Capital of Germany | Article about Capital of Germany by The Free Dictionary Capital of Germany | Article about Capital of Germany by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Dictionary , Thesaurus , Medical , Wikipedia . Berlin (bûr'lĭn`, Ger. bĕrlēn`), city (1994 pop. 3,475,400), capital of Germany, coextensive with Berlin state (341 sq mi/883 sq km), NE Germany, on the Spree and Havel rivers. Formerly divided into East Berlin (156 sq mi/404 sq km) and West Berlin (185 sq mi/479 sq km), the city was reunified along with East and West Germany on Oct. 3, 1990. Economy Due in part to aid from the United States and other Allied powers, West Berlin's recovery after World War II was rapid and substantial. East Berlin, however, saw a period of relative economic decline, though it became the undisputed focal point of development within the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) and an important city in Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe.

Berlin's economy has been primarily industrial, but is becoming increasingly focused on service-sector activities. Electronics and garments are major industries; other manufactures includes textiles, metals, porcelain and china, bicycles, and machinery. The move of the national government to Berlin prompted a building boom during the 1990s, including more than 30 major construction projects in the eastern part of the city and a large aircraft factory on its outskirts. A new central railroad station opened in 2006. Institutions and Attractions Berlin is a major cultural center, home to orchestras, opera companies, repertory theaters, and museums. It has an excellent public transportation system and is served by two airports. In the Kurfürstendamm, the main thoroughfare in the western section of the city, stands the gutted tower of the original Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, left unrestored as a reminder of World War II. A similar memorial, the unrestored remains of the St. Nicholas Church, were formerly preserved in E Berlin, but beginning in the 1980s it was reconstructed and is now part of the Berlin City Museum.

The Berlin Cathedral (1894–1905), located on Museum Island (N Spree Island), also was damaged but was reconstructed (1975–2002). The large Tiergarten park in central Berlin contains the reconstructed Reichstag Reichstag [Ger.,=imperial parliament], name for the diet of the Holy Roman Empire, for the lower chamber of the federal parliament of the North German Confederation, and for the lower chamber of the federal parliament of Germany from 1871 to 1945. ..... Click the link for more information. building with its glass dome and the Berlin zoo. On the NE side of the park, along a bend in the Spree River, the Federal Strip houses a number of government buildings, including the enormous Chancellery (opened 2001). The concert hall of the Berlin Philharmonic is on the opposite side of the Tiergarten. At the SE end of the park is Potsdamer Platz, which was the heart of the city in the 1920s and 30s. In the 1990s, it came under commercial and residential renewal, becoming the largest construction site in Europe.

The State Opera is in E Berlin, on the famous Unter den Linden, which leads to the Brandenburg Gate, a triumphal arch in the classical style. Near the Gate is the city's 5.5-acre (2.2-hectare) Holocaust memorial (2005). Among Berlin's many museums are those in the Cultural Forum in the western part of the city, including the New National Gallery and the Gemäldegarie; those in Museum Island in the eastern part of the city, including the Altes Museum, the Egyptian Museum, and the Pergamon Museum; and the Berlin Museum–Jewish Museum complex in the Kreuzberg district. Humboldt Univ. of Berlin (formerly known as the Univ. of Berlin or Frederick William Univ.) and the Free Univ. of Berlin (founded in 1948) are among the city's many educational and scientific institutions. History Early History to World War II Berlin had its beginning in two Wendish villages, Berlin and Kölln, which were chartered in the 13th cent. and merged in 1307. It assumed importance as a Hanseatic League Hanseatic League , mercantile league of medieval German towns.

It was amorphous in character; its origin cannot be dated exactly. Originally a Hansa was a company of merchants trading with foreign lands. ..... Click the link for more information. town in the 14th cent. and became the seat of the electors of Brandenburg Brandenburg , state (1994 est. pop. 2,540,000), c.10,400 sq mi (26,940 sq km), E Germany. Potsdam is the capital; other leading cities include Cottbus, Frankfurt-an-der-Oder, and Brandenburg. ..... Click the link for more information. (after 1701, kings of Prussia) in 1486. Berlin suffered severely from the Thirty Years War (1618–48), but Frederick William (reigned 1640–88), the Great Elector, restored and improved the city.

