91-577: Only operating and branch points of the GAR are shown. Source: German railway atlas The Berlin Outer Freight Ring (German: Güteraußenring , GAR) was a planned ring railway around the city of Berlin , Germany. The first sections of a line to the west of the city were built in the early 20th century as part of the Brandenburg Bypass Railway ( Umgehungsbahn ). Even then, there were plans for
182-735: A 2016 terrorist attack linked to ISIL , a truck was deliberately driven into a Christmas market next to the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church , leaving 13 people dead and 55 others injured. In 2018, more than 200,000 protestors took to the streets in Berlin with demonstrations of solidarity against racism, in response to the emergence of far-right politics in Germany . Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) opened in 2020, nine years later than planned, with Terminal 1 coming into service at
273-501: A Slavic-derived name: Pankow , Steglitz-Zehlendorf , Marzahn-Hellersdorf , Treptow-Köpenick , and Spandau . Of Berlin's ninety-six neighborhoods, twenty-two bear a Slavic-derived name: Altglienicke , Alt-Treptow , Britz , Buch , Buckow , Gatow , Karow , Kladow , Köpenick , Lankwitz , Lübars , Malchow , Marzahn , Pankow , Prenzlauer Berg , Rudow , Schmöckwitz , Spandau , Stadtrandsiedlung Malchow , Steglitz , Tegel and Zehlendorf . The earliest human settlements in
364-631: A bypass south of Berlin. The first bits were built in the early 1920 and more sections followed in the 1930s. The line could not be completed due to the impact of the Second World War. The completed section consisted of a mainly single-track link running from Teltow to Berlin-Karow to the south and east of Berlin. Part of the route line later became part of the Berlin outer ring ( Berliner Außenring , BAR). The Outer Freight Ring began in Teltow freight yard on
455-475: A camp for Sinti and Romani people (see Romani Holocaust ), and the Stalag III-D prisoner-of-war camp for Allied POWs of various nationalities. During World War II, large parts of Berlin were destroyed during 1943–45 Allied air raids and the 1945 Battle of Berlin . The Allies dropped 67,607 tons of bombs on the city, destroying 6,427 acres of the built-up area. Around 125,000 civilians were killed. After
546-662: A center of the Enlightenment , but also, was briefly occupied during the Seven Years' War by the Russian army. Following France's victory in the War of the Fourth Coalition , Napoleon Bonaparte marched into Berlin in 1806 , but granted self-government to the city. In 1815, the city became part of the new Province of Brandenburg . The Industrial Revolution transformed Berlin during
637-753: A city district separate from Brandenburg. In the early 20th century, Berlin had become a fertile ground for the German Expressionist movement. In fields such as architecture, painting and cinema new forms of artistic styles were invented. At the end of the First World War in 1918, a republic was proclaimed by Philipp Scheidemann at the Reichstag building . In 1920, the Greater Berlin Act incorporated dozens of suburban cities, villages, and estates around Berlin into an expanded city. The act increased
728-507: A combined state of Berlin and Brandenburg is different from other state fusion proposals. Normally, Article 29 of the Basic Law stipulates that a state fusion requires a federal law. However, a clause added to the Basic Law in 1994, Article 118a, allows Berlin and Brandenburg to unify without federal approval, requiring a referendum and a ratification by both state parliaments. In 1996, there
819-510: A continental hub for air and rail traffic and has a complex public transportation network . Tourism in Berlin makes the city a popular global destination. Significant industries include information technology, the healthcare industry , biomedical engineering , biotechnology , the automotive industry , and electronics . Berlin is home to several universities such as the Humboldt University of Berlin , Technische Universität Berlin ,
910-417: A microclimate, with heat stored by the city's buildings and pavement . Temperatures can be 4 °C (7 °F) higher in the city than in the surrounding areas. Annual precipitation is 570 millimeters (22 in) with moderate rainfall throughout the year. Snowfall mainly occurs from December through March. The hottest month in Berlin was July 1834, with a mean temperature of 23.0 °C (73.4 °F) and
1001-424: A monumental ensemble. The National Socialist regime embarked on monumental construction projects in Berlin as a way to express their power and authority through architecture . Adolf Hitler and Albert Speer developed architectural concepts for the conversion of the city into World Capital Germania ; these were never implemented. NSDAP rule diminished Berlin's Jewish community from 160,000 (one-third of all Jews in
