Walking Tour in the Old Town: Prussian Berlin and Jewish Life
Duration and Distance: around 3 hours and approximately 3 km (as a starting point)
EXPERIENCE BERLIN’S HIDDEN LAYERS WITH A WALKING TOUR THROUGH THE OLD TOWN – FROM ENLIGHTENMENT TO DEVASTATION
Step into the best-preserved part of Berlin’s old town, filled with hidden and reconstructed treasures dating from 18th-century Berlin up through World War II. We’ll explore the former Jewish culture that was a vibrant part of the Scheunenviertel area and the unique Hackescher Höfe. You’ll learn how the Prussian kings developed the area and visit the so-called “Street of Tolerance,” where four religions coexist today, reflecting the district’s historical diversity. Here, you’ll also hear about the deportation of Jews from these very streets and the Holocaust in Berlin.
GET CLOSE TO THE ONLY WELL-PRESERVED PART OF IMPERIAL BERLIN AND GAIN INSIGHT INTO THE CITY’S ORIGINS
The tour can of course be adapted to your interests and preferred duration and distance, but as a standard, you will see the following;
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Hackescher Höfe – Germany’s largest courtyard complex, built in 1907. A living example of visionary urban planning where housing, work, and culture were united in beautiful Art Nouveau surroundings. Once a hub of Berlin’s Jewish cultural middle class.
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Oranienburger Vorstadt – A former Prussian industrial stronghold, once home to AEG and iron foundries. Today, a quiet neighborhood where traces of post-Wall squatters (BZ era) can still be seen.
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Sophienkirche – Berlin’s oldest preserved church from 1712, which survived wars and bombings. Martin Luther King spoke here during the Cold War – a symbol of hope and peace.
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“Street of Tolerance” – One of Berlin’s most history-rich streets. We’ll visit the old Jewish cemetery and the surprising “Missing House” art installation, both of which tell the story of those who vanished during the war.
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The New Synagogue – One of Berlin’s most impressive buildings. Today it symbolizes both Jewish life and destruction. Hear the story of Kristallnacht and the postwar efforts to rebuild.
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Otto Weidt’s Workshop for the Blind – A moving museum of civil resistance. Otto Weidt hid and protected Jewish blind workers during the Holocaust.
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Scheunenviertel – Originally a horse and hay district, it became a densely populated working-class and immigrant neighborhood. Around 1905, more Jews lived here than in Jerusalem.
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Memorial for the Rosenstrasse Protest – A unique event where German women in 1943 protested for the release of their Jewish husbands – and won. A powerful testament to civil courage.
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The Jewish Cemetery – Final resting place of Moses Mendelssohn, a pioneer of the Jewish Enlightenment. Desecrated by the Nazis, today it stands as an important memorial.
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“Der Verlassene Raum” (The Abandoned Room) – A minimalist but powerful memorial to the 40,000 Jews deported from here. Empty chairs in the middle of the city remind us of lives that never returned.
JOIN US ON A REMARKABLE HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL JOURNEY BACK TO PRE-WAR BERLIN!
Mødested: Jeres Hotel eller alternativt lige udenfor indgang til S-bahn Hackescher Markt.
Priser
- 220€ – Privat Gruppe 1-10 personer (cirka 3 timer med lille pause)
- 22€ per person for grupper på 10+ personer (3-4 timer med pause)
- Er i en større gruppe så kontakt mig og jeg vil give et tilbud og forslag til organisering.
Send Me an Inquiry
Let me know your preferences for time and date, who you are, how many you are, and if you have any special requests or interests that I can accommodate. I will respond as quickly as possible, and once everything is in place, you will receive a confirmation of your booking via email.
If your inquiry is within the next 48 hours, I recommend calling so we can confirm directly by phone.
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+49 1766 107 4792
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