Occupied in the Seven Years War by Austrian (1757) and Russian (1760) troops and in the Napoleonic Wars by the French (1806–8), Berlin emerged from the conflicts as a center of German national feeling and an increasingly serious rival of Vienna. From the 18th and early 19th cent. date many of the distinguished monuments and buildings of the city (chiefly by Andreas Schlüter Schlüter, Andreas , 1664–1714, German sculptor. After studying in France and Italy, he became architect and sculptor to the Hohenzollern at Berlin, where the principal examples of his decorative work were in the royal castle. ..... Click the link for more information. and Karl Friedrich Schinkel Schinkel, Karl Friedrich , 1781–1841, German architect and painter. A member of the Berlin Academy, he became a professor in 1820. He also worked in lithography, etching, and illustration, but he attained real distinction as the official state architect of Prussia. ..... Click the link for more information. ).

Berlin was the center of the Revolution of 1848 against King Frederick William IV. The construction of railroads (1840–61) gave it additional importance as an industrial and commercial center. Berlin also became part of a canal system that linked it to the Oder, Elbe, and Rhine rivers and to the North Sea. In 1866 it became the seat of the North German Confederation North German Confederation, 1867–71, alliance of 22 German states N of the Main River. Dominated by Prussia, it replaced the German Confederation and included the states that had supported Prussia in the Austro-Prussian War (1866). ..... Click the link for more information. and in 1871 it was made the capital of the German Empire. The city prospered and expanded rapidly, becoming one of the great urban centers of the world. Berlin's population had increased from 201,000 in 1819 to 914,000 in 1871; by 1900 it was 2,712,000.

The German military defeat of 1918 brought on a period of social and political unrest. After the establishment (Nov., 1918) of a Socialist government, Berlin was the scene of the abortive uprising of the Communist Spartacus party Spartacus party or Spartacists, radical group of German Socialists, formed c.Mar., 1916, and led by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg. The name was derived from the pseudonym Spartacus used by Liebknecht in his pamphlets denouncing World War I, the government, and the ..... Click the link for more information. (Jan., 1919) and of the conservative putsch of 1920 (see Kapp, Wolfgang Kapp, Wolfgang , 1858–1922, German right-wing politician. In 1920 he led the uprising known as the Kapp putsch, an armed revolt in Berlin aimed at restoring the German monarchy. He seized the Berlin government, but a general strike broke his power. ..... Click the link for more information. ).

As the capital of the Weimar Republic, Berlin suffered severe economic crises in the 1920s, but it was also a brilliant cultural center. Throughout the Nazi regime (1933–45) Berlin remained the second largest city of Europe, a notable economic, political, and educational center, and a huge inland port with a flourishing world trade. It was also the major communications and transportation hub of Central Europe. During World War II, Berlin was repeatedly bombed from the air by the Allies, but the heaviest destruction was caused by a Soviet artillery barrage of unprecedented intensity that preceded the capture (May 2, 1945) of the city by Marshal Zhukov. Divided Berlin On May 8, 1945, Germany's unconditional surrender to the Allies was signed in Berlin. The division of the city into sectors by the Potsdam Conference resulted in severe tension between the Soviet Union and the Western powers. The Soviets occupied the sector that subsequently became known as East Berlin. The zones assigned to the British, American, and French occupation forces constituted West Berlin. The French occupied the NW part of the city, and the Americans and the British occupied the S districts.

The joint Allied military government (Kommandatura) was not successful and virtually ceased to function when the USSR informally withdrew in 1948. The status of Berlin became a major cold war issue, and attempts at international agreement ended in deadlock (see Foreign Ministers, Council of Foreign Ministers, Council of, organization of the foreign ministers of the World War II Allies—the United States, Great Britain, France, and the USSR—that, in a long series of meetings, attempted to reach political settlements after the war. ..... Click the link for more information. ) as the USSR sought to remove all Western (including West German) control from West Berlin and the Western powers maintained that settlement of the Berlin problem depended on reunification of Germany. In 1948, Soviet authorities established a blockade on all land and water communications between West Berlin and West Germany. The Western powers, foremost among them the United States, successfully undertook to supply West Berlin by a large-scale airlift through three air "corridors" left open to them (see Berlin airlift Berlin airlift, 1948–49, supply of vital necessities to West Berlin by air transport primarily under U.S. auspices.