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#17330862475661092-546: A plan for the building of a Regionalbahn platform in Köpenick. This would replace the existing Regionalbahn station of Karlshorst . The latter was established after the building of the Berlin Wall as a temporary long-distance station. The proposal is supported by several parties, including the nearby Forum Köpenick shopping centre. Originally Deutsche Bahn planned to carry out this work by 2007. Following financial difficulties and
1183-413: A small margin, largely based on support in former West Berlin , Brandenburg voters disapproved of the fusion by a large margin. It failed largely due to Brandenburg voters not wanting to take on Berlin's large and growing public debt and fearing losing identity and influence to the capital. Berlin is in northeastern Germany, in an area of low-lying marshy woodlands with a mainly flat topography , part of
1274-592: A three-track reversing facility for suburban trains located to the east and a freight loading point on the long-distance tracks. A horse tramway connected the station with the centre of Köpenick from 1883 and was converted to electric operation in 1903. On 11 June 1928, a 750 volt third rail , installed at the side of the track, was brought into operation on the suburban tracks. Since initially insufficient trains were available for electrical operations, mixed diesel and electrical operations continued until 20 March 1929. The electrification involved extensive work, including
1365-460: Is an iconic landmark of Berlin and Germany; it stands as a symbol of eventful European history and of unity and peace. The Reichstag building is the traditional seat of the German Parliament. It was remodeled by British architect Norman Foster in the 1990s and features a glass dome over the session area, which allows free public access to the parliamentary proceedings and magnificent views of
1456-640: The Forum Fridericianum along with, the Berlin State Opera , Charlottenburg Palace , Gendarmenmarkt , Alte Kommandantur , as well as the City Palace . The tallest buildings in Berlin are spread across the urban area, with clusters at Potsdamer Platz , City West , and Alexanderplatz . Over one-third of the city's area consists of green and open-space, with the Großer Tiergarten , one of
1547-746: The Anhalt Railway . The starting point was chosen because the Großbeeren marshalling yard was to be built south of Teltow. From there the Michendorf–Großbeeren railway had connected the Anhalt Railway with the Seddin marshalling yard on the Berlin-Blankenheim railway since 1926. To the south of Teltow station, the now closed Teltow Railway connected to Teltow and various industrial enterprises on
1638-843: The Berlin University of the Arts and the Free University of Berlin . The Berlin Zoological Garden is the most visited zoo in Europe. Babelsberg Studio is the world's first large-scale movie studio complex and the list of films set in Berlin is long. Berlin is also home to three World Heritage Sites : Museum Island , the Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin , and the Berlin Modernism Housing Estates . Other landmarks include
1729-506: The Berlin Wall around West Berlin, and events escalated to a tank standoff at Checkpoint Charlie . West Berlin was now de facto a part of West Germany with a unique legal status, while East Berlin was de facto a part of East Germany. John F. Kennedy gave his " Ich bin ein Berliner " speech on 26 June 1963, in front of the Schöneberg city hall, located in the city's western part, underlining
1820-545: The Berlin-Frankfurt (Oder) railway ("Lower Silesian–Markish Railway"). The station was opened on 23 October 1842 with the Berlin–Frankfurt (Oder) railway. The station was then only a few kilometres from the then independent town of Köpenick. A road was built between the town and the station, which is now called Bahnhofstrasse (station street). Between 1899 and 1902, the station facilities were completely rebuilt for
1911-707: The Berlin–Halle railway (Anhalt Railway) and the Berlin–Dresden railway . Another yard was planned in the Mahlsdorf area. In 1922, after the First World War, 44 million Marks were approved for the construction of these projects in the budget of the Reich Ministry of Transport . The Seddin freight yard was opened in the early 1920s and a link to Großbeeren on the Anhalt Railway was opened in 1926. Continued construction
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#17330862475662002-1055: The Brandenburg Gate , the Reichstag building , Potsdamer Platz , the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe , and the Berlin Wall Memorial . Berlin has numerous museums , galleries, and libraries. [REDACTED] Margraviate of Brandenburg 1237–1618 [REDACTED] Brandenburg-Prussia 1618–1701 [REDACTED] Kingdom of Prussia 1701–1867 [REDACTED] North German Confederation 1867–1871 [REDACTED] German Empire 1871–1918 [REDACTED] Weimar Republic 1918–1933 [REDACTED] Nazi Germany 1933–1945 [REDACTED] Allied-occupied Germany 1945–1949 [REDACTED] West Germany 1949–1990 [REDACTED] East Germany 1949–1990 [REDACTED] Germany 1990–present Berlin lies in northeastern Germany. Most of
