albert Speer was a master plan for future development of Berlin as "capital of the world - Germania». In 1945, Berlin was caused severe destruction by bombing, shelling and street fighting.
From split to unity
During the war and after the war most of Berlin was devastated by numerous bombings and street battles in 1945. After the capture of the city by the Red Army and the complete and unconditional surrender of Germany, Berlin, as well as the whole of Germany, was divided into three sectors under foreign control. The sectors of the Western Allies (USA, UK) have been formed in the western part of the city, and the sector of the Soviet Union - in the east. On July 26, 1945 was set forth the French sector.
The confrontation of the Western Allies and the Soviet Union resulted in 1948 - 1949 years of economic blockade of West Berlin, to overcome which the Western Allies organized the so-called air bridge to supply the city. This conflict has also led to the formation of the two German states in the occupied territories: first, in the west part of Germany, and then by the German Democratic Republic in the east - both in 1949.
In 1953, in East Berlin, there was a mass anti-government protests, suppressed by the Soviet occupation forces.

West Berlin is "a showcase of the West," a city with a high standard of living, social security, democratic freedoms.
While Germany has placed a "temporary capital" in Bonn, the German Democratic Republic has placed its capital in East Berlin. Aggravation of confrontation between East and West Berlin in 1961 has resulted in the construction of the Berlin Wall, which was built on the initiative of the socialist GDR. Transition people from one territory to another is possible only through the border checkpoints. In 1971 he signed a quadripartite agreement on West Berlin, to settle the legal status of the divided city.
After 1949, during the initial period of separation of the two (eastern and western) part, a striking feature of all regional development projects, the city was almost completely ignored by architects (both in the west and the east) of the political realities. Adjacent parts of the urban area considered in this period as the implementation of common objects on a plan of architectural projects. So, for example, repeatedly being developed in the period of 1965-1978 years "Plan of West Berlin" in terms of development of the demographic hypotheses and proposals for the development of transport infrastructure covers the entire area of ​​Greater Berlin. And only in 1984 developed a new version of the plan of his design decisions were strictly focused on the problems of development of the western part of the city and almost any problem related to the development of the eastern part or the whole of the urban area as a whole.
A similar trend can be seen in the history of the development plan of East Berlin. As in the same plane, which began compiling in 1949 and is adjacent to it in the "Plan of the spatial organization of the Greater Berlin" (the beginning of development - 1955) in the analysis and solution of all problems of planning it was a single urban area . Throughout its territory, as well as a dedicated area within it direct gravitational Berlin (within 30 km) had developed a single, designed for the long-term concept of the functional use of the area, providing for the possibility of settlement here at least 4 million people. In accordance with this concept envisaged a sharp increase in the intensity of use of residential and industrial areas, while maintaining large vacant spaces intended for agricultural and recreational use.
There are also large-scale reconstruction of the existing activities in the area of ​​the road network: the completion of the ring road, its connection with highways to transport tangential quadrilateral "bypass" of the central part of the city, creating a system of representative street connecting urban centers with an area of ​​city center. Kurfürstendamm area was treated as a single business center (sort of the "City"), however, no clear guidance to carry out its specific functions.
The Berlin Wall fell in 1989, but under the pressure of the population of the GDR, and it happened due to refusal of the Soviet Union to intervene in the internal affairs of the GDR. October 3, 1990 the GDR joined the area of ​​the Basic Law of the Federal Republic. Germany became a unified state. In 1991, the Bundestag passed a decision on the future of moving to Berlin, thus summed up the discussion about the location of the capital of a united Germany. September 1, 1999 the government and the German parliament has started to work in Berlin. Embassy in Berlin is 147 states.
Economy
Berlin - a major economic and financial center not only of Germany, but the EU as a whole. Developed mainly electronic industry, mechanical engineering, transport construction, the city is an important center for trade, the venue for international trade fairs and exhibitions. In 2009, the gross domestic product of Berlin was € 90,1 billion , compared to 2008, the nominal GDP grew by 1.7%.  Compared with the regional GDP (PPP) per capita in the EU in 2007, Berlin has an index and 97.8, while the index was 82.2 in Brandenburg, Germany, and in general - 115.8 . The unemployment rate in Berlin quite high - 13.6% (in May 2010), while the national average it was 7.7%. About 17% of the population receive assistance under the Social Code.  About 80% of companies in Berlin working in the service sector. 30 German companies with the DAX index has its headquarters in Berlin, among them Siemens AG, Deutsche Bahn AG and others