It was initiated in response to a land and water blockade of the city that had been instituted by the Soviet Union in the hope that the Allies would be ..... Click the link for more information. ). The blockade was withdrawn in May, 1949, and the airlift ended in Sept., 1949. In that year East Berlin was proclaimed the capital of the new German Democratic Republic, and in 1950 West Berlin was established as one of the states of the Federal Republic of Germany (of which Berlin was the de jure capital and Bonn the de facto capital). Workers rioted in East Berlin in June, 1953, and were suppressed by Soviet tanks. In the following years there were several Berlin crises, as the USSR in unilateral declarations, often accompanied by harassing actions, contested the legal basis for the Western powers' presence in and access to West Berlin. Meanwhile better living conditions in the western zone had led to a massive exodus of refugees from East to West, which was both a great embarrassment for the Communists and a serious drain on the East German labor supply.

To stop the flow, East Germany gave the division of the city a grimly physical form in Aug., 1961, by erecting the 29-mi (47-km) fortified Berlin Wall Berlin Wall, 1961–89, a barrier first erected in Aug., 1961, by the East German government along the border between East and West Berlin, and later along the entire border between East Germany and West Germany. ..... Click the link for more information. along the partition line, leaving only a few closely guarded crossing points. The Western powers protested vigorously but ineffectively, and East German border guards killed dozens of persons attempting to break through the barrier. War seemed near as Soviet and American tanks faced each other at the border crossings, but after 1962 the crisis eased. In Dec., 1963, the first of several agreements was reached permitting West Berliners to visit relatives in the eastern zone. Visits across the wall and access to West Berlin from West Germany were finally regularized in the Berlin accords reached among the four powers and the two Germanys in 1972.

Reunification The tense stalemate in inter-German relations that persisted throughout most of the 1980s was dramatically broken as a result of the political upheavals that took place in East Germany in late 1989 and early 1990. Massive demonstrations in East Berlin and other East German cities led to the collapse of the Honecker Honecker, Erich , 1912–94, East German political leader. From a Communist family, Honecker was imprisoned by the Nazis for 10 years for party activities. After the war he joined Walter Ulbricht's Socialist Unity (Communist) party and rose in the East German party ..... Click the link for more information. regime and the dismantling of the Berlin Wall in Nov., 1989. In Oct., 1990, East and West Berlin were officially joined to form the state of Berlin, and the first city-wide elections in Berlin since 1946 were held in Dec., 1990.

In June, 1991, the German Bundestag voted in favor of Berlin as the seat of the nation's legislature and government; Bonn Bonn , city (1994 pop. 296,860), former capital of West Germany, North Rhine–Westphalia, W Germany, on the Rhine River. It functioned as the provisional seat of government of reunited Germany until 1999, when most of the government moved to Berlin; some government ..... Click the link for more information. , the capital of the former West Germany, served as the provisional seat of government until 1999, when most government functions were transferred to Berlin. In 1996 residents of Berlin voted to unite in a single state with surrounding Brandenburg, but the measure was rejected by Brandenburg voters. Bibliography See H. Vizetelly, Berlin under the New Empire (2 vol., 1879; repr. 1968); G. Masur, Imperial Berlin (1971); O. Friedrich, Before the Deluge (1986); G. Kirchhoff, ed., Views of Berlin (1989); B.

Gwertzman and M. Kaufman, The Collapse of Communism (1990); A. Beevor, The Fall of Berlin 1945 (2002); M. Black, Death in Berlin: From Weimar to Divided Germany (2010); F. Kempe, Berlin 1961 (2011). Berlin (bûr`lən, bərlĭn`), city (1990 pop. 11,824), Coos co., NE N.H., in the White Mts. at falls of the Androscoggin; settled late 1700s as Maynesborough, renamed 1829, inc. as a city 1897. In a heavily forested region, it was long a pulp and paper mill center, but the last mill closed in 2006; a logging museum is there. Fabricated metal products are produced, but health care, prisons, and other services are the main employers. Berlin, a winter sports center, has the first ski club organized (1872) in the United States. Nearby is White Mountain National Forest.

Berlin the capital of Germany, 1871–1945. Largest German city in the eastern part of the country, on the navigable Spree River at its confluence with the Havel River (Elbe basin) and on canals which link Berlin to the Baltic and North seas. The historical core of the city was formed within an ancient sandy, former glacial valley covered by pine forests; the Spree, with its tributary, the Dahme, flows through the valley. Growing gradually, the area rose up to the morainal Barnim elevations in the north (50–60 m above sea level) and the Teltow elevations in the south (45–50 m). The highest point of Berlin is the Müggelberge (115 m). The Havel lake region (the Havel, Tegeler See, Wannsee, and other lakes) is on the western outskirts of Berlin; the Dahme lake region (Grosser Müggelsee, Langer See, Seddinsee, and others) is on the eastern outskirts. The major lakes became the basic source of the city’s water supply.