2093-676: The Burgundians followed. In the 7th century Slavic tribes, the later known Hevelli and Sprevane , reached the region. In the 12th century the region came under German rule as part of the Margraviate of Brandenburg , founded by Albert the Bear in 1157. Early evidence of middle age settlements in the area of today's Berlin are remnants of a house foundation dated 1270 to 1290, found in excavations in Berlin Mitte . The first written records of towns in
2184-500: The German revolutions of 1848–1849 . During the Gründerzeit , an industrialization-induced economic boom triggered a rapid population increase in Berlin. 1920s Berlin was the third-largest city in the world by population. After World War II and following Berlin's occupation, the city was split into West Berlin and East Berlin , divided by the Berlin Wall . East Berlin was declared
2275-715: The Karl-Marx-Allee heads east, an avenue lined by monumental residential buildings, designed in the Socialist Classicism style. Adjacent to this area is the Rotes Rathaus (City Hall), with its distinctive red-brick architecture. In front of it is the Neptunbrunnen , a fountain featuring a mythological group of Tritons , personifications of the four main Prussian rivers, and Neptune on top of it. The Brandenburg Gate
2366-663: The Rhine-Ruhr region, and the fifth-biggest metropolitan region by GDP in the European Union . Berlin was built along the banks of the Spree river, which flows into the Havel in the western borough of Spandau . The city incorporates lakes in the western and southeastern boroughs, the largest of which is Müggelsee . About one-third of the city's area is composed of forests, parks and gardens , rivers, canals, and lakes. First documented in
2457-697: The Sgn signalbox and connected to the Wriezen Railway running north from Magerviehhof station and enabled passenger trains to run to Lichtenberg station , which took over the traffic from the Stettiner Bahnhof . In 1957, the section of the GAR between Springpfuhl and Karow was closed and replaced by the new route of the largely two-track Berlin Outer Ring. From 1957 until the completion of the Biesdorf Cross in 1971,
2548-491: The Teltow Canal . The Outer Freight Ring ran to the east from a junction north of Teltow station. From there, a proposed western extension of the ring to Potsdam via Stahnsdorf has not been realised. The line ran via Osdorf, Lichtenrade (connecting there to the Berlin–Dresden railway ) and Großziethen to Schönefeld and from there it substantially followed the modern S-Bahn line via Altglienicke to Grünau Cross. Next,
2639-646: The Wayback Machine and still impacts urban planning decisions. Walter Momper, the mayor of West Berlin, became the first mayor of the reunified city in the interim. City-wide elections in December 1990 resulted in the first "all Berlin" mayor being elected to take office in January 1991, with the separate offices of mayors in East and West Berlin expiring by that time, and Eberhard Diepgen (a former mayor of West Berlin) became
2730-800: The end of World War II in Europe in May 1945, Berlin received large numbers of refugees from the Eastern provinces. The victorious powers divided the city into four sectors, analogous to Allied-occupied Germany the sectors of the Allies of World War II (the United States, the United Kingdom, and France) formed West Berlin , while the Soviet Union formed East Berlin . All four Allies of World War II shared administrative responsibilities for Berlin. However, in 1948, when
2821-449: The states of Germany , and is the third smallest state in the country in terms of area. Berlin is surrounded by the state of Brandenburg , and Brandenburg's capital Potsdam is nearby. The urban area of Berlin has a population of over 4.5 million and is therefore the most populous urban area in Germany. The Berlin-Brandenburg capital region has around 6.2 million inhabitants and is Germany's second-largest metropolitan region after
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2912-453: The 13th century and at the crossing of two important historic trade routes , Berlin was designated the capital of the Margraviate of Brandenburg (1417–1701), Kingdom of Prussia (1701–1918), German Empire (1871–1918), Weimar Republic (1919–1933), and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). Berlin served as a scientific, artistic, and philosophical hub during the Age of Enlightenment , Neoclassicism , and
3003-423: The 19th century; the city's economy and population expanded dramatically, and it became the main railway hub and economic center of Germany. Additional suburbs soon developed and increased the area and population of Berlin. In 1861, neighboring suburbs including Wedding , Moabit and several others were incorporated into Berlin. In 1871, Berlin became capital of the newly founded German Empire . In 1881, it became
3094-496: The 20th century. 17% of Berlin's buildings are Gründerzeit or earlier and nearly 25% are of the 1920s and 1930s, when Berlin played a part in the origin of modern architecture . Devastated by the bombing of Berlin in World War II many of the buildings that had survived in both East and West were demolished during the postwar period. After the reunification, many important heritage structures have been reconstructed , including
