Staat baut Stadt

In 1920, Berlin had not even been Germany’s capital for half a century. It was young, not popular everywhere, and certainly not appreciated by everyone. The Groß-Berlin-Gesetz of 1920 was silent on the question of the capital. Nevertheless, the state as a whole played a decisive role in shaping the further development of the giant city – an aspect that is often overlooked. This was true of the Weimar Republic, the Nazi era, the period of the double Berlin and also the period after the fall of the Wall. The contributions to the volume “Staat baut Stadt” (State Builds City) attempt to close this gap and present the individual stages of the changeful history in the relationship between the city and the state as a whole. Staat baut Stadt sometimes to the delight, sometimes to the annoyance of Berliners – as it has been for centuries, actually since 1440. What is new, however, is that the capital city of Berlin is now very popular abroad, as a cheerful and tolerant showcase of a state that is not always appreciated. Capital Berlin – an unfinished project.
Foreword by Dorothee Brantz, text contributions by Harald Bodenschatz, Franziska Eichstädt-Bohlig, Ephraim Gothe, Volker Hassemer, Aljoscha Hofmann, Alexander Kaczmarek, Christina Lindemann, Christian von Oppen, Annalie Schoen and Johanna Sonnenburg.