Vast tracts of forest (Köpenick, Grunewald, Spandau, and others) and numerous parks made up a green zone which, along with the lakes, became the favorite recreation area for Berliners. The climate is moderate and humid (the mean annual temperature is 8.4° C; January, 0° to -0.6° C; July, 18° C). Average annual precipitation is 587 mm; it falls primarily in the warm season. After Berlin became the country’s capital, its population grew rapidly—primarily because of an influx from outside, but also because of the expansion of the capital area (in 1915 about 66 sq km; in 1920, 878.1 sq km; in 1947, 890 sq km). In 1920, with the annexation of eight cities, 59 settled points of the village type, and 26 estates, Greater Berlin (officially, Gross-Berlin) was formed.

It was divided into 20 sections including nine central sections—Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg, Friedrichshain, Schöneberg, Kreuzberg, Tiergarten, Charlottenburg, Wilmersdorf, and Wedding—and 11 outlying ones—Treptow, Pankow, Weissensee, Lichtenberg, Köpenick, Neukölln, Tempelhof, Steglitz, Zehlendorf, Spandau, and Reinickendorf. The following data characterize the changing population of Berlin: 401,000 in 1843; 914,000 in 1871; 1.7 million in 1890; 2.7 million in 1900; 4.2 million in 1927; and 4.3 million in 1939. The number of inhabitants of Berlin decreased sharply toward the end of World War II to about 2.5 million (1945).

In prewar times, three-fourths of the population was distributed among the city’s central sections, including the core of Berlin, the old city, and the adjoining urban belt (within the boundaries of the Ringbahn city railroad ring); large industrial sections grew up on the periphery of this densely settled core (for example, in Treptow, Köpenick, Lichtenberg, Reinickendorf, Spandau, and Neukölln). Outlying regions—the so-called outer belt—were less settled by far: agricultural lands (25 percent of the area of Berlin) and forest lands (17 percent), parks (4 percent), and lakes (along with rivers and reservoirs, 6 percent) predominated here. On the whole, only one-third of the area of Berlin was built up (including streets and squares). A. I. M UKHIN Historical information. Berlin was formed from two settlements which arose in the early 13th century (on the site of former Slavic settlements) and merged into one city in 1307. In 1486, Berlin became the capital of Brandenburg (subsequently Prussia).

In 1848–49, Berlin was one of the main centers of the revolution in Germany (the armed uprising of Mar. 18, 1848, and others). After Germany was unified under the supremacy of Prussia, Berlin became the capital of the German empire and its greatest industrial city. (The development of machine building and of the electrical industry was particularly striking.) Several international conferences and congresses were held in Berlin—for example, the Berlin Congress of 1878 and the Berlin Conference of 1884–85. At the end of the 19th century, Berlin began to become one of the most important centers of the German workers’ movement. In the course of the November Revolution of 1918 in Berlin, a republic was proclaimed on November 9, and Berlin became its capital. A constituent congress of the Communist Party of Germany was held in Berlin from Dec. 30,1918, until Jan. 1, 1919.

In the years that followed, Berlin was the arena for mass revolutionary actions of the German proletariat on more than one occasion: the January Uprising of 1919, the struggle against the Kapp putsch in March 1920, the general strike in August 1923, and the barricade fighting in May 1929. From 1933 to 1945, Berlin was the capital of Hitler’s Third Reich. Despite the extreme terrorism of the Hitlerites, groups of German antifascists, operating underground, waged a heroic struggle in Berlin. During World War II (1939–45) the city was extensively damaged (especially during 1943–45). In the concluding stage of the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union (1941–45), Berlin was the arena of fierce battles between Soviet troops and the German fascist armies. On Apr. 30, 1945, Soviet troops raised the Banner of Victory over the Reichstag; on May 2 they held the entire city. On May 8, 1945, representatives of the German fascist high command signed the act of unconditional surrender in Berlin.

In accordance with the protocol of Sept. 12, 1944, of the agreement of the European Advisory Commission with respect to the occupation zones of Germany and the administration of Greater Berlin and with the agreement on a control mechanism in Germany concluded by the USSR, the USA, Great Britain, and France on May 1, 1945, Berlin—as the capital of Germany and the seat of the supreme organs of the Allied military administration (Control Council)—was set apart as a special region within the Soviet occupation zone and was subjected to joint occupation by the forces of the four great powers, the USSR, the USA, Great Britain, and France. A special administrative system in the form of a four-sided Allied Kommandatura was established for Berlin. For the purposes of the occupation, Berlin was divided into four sectors—the Soviet, American, British, and French sectors. From July 17 through Aug. 2, 1945, a conference of the heads of state of the USSR, the USA, and Great Britain was held in Potsdam, near Berlin.