3185-582: The Berlin–Wrocław railway represented the main railway towards the Soviet Union, both S-Bahn tracks were dismantled rather than a long-distance track. Three years later, however, a single S-Bahn track was restored for electrical operations to Köpenick in January 1948 and as far as Erkner in November 1948. The second track was restored through Köpenick in 1957. The city development plan traffic for Berlin includes
3276-718: The Dresden Railway, which were only located on West Berlin territory, served until the 1970s as connections to local factories. The direct connection of the Heidekraut Railway to Wilhelmsruh was interrupted by the Wall. Thus all traffic towards Berlin subsequently ran via the Karow–Basdorf bypass. The section between Wensickendorf and the Northern Railway served as the detour route and had military-strategic purposes. A section of
3367-770: The Federal Republic of Germany was founded in West Germany and eventually included all of the American, British and French zones, excluding those three countries' zones in Berlin, while the Marxist–Leninist German Democratic Republic was proclaimed in East Germany . West Berlin officially remained an occupied city, but it politically was aligned with the Federal Republic of Germany despite West Berlin's geographic isolation. Airline service to West Berlin
3458-434: The Heidekraut Railway and an extension from Wensickendorf to the Northern Railway to Fichtengrund at Oranienburg . It had nothing to do with the original plan for the Outer Freight Ring, which would have run further south, partly through the area then belonging to West Berlin. The chainage of the existing GAR was continued on the new route. The Biesenhorst–Karow section was rebuilt. A connection from Oranienburg to Velten
3549-426: The Huguenot immigration. Many other immigrants came from Bohemia , Poland , and Salzburg . Since 1618, the Margraviate of Brandenburg had been in personal union with the Duchy of Prussia . In 1701, the dual state formed the Kingdom of Prussia , as Frederick III, Elector of Brandenburg , crowned himself as king Frederick I in Prussia . Berlin became the capital of the new Kingdom, replacing Königsberg . This
3640-481: The Museumsinsel U-Bahn station opened in 2021, which completed all new works on the U5. A partial opening by the end of 2020 of the Humboldt Forum museum, housed in the reconstructed Berlin Palace , was postponed until March 2021. On 16 September 2022, the opening of the eastern wing, the last section of the Humboldt Forum museum, meant the Humboldt Forum museum was finally completed. It became Germany's currently most expensive cultural project. The legal basis for
3731-410: The US support for West Berlin. Berlin was completely divided. Although it was possible for Westerners to pass to the other side through strictly controlled checkpoints, for most Easterners, travel to West Berlin or West Germany was prohibited by the government of East Germany. In 1971, a Four-Power Agreement guaranteed access to and from West Berlin by car or train through East Germany. In 1989, with
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3822-440: The Western Allies extended the currency reform in the Western zones of Germany to the three western sectors of Berlin, the Soviet Union imposed the Berlin Blockade on the access routes to and from West Berlin, which lay entirely inside Soviet-controlled territory. The Berlin airlift , conducted by the three western Allies, overcame this blockade by supplying food and other supplies to the city from June 1948 to May 1949. In 1949,
3913-472: The adaptation of the signalling and the raising of the heights of platforms from 760 to 960 millimetres. A sub-station was built west of the station. This electric suburban service has been branded as the S-Bahn since 1 December 1930. The Germania plan of the Nazis envisaged the upgrading of the line to Köpenick to six tracks, as a long-distance S-Bahn service (similar to the modern Regional-Express trains) would run between Köpenick and Ostkreuz and cover
4004-436: The area of Berlin from 66 to 883 km (25 to 341 sq mi). The population almost doubled, and Berlin had a population of around four million. During the Weimar era , Berlin underwent political unrest due to economic uncertainties but also became a renowned center of the Roaring Twenties . The metropolis experienced its heyday as a major world capital and was known for its leadership roles in science, technology, arts,
4095-403: The area of modern Berlin are dated around 60,000 BC. A deer mask, dated to 9,000 BC, is attributed to the Maglemosian culture . In 2,000 BC dense human settlements along the Spree and Havel rivers gave rise to the Lusatian culture . Starting around 500 BC Germanic tribes settled in a number of villages in the higher situated areas of today's Berlin. After the Semnones left around 200 AD,
