Berlin

Berlin is capital of Germany, formerly capital of Prussia and of the German empire. The city stands on the Spree, in a flat sandy plain, 177 miles by rail southeast of Hamburg. The city was occupied by the Allies and divided into two parts at the end of World War II. One part was West Berlin and the other was East Berlin. The Berlin Wall separated the two between 1961 and 1989, bet both were united in 1990.

The royal and imperial palaces, the great library, the university, national gallery and museums, and the arsenal are all near the centre of the city. There are schools of science, art, agriculture, and mining; technical and military academies; a cathedral and some old churches; zoological and botanical gardens.

Its position between the Baltic and North Seas, the Spree, the numerous canals and railways which converge on it, render it a most important commercial centre. Its staple trade is in grain, cattle, spirits, and wool. Manufactures are extensive and very varied; the chief are woollens, machinery, bronze ware, drapery goods, and beer.

Nearby pages
Berlin Decree, Berlin Wall, Berlin work, Berliner, Berm