It established the political and economic principles of the Allies’ joint policy with respect to defeated Germany and provided the necessary measures to ensure that Germany would never again threaten its neighbors or the maintenance of peace throughout the world. The constituent congress of the Socialist Unity Party (SED) was held in Berlin on Apr. 21–22, 1946. In East Berlin (the Soviet sector), as throughout East Germany, profound revolutionary transformations were implemented. The old state apparatus was liquidated and in its place genuinely democratic organs of self-government were created. The Western powers, which abused the right of participation in the occupation and administration of the German capital which had been granted to them, obstructed the realization of the Potsdam Resolutions of 1945 in their sectors; then, in violation of the four-sided agreements, they separated the western part of Berlin from its natural surroundings. On June 23, 1948, the separate currency reform implemented in West Germany was extended to West Berlin. On Dec. 5, 1948, separate elections to the city parliament were held in West Berlin. On Oct. 1, 1950, a special West Berlin constitution came into force.

The four-sided status of Berlin was completely liquidated. The city was split into two parts: the eastern part, democratic Berlin, and the western part, West Berlin. On Nov. 30, 1948, in response to the splitting actions of the Western occupying authorities and the reactionary forces of West Berlin, a democratic magistracy was formed in the Soviet sector of Berlin as a result of the will of the working people. On Oct. 7, 1949, the German Democratic Republic was proclaimed here with Berlin as its capital. In line with the decisions of the four powers allied during World War II that Berlin was the main city of East Germany, it became the capital of the GDR under the first constitution of the GDR, which came into force on Oct. 7, 1949. REFERENCES Berlin: Capital of Germany Berlin: Capital of Germany Zoom Underneath the streets of Berlin lie a mostly-empty, well-lit walkway called the Rosenthaler Platz. It’s adorned with advertisements, clocks, and pavement markings to keep pedestrians on the straight and narrow. The next time you’re in the capital of Germany on a rainy day, why not visit the RP and stay out of the weather?

You’ll be rewarded with a warmly-orange walk in one of the city’s hidden treasures. Zoom Shown here are two fermented (aged) food products which are illegal in Berlin: cheese and wine. Though enjoyed in other parts of Europe, the Lebensmittelrecht (food-law) prohibits them from being sold inside the city limits. It holds that the foods, technically speaking, are rotten. This doesn’t stop Berlin residents from enjoying them, though, and in underground markets like the ones shown above, cheese can be purchased for €430/kg (approximately $260/lb) and wine for €200-400 a bottle. Zoom A common occurrence in Berlin is Fahrradermordung (bicycle-murder) which is a bloodsport involving bicyclists chasing each other until one is knocked off his bike and killed by the others. The survivor’s family is paid 15% of the ticket fees from the stadium. It’s illegal outside the capital, but inside the city proper, it’s second only to Nachtscheiße as the most popular sport. Zoom In Berlin (the capital of Germany), every citizen is required to have a tattoo.

Shown here is the Fensterscheibetätowierung (windowpane tattoo), one of the five standard designs available. The cost is €250 though this is heavily subsidized by the German government and is done free of charge for all those with salaries of €100,000 or less per annum. Zoom In the Frierwasserzeit (frozen-water time), which usually occurs in late January to early February, a physio-chemical reaction causes all the water in central Germany to freeze. This includes water in taps, reservoirs, waterways, et cetera. Shown here is the Schlosspark (shit-park) where residents go to defecate when their own toilets are frozen. Don’t be grossed out, though! In the spring, everyone returns to collect the thawed feces (Kotsammlungzeit.) Zoom Television is extremely popular in Berlin, and in fact, in the whole of Germany.

The censorship laws regarding television content are extremely relaxed, which has led to most Berliners watching television from 8pm-11pm (7:15pm-10:15pm Berlin time.) The most popular show is “Nicht Fich” which roughly translates to “Don’t Fuck.” It’s a reality show where adults are locked in a house, dosed heavily with MDMA (legal in Germany) and are timed to see how long they can resist intercourse. Over 200,000 people enter the running for Nicht Fich every season. In this photo (above) a man mournfully gazes off his balcony, trying to catch a glimpse of Nicht Fich through a neighbor’s window, as his television is broken. Zoom This is a photo of a typical May Day celebration in Kreuzberg, a quarter of Berlin sometimes abbreviated X-Burg, sometimes XB, and sometimes “,” (a single comma.) XB is distinguished by its low-lying fog, which fills the streets from March through June most years and is called Batteriegestank as it smells of alkaline batteries. Notes Posted 4 years ago As you may know, gestures which are offensive in one country are innocuous or positive in another.

