Urban history is a form of historical inquiry that enriches our understanding of cities and urban landscapes, often using an interdisciplinary approach. This course is an introduction to specific points of interest in the political, social and cultural developments in Berlin between the 1920s and the 1990s, showing how they illuminate German twentieth-century history. City sites, monuments and buildings are linked to collective memory and political debates.
We learn about the fascinating stories of twentieth-century political events, places, people, buildings and monuments in Berlin presented by three urban historians, but we also learn the basic principles and approaches of urban history. We make urban history come alive through site visits and city walks, and take part in a building preservation project that brings this city’s urban history into the present.