After growing up in the Midwest, I arrived in Berlin as a college student in 2005 after I'd won an academic scholarship from the University of Minnesota to complete my double-major in History and German.

I put my degrees to work immediately after graduating and began to extensively research the city, explored places off the beaten path, had conversations with Berliners, and then put it all into an easy-to-follow, entertaining narrative that thousands of visitors to Berlin have been enjoying for almost 20 years now.

I'm a founding member of the 'Berlin Guides Association' (BBS), which comprises some of Berlin's best tour guides who are committed to building a community of support and knowledge in the German capital's tourism industry. I've served on its Board of Directors in several capacities since its founding in 2014.

Furthermore, I've been the local Berlin tour guide for the Rick Steves' Europe tour groups that visit Berlin since 2008, and I've been personally trained by Rick Steves himself since I began leading his 'Best of Germany, Austria and Switzerland' and the 'Best of Germany' tours in 2022.

On a personal note, my wife's a Berliner who was born in the former post-WWII Soviet sector and holds a birth certificate stamped with the hammer, compass and the rings of wheat (what was communist East Germany's equivalent of the hammer and sickle) symbol. Her family's stories and firsthand experiences - which they've been continually sharing with me for many years now - have allowed me to gain some incredible insight into the daily life and social dynamics of the former East Berlin (something that I try to incorporate into my tours whenever I can). 

I hope that my knowledge in German history and ability to offer a unique perspective - forged through the dual lenses of American roots and twenty years of German residency - will ensure that your trip to Berlin and or Potsdam will be a memorable experience.

- B.A. History, B.A. German: Freie Universität Berlin & University of Minnesota
- Native English Speaker
- Full-Time Local Berlin Guide since 2007
- Certified Member of the Berlin Guides Association e.V. and Current Board Member
- Rick Steves' Europe Berlin Local Guide since 2008
- Rick Steves’ Europe Tour Guide since 2022
- Cecilienhof Palace Licensed Tour Guide

We know that it all went down in Berlin, but where? Street names have changed and many buildings are gone, but several traces of Hitler's "Thousand Year Reich" can still be seen.

Explore what's left of Göring's Air Force Ministry (Luftwaffe), Göbbel's Propaganda Ministry, Hitler's Bunker, and the remains of Himmler's SS and Gestapo. You'll also see where Albert Speer's humongous People's Hall would've stood had he been able to build Hitler's so-called "World Capital Germania".

We'll begin the tour by learning how Hitler was able to seize power in 1933 and then explore the sites that were crucial to his holding onto that power. Due to all the WWII destruction and subsequent rebuilding, you'll get a sense of the city's architectural diversity and see how Berlin confronts the Nazi period - and remembers those who perished during it - today.

With the use of visual aids along the way, I'll provide a 'then & now' perspective to help you gain a deeper understanding of this catastrophic chapter in German history.

Third Reich and WWII Walking Tour of Berlin - Half Day

This tour is ideal for your first full day in Berlin. You'll get the lay of the land, a thorough historical introduction to the city, and - most importantly - a lot of great tips and suggestions on how to spend the rest of your time in Germany's bustling capital.

We’ll begin with Berlin’s tumultuous 20th Century and weave through the various chapters in Berlin’s history all the way back to the days when it was a royal capital, while feeling the city’s rapid heartbeat all around us.

Half Day Exploring the Main Sites of Berlin - The First Thing You Must Do!

If your time is limited or you're not in the mood for a tour that takes up a good chunk or your day, then this tour's designed for you. I'll provide you with a quick, yet thorough introduction of Berlin in the context of its tumultuous 20th century past, as well as tips and suggestions on how you might want to spend the rest of your time in the German capital.

The tour'll begin at the Brandenburg Gate where I'll peel back the big layers of the last century to get us started. Then we'll move on and explore many of the sites that the Nazis exploited for their own gain or propaganda purposes during the Third Reich while also discovering what's left of Berlin's divided past. In addition, you'll see how the various memorials and places of information continue to show how Berlin confronts its past today.

Along the way, I'll be giving you a 'then & now' perspective through the use of visual aids to help you gain a deeper understanding of these thundering chapters in Berlin's history.

Tour guide in Berlin Jim M.

English, German

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