The Berlin Wall and the Karl-Marx-Allee: Life in Cold War Berlin

Hallo! I’m Klaus from Kreuzberg, a fabulous, super central neighbourhood of Berlin. Did you know that over 50% of the people living inside the city’s ‘ring’ moved here after the fall of the Wall in 1989? I’m one of them. Kreuzberg is also one of Germany’s most notorious neighbourhoods for various reasons — so much so that our Chancellor recently claimed that it is “not Germany”. Whatever was meant by saying that — I am a Kreuzberger with heart and soul, which is why guiding visitors around this neighbourhood has become one of my special fields. I run a three-hour introduction tour and a local five-course food tour, taking guests to my very own favourite restaurants — all mixed with stories and insights about this part of Berlin. Now … “from Kreuzberg” means that I live here now, but I actually grew up in the Rhineland near Bonn, which in those days was the capital of the BRD, the Federal Republic — the western part of divided Germany. I had family on both sides of the Wall and as a child travelled across regularly. For a large part of my life I lived in London, where I studied Photography and later completed a PhD in Fine Art, focusing on Museum Studies. Alongside being a practising and exhibiting artist, I worked as an art teacher at a private school in central London. Within my art practice, my main field of research was Museum Studies, which brings me to another of my specialisms: Berlin’s wonderful and unique Museum Island. Here I offer several tours, from a two-hour overview to custom-made guided visits to any of the museums. Coming from an art (teaching) background certainly informs my approach to being a host and guide in Berlin. Similar to some abstract artworks, it is a city that — perhaps more than many other places one visits — benefits from having some background information in order to fully appreciate it. One of the things I particularly enjoy when guiding is connecting Berlin’s big historical themes with everyday places in the city. Having grown up in divided Germany, with family on both sides of the Wall, the Cold War and the history of the divided city are not just academic topics for me but something I experienced personally. At the same time, my background in art and museum studies naturally draws me to Berlin’s extraordinary cultural institutions and collections. Education and licences: PhD in Fine Art with a specialism in Museum Studies (Goldsmiths, University of London) B.A. and M.A. in Photography (University of London) Guide licence for the Memorial Site Sachsenhausen Guide licence for the Park and the Bildergalerie at Sanssouci, Potsdam Guide licence for Schloss Charlottenburg Member of the Berlin Guides Association Guiding tours in Berlin since 2016 — and still discovering new stories in this endlessly fascinating city.