The “middle finger” or “bird”, which has a negative meaning in English-speaking countries (USA/Canada/England/Australia, etc.) is viewed positively in German. Above is a photo showing a German good-luck statue displaying the middle finger. The German word for “flipping the bird” or “flicking off” is Erflüllung, which is very close to the German word Erfüllung, meaning contentment or fulfillment. So next time you’re in Germany, don’t give someone a thumbs-up… flick them off! Maybe they’ll do the same in kind to you. It’s good luck. You can find more idiomatic expressions, good and bad, in the book “Schiesse! The Real German You Were Never Taught In School.” I’ve recommended this book to every Berlin-bound traveler I’ve known. Photos courtesy of tumblraboutwez . Germany's Capital Moves From Bonn to Berlin Germany's Capital Moves From Bonn to Berlin Germany's Capital Moves From Bonn to Berlin In 1999, Unified Germany's Capital Relocated From Bonn to Berlin People gather outside the Reichstag on April 20, 2014 in Berlin, Germany.

The Reichstag, home of the Bundestag, the German parliament, is among the city's major landmarks and a favorite tourist destination. Getty Images Europe Share By Matt Rosenberg Following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the two independent countries on opposite sides of the Iron Curtain - East Germany and West Germany - worked toward reunifying after more than 40 years as separate entities. With that unification came the question, "What city should be the capital of a newly united Germany -- Berlin or Bonn?" A Vote to Decide the Capital With the raising of the German flag on October 3, 1990, the two former countries of East Germany (the German Democratic Republic) and West Germany (the Federal Republic of Germany) merged to become one unified Germany. With that merger, a decision had to be made as to what would be the new capital. The capital of pre-World War II Germany had been Berlin and the capital of East Germany had been East Berlin. West Germany moved the capital city to Bonn following the split into two countries. Following unification, Germany's parliament, the Bundestag, began initially meeting in Bonn.

continue reading below our video 10 Facts About the Titanic That You Don't Know However, under the initial conditions of the Unification Treaty between the two countries, the city of Berlin was also reunified and became, at least in name, the capital of reunified Germany. It wasn't until a narrow vote of the Bundestag on June 20, 1991 of 337 votes for Berlin and 320 votes for Bonn that it was decided that the Bundestag and many government offices would ultimately and officially relocate from Bonn to Berlin. The vote was narrowly split and most members of parliament voted along geographic lines. From Berlin to Bonn, Then Bonn to Berlin Prior to the division of Germany following World War II , Berlin was the capital of the country. With the division into East Germany and West Germany, the city of Berlin (completely surrounded by East Germany) was divided into East Berlin and West Berlin, divided by the Berlin Wall . Since West Berlin could not serve as a practical capital city for West Germany, Bonn was chosen as an alternative. The process to build Bonn as a capital city took about eight years and more than $10 billion.

The 370-mile (595 km) move from Bonn to Berlin in the northeast was often delayed by construction problems, plan changes, and bureaucratic immobilization. More than 150 national embassies had to be constructed or developed in order to serve as the foreign representation in the new capital city. Finally, on April 19, 1999 the German Bundestag met in the Reichstag building in Berlin, signaling the transfer of the capital of Germany from Bonn to Berlin. Prior to 1999, the German parliament had not met in the Reichstag since the Reichstag Fire of 1933 . The newly renovated Reichstag included a glass dome, symbolizing a new Germany and a new capital. Bonn Now the Federal City A 1994 act in Germany established that Bonn would retain the status as the second official capital of Germany and as the second official home of the Chancellor and of the President of Germany. In addition, six governmental ministries (including defense) were to maintain their headquarters in Bonn. Bonn is called the "Federal City" for its role as a second capital of Germany.

