Main Historical Events in Berlin

• 13th Century: The city of Berlin is founded, initially as a trading post.
• 1701: Prussian King Frederick I declares Berlin the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia.
• 1871: Berlin becomes the capital of the newly united German Empire under Otto von Bismarck.
• 1920s: Berlin experiences a period of cultural renaissance, known as the "Golden Twenties."
• 1933-1945: Berlin becomes the capital of Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler; the city suffers heavy bombings during World War II.
• 1945: Berlin is divided into four occupied zones by the victorious Allied powers at the end of World War II.
• 1948-1949: Berlin blockade and airlift take place as a response to Soviet attempts to isolate West Berlin.
• 1961: The construction of the Berlin Wall begins, dividing the city physically and politically.
• 1989: Fall of the Berlin Wall leads to the reunification of Germany and symbolizes the end of the Cold War.
• 1999: Berlin officially becomes the capital of Germany, following the relocation from Bonn.