Why Is Berlin The Capital Of Germany? – Mythbusting Berlin

“Berlin is no beauty, to be sure, but for those captivated by her she does have a strange, rough magic, an endearing resilient spirit that is hard to define.”
Alexandra Ritche – Faust’s Metropolis

Today, Berlin is Germany’s largest city by both population and area, home to the country’s federal government and its official capital. A sprawling metropolis that bears the deep scars and vibrant triumphs of history on every street corner.

Yet, it is far from the nation’s most industrious hub. It is not its richest city; in fact, recent studies have shown it is one of the few world capitals to have a net negative effect on its country’s GDP. Frankfurt remains the financial heart, Munich and Stuttgart the industrial powerhouses.

Berlin is not located within the country’s largest state, nor is it its oldest city. It is a loss leader, known more for its seismic cultural and historical relevance than for generating wealth.

Why, after a century of turmoil that saw it become the capital of a militaristic empire, a doomed republic, a criminal dictatorship, and a divided nation, was it once again chosen to lead a reunified Germany?

The answer is a dramatic saga of ambition, ideology, violence, and an unbreakable will to endure.

“Berlin is all about volatility. Its identity is based not on stability but on change.”
Rory MacLean

For much of the 20th century, there were two Germanies, split asunder by the Cold War, each with its own capital.

The German Democratic Republic (GDR) in the East defiantly made East Berlin its capital, ignoring post-war agreements and cementing the city’s status as the frontline of an ideological global conflict.

For the communists, Berlin was always a prize. When Karl Marx, an alumnus of Berlin’s university, prophesied a great revolution in an industrialised nation, he was looking at the teeming, politically charged streets of Berlin rather than anywhere further east.