4186-419: The area of present-day Berlin date from the late 12th century. Spandau is first mentioned in 1197 and Köpenick in 1209. 1237 is considered the founding date of the city. The two towns over time formed close economic and social ties, and profited from the staple right on the two important trade routes , one was known as Via Imperii , and the other trade route reached from Bruges to Novgorod . In 1307
4277-480: The capital of East Germany, while Bonn became the West German capital. Following German reunification in 1990, Berlin once again became the capital of all of Germany. Due to its geographic location and history, Berlin has been called "the heart of Europe". The economy of Berlin is based on high tech and the service sector , encompassing a diverse range of creative industries , startup companies , research facilities, and media corporations. Berlin serves as
4368-448: The cities and villages in northeastern Germany bear Slavic languages -derived names. Typical Germanization for place name suffixes of Slavic origin are -ow, -itz, -vitz, -witz, -itzsch and -in , prefixes are Windisch and Wendisch . The name Berlin has its roots in the language of the West Slavs , and may be related to the Old Polabian stem berl-/birl- ("swamp"). Of Berlin's twelve boroughs , five bear
4459-403: The city lost half of its population. Frederick William , known as the "Great Elector", who had succeeded his father George William as ruler in 1640, initiated a policy of promoting immigration and religious tolerance. With the Edict of Potsdam in 1685, Frederick William offered asylum to the French Huguenots . By 1700, approximately 30 percent of Berlin's residents were French, because of
4550-435: The city. The East Side Gallery is an open-air exhibition of art painted directly on the last existing portions of the Berlin Wall. It is the largest remaining evidence of the city's historical division. Berlin-K%C3%B6penick station Berlin-Köpenick station is a station of the Berlin S-Bahn in the Berlin district of Treptow-Köpenick . It is a two-track through station located at Bahnhofstrasse and Elcknerplatz on
4641-512: The coldest was January 1709 , with a mean temperature of −13.2 °C (8.2 °F). The wettest month on record was July 1907, with 230 millimeters (9.1 in) of rainfall, whereas the driest were October 1866, November 1902, October 1908 and September 1928, all with 1 millimeter (0.039 in) of rainfall. Berlin's history has left the city with a polycentric metropolitan area and an eclectic mix of architecture. The city's appearance today has been predominantly shaped by German history during
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#17330862475664732-409: The country) to about 80,000 due to emigration between 1933 and 1939. After Kristallnacht in 1938, thousands of the city's Jews were imprisoned in the nearby Sachsenhausen concentration camp . Starting in early 1943, many were deported to ghettos like Łódź , and to concentration and extermination camps such as Auschwitz . Berlin hosted the 1936 Summer Olympics for which the Olympic stadium
4823-409: The crossing loop at Osdorf was abandoned. It is not known whether the second track was completed to Großziethen or beyond. After the Second World War, the second track was dismantled for war reparations and the section between Biesenhorst and Karow was dismantled in 1947. The division of Germany created a need to bypass West Berlin . In 1950, a connection was built from Berlin-Karow to Basdorf on
4914-403: The east of Berlin that ran from Grunau towards Kaulsdorf via Wuhlheide. A number of stops were established. This traffic ended in March 1949. With the building of the Wall in 1961, the connection of the Heidekraut Railway to Wilhelmsruh was cut. After that, the trains ran from Basdorf via Schönerlinde to Berlin-Karow (until 1976 to Berlin-Blankenburg ). The Wensickendorf–Fichtengrund section
5005-430: The end of October, and flights to and from Tegel Airport ending in November. Due to the fall in passenger numbers resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic , plans were announced to close BER's Terminal 5, the former Schönefeld Airport , beginning in March 2021. The connecting link of U-Bahn line U5 from Alexanderplatz to Hauptbahnhof, along with the new stations Rotes Rathaus and Unter den Linden, opened on 4 December 2020,
5096-474: The end of the Cold War and pressure from the East German population, the Berlin Wall fell on 9 November and was subsequently mostly demolished. Today, the East Side Gallery preserves a large portion of the wall. On 3 October 1990, the two parts of Germany were reunified as the Federal Republic of Germany, and Berlin again became a reunified city. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the city experienced significant urban development Archived 16 December 2023 at
5187-403: The farmer’s market in Schmachtenhagen at the weekend. Berlin Berlin ( / b ɜːr ˈ l ɪ n / , bur- LIN ; German: [bɛʁˈliːn] ) is Germany's capital and largest city by area and by population . With over 3.85 million inhabitants, it has the highest population within its city limits of any city in the European Union . The city is also one of
