Educational Media Reviews Online

After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Berlin, Germany captured the world’s interest. A massive rebuilding effort is under way, simultaneously introducing innovative architecture into the city’s landscape and restoring historic landmarks like the Reichstag Parliament Building, the Brandenburg Gate, and the Federal Chancellery to their original glory.

With 3.5 million residents and 23 distinct districts, Berlin gives visitors countless opportunities for exploration and discovery. Part of the “Life in a Great City Series,” this program presents viewers with a chance to discover a day in the life of Berlin, as well as what makes this city great.

Visits to a Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra rehearsal; Ka De We, Europe’s largest department store; and Tiergarten Park introduce viewers to Berlin’s varied sights. Extensive interviews with a official who designed the prototype for the Berlin Wall’s placement and an industrious snack bar entrepreneur who has developed a reputation for her version of curried sausage, a traditional Berlin favorite, provide opportunities to learn more about how the city’s Communist past impacted local customs and ways of life.

Creative photography and filming techniques bring new glimpses of familiar landmarks in this cosmopolitan city. The program’s abrupt end, however, leaves the viewer wanting closure to this thought-provoking documentary.

Well-suited for audiences unfamiliar with Berlin, this program provides an adequate introduction to the efforts under way to restore a once-divided city. Interviews with young and old Berlin residents will appeal to a range of viewers. For more detailed information on Berlin’s landmarks, its political past, and current reconstruction efforts, it is best to consult other sources.