Berlin Trivia Quiz

Answer: True

It is one of the three city states, the others being Hamburg and Bremen. Willy Brandt (1913-92), West German Chancellor 1969-74, first achieved international prominence as Governing Mayor ('Regierender Bürgermeister') of West Berlin, 1957-66.

In the past there were also other city states, some of them very small.

Answer: 3.5 million

This figure is low for the capital of a major European country and is partly the result of the particular circumstances of Berlin between 1945 and 1990. The metropolitan region has about six million inhabitants, but is so vast as to have little meaning. For example, it extends to Cottbus and the Polish border in the east.

Answer: Flat

Most of Berlin is extremely flat. It is, after all, on the North European Plain. The highest point in the more central part of Berlin is the Kreuzberg (66 m) in the Viktoria-Park. In the far south-eastern corner there are the Müggelberge, the highest of which is 115 m.

Answer: Turkish

Berliners sometimes jokingly describe their city as the 'biggest Turkish city after Istanbul'.

Answer: S-Bahn

S-Bahn is short for 'Stadtbahn' (city railroad). In some other German cities 'S-Bahn' is short for 'Schnellbahn' ('fast railroad').

Answer: 1871

Germany only became a politically united country with a central government in 1871, under the leadership of Prussia. Berlin was also the capital of the Kingdom (after 1918) state of Prussia from 1701 till the German states were abolished by the Nazi regime in 1933-34.

In 1949, when the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) was established, Bonn was chosen as the new capital, while East Berlin became the capital of the rival German Democratic Republic (East Germany). When Germany was reunited in 1990 Berlin was formally proclaimed the Federal Capital ('Bundeshauptstadt'). Berlin had a special status in international law, at least nominally, from 1945-90.

Answer: West Berlin was a political 'island' in the Soviet Zone

With the rapid deterioration of East-West relations after 1945, West Berlin became extremely vulnerable. In June 1948 the Soviet Union imposed a blockade on the surface transport of goods from West Germany across the Soviet Zone (East Germany) to West Berlin. The Western Allies responded with the Berlin Airlift. Everything from food to coal for the power-plants had to be flown in by the US, British and French air forces. The blockade failed and was lifted in May 1949, but the Western Allies made a point of stock-piling goods in West Berlin for several months after May 1949.

If one wants to find a date for the start of the Cold War it would, without a doubt, be the start of the Berlin Blockade. More than anything else, it was the Berlin Blockade that marked the sudden deepening start of the longer term division of Europe into two opposing blocs. In West Germany the Berlin Airlift did much to advance identification with the West.

Answer: False

Berlin is in the north-east of Germany and is less than 50 miles from the Polish border. Until 1945 Germany extended far to the east of its present borders and the position of Berlin was much more central in the past.

Answer: Spree

The Spree is the most central river in Berlin. In the northern part of the city there is also the small Panke River. ('Spree' is pronounced 'shpray' and has nothing to do with 'going on a shopping spree').

Answer: 1961

It was built to stem the growing tide of refugees and migrants from East to West Germany and to plug the last gap in the Iron Curtain. Until 13th August 1961 it was perfectly possible for people to cross from East to West Berlin and vice versa.