5278-443: The first elected mayor of a reunited Berlin. On 18 June 1994, soldiers from the United States, France and Britain marched in a parade which was part of the ceremonies to mark the withdrawal of allied occupation troops allowing a reunified Berlin (the last Russian troops departed on 31 August, while the final departure of Western Allies forces was on 8 September 1994). On 20 June 1991, the Bundestag (German Parliament) voted to move
5369-460: The first stage was included in the 2012/13 budget, but this has not yet been appropriated. Construction would start in 2017 with commissioning planned for 2019. In the spring of 2013, modern, dynamic destination displays were installed in the station. After funding was secured under the infrastructure project i2030 of the states Berlin and Brandenburg and planning was finished in 2022, construction at Berlin-Köpenick Station started in March 2023 and
5460-408: The humanities, city planning, film, higher education, government, and industries. Albert Einstein rose to public prominence during his years in Berlin, being awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921. In 1933, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party came to power . Hitler was inspired by the architecture he had experienced in Vienna , and he wished for a German Empire with a capital city that had
5551-422: The increasing traffic. A pair of suburban tracks was laid to the north of the mainline tracks. The whole complex was built on an embankment to pass over the streets. A new entrance building was built for the Königlichen Eisenbahn-Direktion ( railway division of) Berlin to a design by the architects Charles Cornelius and Waldemar Suadicani. The station has since possessed an island platform of typical Berlin design,
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#17330862475665642-403: The largest and most popular parks in Berlin, located in the centre of the city. The Fernsehturm (TV tower) at Alexanderplatz in Mitte is among the tallest structures in the European Union at 368 m (1,207 ft). Built in 1969, it is visible throughout most of the central districts of Berlin. The city can be viewed from its 204-meter-high (669 ft) observation floor. Starting here,
5733-457: The line in Schmachtenhagen was built with mixed gauge, to allow rollingstock built for Soviet broad gauge to be tested. After German reunification in 1990, this section was no longer useful and it was decommissioned on 20 February 1999. The Wensickendorf–Schmachtenhagen section was reactivated in 2000 and transferred in 2001 to the Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn , which had taken over the Berlin-Karow–Basdorf route on 1 July 2000. Several sections of
5824-432: The line, which was for freight, also carried scheduled passenger services for a time. In 1946–47, long-distance services from the Anhalt and Dresden railways ran over the Outer Freight Ring between Teltow and Eichgestell, where they joined the Berlin–Wrocław railway . Services operated with railcars (approximately hourly) from Grünau towards Lichtenrade via Schönefeld and Großziethen were introduced on 26 July 1948. With
5915-404: The low plateaus on both sides of the Spree Valley. Large parts of the boroughs Reinickendorf and Pankow lie on the Barnim Plateau, while most of the boroughs of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf , Steglitz-Zehlendorf , Tempelhof-Schöneberg , and Neukölln lie on the Teltow Plateau. The borough of Spandau lies partly within the Berlin Glacial Valley and partly on the Nauen Plain, which stretches to
6006-809: The lowest is the Spektesee in Spandau, at 28.1 meters (92 ft) elevation. Berlin has an oceanic climate ( Köppen : Cfb ) bordering on a humid continental climate ( Dfb ). This type of climate features mild to very warm summer temperatures and cold, though not very severe, winters. Annual precipitation is modest. Frosts are common in winter, and there are larger temperature differences between seasons than typical for many oceanic climates . Summers are warm and sometimes humid with average high temperatures of 22–25 °C (72–77 °F) and lows of 12–14 °C (54–57 °F). Winters are cold with average high temperatures of 3 °C (37 °F) and lows of −2 to 0 °C (28 to 32 °F). Spring and autumn are generally chilly to mild. Berlin's built-up area creates
6097-417: The nearly ten kilometre-long route without stopping. In addition, a direct connection for long-distance trains would have been provided because of the outbreak of the Second World War. After the end of the war some tracks were dismantled by the Soviet military administration for war reparations . In the Berlin area this mostly involved the dismantling of one long-distance and one S-Bahn track. However, since
6188-503: The new east to Mahlsdorf . While construction had not started at the outbreak of the First World War, its planning was being managed by the Prussian railways architect Waldemar Suadicani. Operations on the 57 kilometre-long line were not expected to be profitable, but there was an urgent need for a relief railway network in Berlin and it was considered to have high military value. The new line would have grade-separated junctions. In Seddin and Berlin-Köpenick station it would run parallel with