According to the New York Times , as of 2011, "Of the 18,000 officials employed in the federal bureaucracy, more than 8,000 are still in Bonn." Bonn has a fairly small population (over 318,000) for its significance as the Federal City or second capital city of Germany, a country of more than 80 million (Berlin is home to nearly 3.4 million). Bonn has been jokingly referred to in German as Bundeshauptstadt ohne nennenswertes Nachtleben (Federal capital without noteworthy nightlife). Despite its small size, many (as evidenced by the close vote of the Bundestag) had hoped that the quaint university city of Bonn would become the modern home of reunified Germany's capital city. Problems With Having Two Capital Cities Some Germans today question the inefficiencies of having more than one capital city. The cost to fly people and documents between Bonn and Berlin on an ongoing basis costs millions of euros each year. Germany's government could become much more efficient if time and money were not wasted on transportation time, transportation costs, and redundancies due to retaining Bonn as the second capital.

At least for the foreseeable future, Germany will retain Berlin as its capital and Bonn as a mini-capital city. What is the Capital of Germany? - Capital-of.com Dates of religious and Civil holidays around the world. Capital of Germany The Capital City of Germany (officially named Federal Republic of Germany) is the city of Berlin. The population of Berlin in the year 2007 was 3,415,742 (4,940,000 in the metropolitan area). Germany is a German speaking country on the coasts of the Baltic and the North Sea. Additional Information Capital of Germany - definition of Capital of Germany by The Free Dictionary Capital of Germany - definition of Capital of Germany by The Free Dictionary Ber·lin (bûr-lĭn′) The capital and largest city of Germany, in the northeast part of the country. Founded in the 13th century, it was the capital of the kingdom of Prussia from 1701 and the capital of the German Empire (1871-1918), the Weimar Republic (1919-1933), and the Third Reich (1933-1945).

The city was divided between 1945 and 1990 into East Berlin and West Berlin, which division grew out of the zones of occupation established at the end of World War II. The Berlin Wall, a wire and concrete barrier, was erected by the East German government in August 1961 and dismantled in November 1989. ber·lin A four-wheeled closed carriage with an exposed seat to the rear.

[After BerlinGermany.] (bɜːˈlɪn; German bɛrˈliːn) n (Placename) the capital of Germany (1871–1945 and from 1990), formerly divided (1945–90) into the eastern sector, capital of East Germany, and the western sectors, which formed an exclave in East German territory closely affiliated with West Germany: a wall dividing the sectors was built in 1961 by the East German authorities to stop the flow of refugees from east to west; demolition of the wall began in 1989 and the city was formally reunited in 1990: formerly (1618–1871) the capital of Brandenburg and Prussia. Pop: 3 388 477 (2003 est) Berlin (bɜːˈlɪn) n 1. (Biography) Irving. original name Israel Baline, 1888–1989, US composer and writer of lyrics, born in Russia.

His musical comedies include Annie Get Your Gun (1946); his most popular song is White Christmas 2. (Biography) Sir Isaiah. 1909–97, British philosopher, born in Latvia, historian, and diplomat. His books include Historical Inevitability (1954) and The Magus of the North (1993) berlin (bəˈlɪn; ˈbɜːlɪn) n 1. (Textiles) (sometimes capital) Also called: berlin wool a fine wool yarn used for tapestry work, etc 2. (Automotive Engineering) a four-wheeled two-seated covered carriage, popular in the 18th century 3. (Automotive Engineering) a limousine with a glass partition between the front and rear seats Also called (for senses 2, 3): berline [C18: named after Berlin] Capital of Germany | definition of Capital of Germany by Medical dictionary Capital of Germany | definition of Capital of Germany by Medical dictionary (bĕr-lin'), Rudolf, German ophthalmologist, 1833-1897. See: Berlin edema .

Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us , add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content . Link to this page: References in periodicals archive ? The capital of Germany is a still a city divided - the wealthy West and the changing East. The RAIL Germany; There's no need to fly when you can explore with eco-friendly trainas ECO SPECIAL Berlin, the capital of Germany, similarly was divided into Soviet, British, French, and American sectors. CONSUMPTION PULL-BACK The steady and spectacular expansion of Berlin which is destined to regain its position as capital of Germany and the focus of the country's biggest industrial region by the turn of the century is already acting as a powerful magnet for financial investment to the heart of Central Europe. Copyright © 2003-2017 Farlex, Inc Disclaimer All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.

Capital of West Germany | Article about Capital of West Germany by The Free Dictionary Capital of West Germany | Article about Capital of West Germany by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Dictionary , Thesaurus , Wikipedia . Bonn (bŏn, Ger. bôn), city (1994 pop. 296,860), former capital of West Germany, North Rhine–Westphalia, W Germany, on the Rhine River. It functioned as the provisional seat of government of reunited Germany until 1999, when most of the government moved to Berlin Berlin , city (1994 pop. 3,475,400), capital of Germany, coextensive with Berlin state (341 sq mi/883 sq km), NE Germany, on the Spree and Havel rivers. Formerly divided into East Berlin (156 sq mi/404 sq km) and West Berlin (185 sq mi/479 sq km), the city was reunified along ..... Click the link for more information. ; some government functions remain in Bonn. The city's manufactures include light-metal products, ceramics, office equipment, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals.

