What's up I'm Marko I'm Alex and we are the Vagabrothers and behind us
is the Berlin Wall. That's because this week we're exploring East Berlin
twenty-five years after the fall of the wall.
In the last 100 years Berlin has been through a lot - from the devastation of two
world wars, to the division of the Cold War
and the freedom has defined the city ever since the fall of the Berlin Wall
in 1989
These days Berlin is known throughout the world as one of the coolest cities
in Europe
a trendsetter in music, style, and nightlife
that doesn't stop with the sunrise. In a city that's so cool
it can be hard for travelers to realize that this was once the front line in the Cold War.
At the end of WWII the Soviet and Allied armies
met in Germany and divided the country in two.
West Germany was capitalistic and part of NATO
and East Germany was socialist and part of the Eastern Bloc
The same for Berlin, which was split into four sections
ruled by occupying armies from Britain France
the US, and Russia and divided between East and West by the Berlin Wall
That era suddenly came to an end in 1989
when the Berlin Wall came down, the Soviet Union collapsed,
and East and West Germany were reunited. So we decided to set the scene by
staying in Ostel
a hostel decorated in the style of East Germany
circa 1975
Okay so we know that Berlin is one of the most hip and happening cities in all of Europe
But it's totally different than it was twenty five years ago before the fall the Berlin Wall
so we're gonna go down the Berlin Wall, we're going to hop on a bike tour
and find out what life was like
behind the Iron Curtain
We met up with Andre from Berlin on Bike Tours who showed us around
East Berlin and told us a bit of the history.
Hey I'm Andre I'm showing you Berlin on Bike
The story of the Cold War and the Berlin Wall was actually the shadow of World War Two.
The front line between (West) Germany and Britain and America
and on the other side the Soviet Union
splashed together within this country and Berlin
materialized in a wall.
But until 1961 it hasn't been a wall yet
it was just the section line but you could cross it
and then from that day on when the Berlin
Wall was built it was a question of time
that's the East version of the
post-war Germany collapsed
After in the end forty years
the whole idea splashed.
These days the Berlin Wall is largely gone
visible mostly through kitschy souvenir shops and moving memorials
but East Berlin remains a bit different soviet-style architecture
quirky traffic lights and a palpably more creative, edgy vibe.
Artists came East right after the Wall fell
when entire apartment buildings were abandoned by people who feared that their
freedom would be short-lived. But it wasn't and those artists were awarded with really cheap rent.
One the few remaining sections the Berlin Wall is known as the East Side Gallery
which earned its name a year after the Wall fell
when 118 artists from around the world began covering it in murals
many them deeply political in nature. One of the most famous pieces
is the "Fraternal Kiss" which shows the leaders of East Germany
and the Soviet Union giving each other the "socialist kiss"
a once-common greeting between Socialist Party members
Twenty-five years later we met with its creator
Russian artist Dimitri Vrubel who still lives nearby
where he and his partner Victoria continue painting provocative pieces
W e asked him what it was like to be in Berlin during such historic times
I come from Soviet Union and when we come to the
Berlin... but "Ost (East) Berlin"
We were sitting on Alexanderplatz and around us [were]
Soviet-style buildings. And we were
drinking some beer, and said "Wow, it's so good"
because it's like the Soviet Union but [with] absolute freedom
East Side Gallery is symbol of art, that professional art,
non-professional art, people who will never be artists - all in one place
It's not about art - it's about freedom!
The early 90's were huge time a change for Berlin - and not just for artists
Abandoned factories became underground clubs
famous for thumping techno, crazy parties,
and an "anything goes" attitude that's still very much alive
Today East Berlin feels like a city within a city, a hub for
artists, entrepreneurs, and ex-pats many of whom
have turned their talents into transforming former factories
into creative centers open to the public. So we met up with Henrik from Berlin Agent Tours
a 20-year resident of Berlin and
expert in all that is trendy, fun, and delicious in the city.
Now I've been here 14 years and
in the first second I fell in love with the authentic scene
it's not about being posh or who you are, it's not money-oriented
It's a little bit like you know the American Dream but the "Berlin Dream"
First up Henrik took us to Neueheimat in Friedrichshain
a former trainer pair depot that's been converted
into one of the most original spots the city. It's part of an old industrial complex from
the eighteen sixties
that non-germans speakers call "RAW" - R-A-W
Which is short for this: Reichs­bahns­besser­ung­swerk
Whether or not you can pronounce it it's definitely worth a visit, especially
on Sundays when it's full of street food and live music
As we stuffed our faces we asked Henrik what made
East Berlin so distinct from West
West Berlin was already established after the war
East was stagnated because the Russians were here
So in the mid 90's everything started here, and East Berlin is...
you have the edge of everything, 90% of the night life is here
it's a cooler crowd, it's a creative scene, lots of more expats of course.
People from all over the world come to Berlin
And that is reflected in its food - from Turkish kebabs
to Spanish taps, and Italian-style street food
But we started off with something really special - a Vietnamese style Bahn-mi
burger in a bun. Then it was time for round two
What is this Mark?
Sweet potato and pumpkin mash with feta cheese, also some nice greenery and some roasted nuts.
Enough talkin'... it's time to start eating
Everyone who comes to the city wanna do people watching over a glass of wine
have great food, meet other people, it's international
And it's rough, you know it's a rough, cool place
off-the-beaten-track... and of course crowded but you know
this is a new place to be in Berlin so that's why I brought you here
Alright guys, that was our take
on East Berlin, it's our first time in the city and it's HUGE - like nine times the size of Paris
So we're definitely gonna come back and make more content in the future
For sure. This is the last video in our winter trip across Europe with Eurail
So hopefully you guys enjoyed our videos and you got inspired to make your own trip
As always if you like the video give a thumbs up, share it with your friends,
and subscribe to Vagabrothers for more travel videos every Tuesday.
In the meantime follow us on our other social media - Instagram, Snapchat, and Storie for little daily videos
because we're going back to California.
Okay guys stay curious, keep exploring and we'll see you on the road! Peace!
[Whistling "Wind of Change" by Scorpions, a song about the post-Cold War era]
The wind of change blows strong
I don't know the lyrics to this song, don't pick my nose on the camera
I'm singing!