6279-418: The old line in the interchange station, as already occurred on the existing Jüterbog–Nauen railway at Wusterpark and Wildpark stations. In Berlin-Köpenick an overpass was planned east of the station over the Silesian-Railway (now the Berlin–Guben railway ). A two-track connecting curve was provided towards the Berlin-Rummelsburg yard , while only single track links would have been built at the intersections with
6370-415: The original plans for the freight bypass from before 1930. The S-Bahn line to Schönefeld Airport , which was opened on 6 February 1962 after the construction of the Berlin Wall , was built on the route of the GAR between Schönefeld and Grünau Cross. A connecting curve between the GAR and the Wriezen Railway (Herzberg curve) was put into operation in May 1951. It branched north from Springpfuhl station at
6461-449: The reopening of limited cross-border traffic to West Berlin after the end of the Berlin Blockade , it was discontinued on 21 March 1951. Services were restored to Großziethen, but running over the newly built Berlin Outer Ring, first to Schöneweide from 1952 and to Grünau from 3 October 1954. Traffic ended on 31 May 1958. S-Bahn services continue on the GAR between Grünau Cross and Schönefeld. Services were also introduced on 26 July 1948 in
6552-566: The residents of increased noise. The entrance from Elcknerplatz would be given a glass facade. In the current urban development program, however, funding is sought from the federal government, which opposed funding it. In response to a parliamentary question to the Berlin Transport Secretary, Christian Gaebler replied in April 2012 that the State of Berlin would fund the amount of €5 million and
6643-582: The resulting delay to the building of the Köpenick Regionalbahn station, the plans were resumed in 2011 after the Berlin Secretary of State, Maria Krautzberger had asked for a parliamentary inquiry into the prospects for the assumption of the costs by the state of Berlin. It was anticipated that the station would now be completed by 2015 and would still have two S-Bahn and two Regionalbahn platforms. One metre high noise barriers are planned to protect
6734-704: The route ran to the north taking a route close to today's Outer Ring from Eichgestell via Wuhlheide to Biesdorf Cross. There it passed under the Eastern Railway and continued to Karow to connect with the Stettin (now the Berlin–Szczecin ) railway. A bypass route built after the war ran from Karow, using a portion of the Heidekraut Railway ( Heidekrautbahn or Heather Railway), via Basdorf to Wensickendorf. It continued via Schmachtenhagen to Oranienburg . There
6825-565: The seat of the German capital from Bonn to Berlin, which was completed in 1999, during the chancellorship of Gerhard Schröder . Berlin's 2001 administrative reform merged several boroughs, reducing their number from 23 to 12. In 2006, the FIFA World Cup Final was held in Berlin. Construction of the "Berlin Wall Trail" (Berliner Mauerweg) began in 2002 and was completed in 2006. In
6916-585: The single-track GAR remained in operation between Springpfuhl Sgn signalbox and Wuhlheide. After that this section was also replaced by a two-track section of the Outer Ring. The Lichtenrade–Großziethen section is still shown on a Deutsche Reichsbahn map of 1959. As a result of the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961, the line from Teltow to Schönefeld was almost completely dismantled, so that now its remains are hard to discern. Sections in Lichtenrade connected to
7007-758: The town citizens against the building culminated in 1448, in the "Berlin Indignation" ("Berliner Unwille"). Officially, the Berlin-Cölln palace became permanent residence of the Brandenburg electors of the Hohenzollerns from 1486, when John Cicero came to power. Berlin-Cölln, however, had to give up its status as a free Hanseatic League city. In 1539, the electors and the city officially became Lutheran . The Thirty Years' War between 1618 and 1648 devastated Berlin. One third of its houses were damaged or destroyed, and
7098-468: The two towns formed an alliance with a common external policy, their internal administrations still being separated. Members of the Hohenzollern family ruled in Berlin until 1918, first as electors of Brandenburg, then as kings of Prussia , and eventually as German emperors . In 1443, Frederick II Irontooth started the construction of a new royal palace in the twin city Berlin-Cölln. The protests of
7189-403: The vast Northern European Plain which stretches all the way from northern France to western Russia. The Berliner Urstromtal (an ice age glacial valley ), between the low Barnim Plateau to the north and the Teltow plateau to the south, was formed by meltwater flowing from ice sheets at the end of the last Weichselian glaciation . The Spree follows this valley now. In Spandau, a borough in