After the departure of the national government, Bonn made strides in becoming an information-technology and medical research center. Bonn was founded in the 1st cent. A.D. as the Roman garrison of Castra Bonnensia. It was devastated by the Normans in the 9th cent. and later became the residence (1238–1794) of the electors of Cologne and the scene of the coronations of Frederick the Handsome (1314) and Charles IV (1346) as kings of the Romans. During the Palatinate Succession War (1689), Bonn was destroyed by Elector Frederick III of Brandenburg. It was rebuilt, largely in the baroque style. Bonn was occupied (1794) and later annexed (1798–1814) by France. In 1815, it passed to Prussia. In 1948–49, delegates from the parts of Germany occupied by France, Great Britain, and the United States met in Bonn and drafted a constitution for the Federal Republic of Germany. In 1949, Bonn was made West Germany's capital.

Bonn is the seat of a famous university, whose main building formerly was the electoral palace (built 1697–1725). The city has a noteworthy church (11th–13th cent.). The Bonn Art Museum and the Federal Art and Exhibition Center both opened in 1992. There is a museum of Rhenish culture, and Beethoven Beethoven, Ludwig van , 1770–1827, German composer. He is universally recognized as one of the greatest composers of the Western European music tradition. Beethoven's work crowned the classical period and also effectively initiated the romantic era in music. ..... Click the link for more information. 's birthplace is also a museum. Bonn (Latin Bonna or Castra Bonnensia), capital of the Federal Republic of Germany, situated in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, on the left bank of the Rhine and partly on the spurs of the Rhine Schiefergebirge. It has a temperate continental climate, with an average January temperature of about 0° C and a July average temperature of about 20° C.

The annual precipitation is between 700 and 1,000 mm. Bonn is the headquarters of the president, parliament, the government, and various state, administrative, and political institutions of the Federal Republic of Germany, while other such institutions are in nearby towns, such as Bad-Godesberg, Konigswinter, and Mehlem. In 1969 many suburbs were incorporated into the town. The population in 1969 was 138,000. The town is administered by a town council, having at its head Oberbürgermeister who is elected by the population for a period of four years. Executive functions are in the hands of a town director and his assistants appointed by the council. The town was founded by the Romans in the first century A.D . From 1273 to 1794 it was the residence of the electors of Cologne. In 1814 it became part of Prussia. From 1945 to 1949 it was in the British occupation zone of Germany, and since 1949 it has been the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Beethoven was born in Bonn, and Karl Marx studied at the university there from 1835 to 1836. Bonn is an important transport junction. It is a port on the Rhine and a highway and railway junction. The airport is at Wahn (Cologne-Bonn). Its industry is small (more than 10,000 were employed in industry in 1967) and the articles manufactured are mainly consumer goods. Products include electrotechnical goods, nonferrous metal articles, precision machinery and optical instruments, pharmaceutical products, furniture, ceramics, stationery, foodstuffs, and tobacco. There is also a printing industry. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Federal Republic of Germany is in Bonn, as are the offices of many industrial and financial concerns and the like. Lignite is mined in the area. There is a university which dates back to 1777, a higher agricultural institution, a conservatory, and a teacher-training college, as well as various scientific societies. The concert hall, where biannual musical festivals are held, is dedicated to Beethoven.

Among the architectural monuments are the Romanesque cathedral (11th to the beginning of the 13th century), the Gothic church of St. Remigius (1274–1317), the baroque Jesuit church (1686–1717) and town hall (1737), the electoral palace (now the university, built in the 13th century, rebuilt in 1715), and the castle of Poppelsdorf (1715–53). After 1945 a new section with governmental buildings arose in Bonn (Parliament, 1950); the old center is being reconstructed and modern-style public buildings (Beethoven Hall, 1959) and high-rise administrative buildings are being built. German art of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries is exhibited at the Town Hall Gallery. Bonn a city in W Germany, in North Rhine-Westphalia on the Rhine: the former capital (1949--90) of West Germany; university (1786).

Pop.: 311 052 (2003 est.)

Question: What is the capital of Germany?
Answer: Berlin