7280-664: The west of Berlin, the Spree empties into the river Havel , which flows from north to south through western Berlin. The course of the Havel is more like a chain of lakes, the largest being the Tegeler See and the Großer Wannsee . A series of lakes also feeds into the upper Spree, which flows through the Großer Müggelsee in eastern Berlin. Substantial parts of present-day Berlin extend onto
7371-513: The west of Berlin. Since 2015, the Arkenberge hills in Pankow at 122 meters (400 ft) elevation, have been the highest point in Berlin. Through the disposal of construction debris they surpassed Teufelsberg (120.1 m or 394 ft), which itself was made up of rubble from the ruins of the Second World War. The Müggelberge at 114.7 meters (376 ft) elevation is the highest natural point and
7462-547: Was a connection to the Nauen–Oranienburg section of the Brandenburg Bypass Railway, which ran around northern and western Berlin. Various projects to bypass Berlin were developed at the beginning of the 20th century, especially to remove rail freight from the lines through the city, and some were built. In 1902/1904, the line from Treuenbrietzen near Jüterbog via Potsdam Wildpark , Wustermark to Nauen
7553-473: Was a successful attempt to centralise the capital in the very far-flung state, and it was the first time the city began to grow. In 1709, Berlin merged with the four cities of Cölln, Friedrichswerder, Friedrichstadt and Dorotheenstadt under the name Berlin, "Haupt- und Residenzstadt Berlin". In 1740, Frederick II, known as Frederick the Great (1740–1786), came to power. Under the rule of Frederick II, Berlin became
7644-529: Was also opened in 1951. Parts of the Outer Freight Ring were included in the building of the Berlin Outer Ring, such as the Wendenheide–Springpfuhl section opened in 1951. The section of the GAR between Teltow and Schönefeld could not be used because it crossed the border between West Berlin city and East Germany several times. Therefore, the Outer Ring was built on a new route that was based on
7735-411: Was an unsuccessful attempt of unifying the states of Berlin and Brandenburg. Both share a common history, dialect and culture and in 2020, there are over 225,000 residents of Brandenburg that commute to Berlin. The fusion had the near-unanimous support by a broad coalition of both state governments, political parties, media, business associations, trade unions and churches. Though Berlin voted in favor by
7826-480: Was built. During World War II , Berlin was the location of multiple Nazi prisons, forced labour camps, 17 subcamps of the Sachsenhausen concentration camp for men and women, including teenagers, of various nationalities, including Polish, Jewish, French, Belgian, Czechoslovak, Russian, Ukrainian, Romani, Dutch, Greek, Norwegian, Spanish, Luxembourgish, German, Austrian, Italian, Yugoslavian, Bulgarian, Hungarian,
7917-486: Was granted only to American, British and French airlines. The founding of the two German states increased Cold War tensions. West Berlin was surrounded by East German territory, and East Germany proclaimed the Eastern part as its capital, a move the western powers did not recognize. East Berlin included most of the city's historic center. The West German government established itself in Bonn . In 1961, East Germany began to build
8008-400: Was initially built temporary as a single track and to lower construction standards than planned with some narrow curves and steep inclines. The Teltow– Friedrichsfelde Ost section was completed on 16 December 1940 and the extension to Karow followed on 22 September 1941. Work began on duplicating the southern part of the line in 1944. The second track was completed from Teltow to Lichtenrade and
8099-450: Was opened. In 1915, the line from Nauen via Kremmen to Oranienburg followed. There was also a plan for another link from Michendorf to Biesdorf via Wuhlheide , with a marshalling yard being built south of Michendorf. In March 1914 the Landtag of Prussia considered a draft railway bond bill, which included, among other things, funds for the construction of this connection, now extending in
8190-576: Was prevented by the Great Depression . The earlier plans envisaged that the route of the Freight Ring from Genshagener Heide to Wuhlheide would run approximately on the route of today's BAR. In fact, construction began in 1938 on a more northerly route from Teltow via Lichtenrade, Großziethen and Schönefeld. The reason was that a marshalling yard was under construction in the Großbeeren area. The line
8281-561: Was used occasionally for diversion of trains coming from Neustrelitz . In the 1987/88 timetable, several scheduled expresses ran on this route instead of via Oranienburg . Since 30 June 1992, there has been no freight traffic on this line. In the summer of 2000 the Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn reactivated the Wensickendorf–Schmachtenhagen section. Since then, some services have been extended from Wensickendorf to serve
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