Communist & Socialist Berlin: A Walking Tour Through History
Historical tour of communism and socialism in Berlin. We trace German communism from Marx and Engels to the GDR and beyond across Mitte and Friedrichshain – visiting the Marx-Engels Forum, Liebknecht Balcony, Karl-Marx-Allee, Frankfurter Tor, and the Berlin Wall’s East Side Gallery.
Basic Information
Total time
2h 45m
Language
English (check the calendar for availability)
Price
„Pay what you wish” tours do not have a fixed price. It is up to you to evaluate your guide’s work and reward it. Some people give 10€, others 50€ depending on their satisfaction and abilities.
Meeting point
In front of Red Town Hall (Rotes Rathaus) Nearest public transport: Rotes Rathaus metro station; Klosterstraße metro station
Additional info
☂︎ This tour is organised by Walkative Berlin guides. Look for the guide with the yellow umbrella.
❗Requires an AB Single ticket.
❗Our tours run no matter the weather. High or low temperatures, rain or snow is not a reason for us to cancel our tours. We are always here for you. The only reason for cancellations are extreme weather conditions (like heavy storms…), guide's sudden sickness or no minimum number of people (5) to run the tour, but we will always let you know using the data you provided during registration for the tour.Booking rules
Booking is obligatory. Our pay as you wish tours are designed for individual travellers and small groups. We don’t accept parties of more than 7 people on them. If you travel in a party of 8 or more (school groups, bigger groups of friends etc.), please choose a paid option of 18€ per person or book a Private Tour. For more information on the latter, please contact us.
About the tour
What comes to your mind when you’re in Berlin and someone says “communism”? The Wall? GDR? Hotspot of the Cold War?
All of these things are an important portion of our tour, but they’re only a part of the topic called “communism & socialism.” So our goal is more ambitious than just showing you the Berlin Wall and mentioning a couple of chapters of the Cold War history. We want to give you a holistic understanding of one of the most revolutionary and controversial ideological movements in world history.
How? By way of having a chronological journey from the 19th to 21st century and covering all the main chapters of the history of German communism. You will learn about the fathers of communist ideas – K. Marx & F. Engels and what they really taught about. You’ll hear the story of R. Luxembourg & K. Liebknecht and understand their role in a political struggle that tore German society apart 100 years ago and thus also helped A. Hitler rise to power. You’ll see and compare the Soviet model of socialism exported to Germany after WWII: you’ll experience it architecturally, grasp it geopolitically and perceive it through people’s life stories. Finally, we’ll talk about leftwing movements today.
After this 3 hours Walkative journey, you’ll form a historical Gestalt of communist & socialist ideas! Both in Germany and Europe (and even beyond). Both before and after WWII. Long before and long after.
This tour requires an AB Single ticket.
Highlights
- 1
Marx-Engels Forum
A memorial dedicated to Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, the fathers of communist ideas.
- 2
Liebknecht Balcony
The historic balcony from which a Free Socialist Republic was proclaimed in Germany in 1918.
- 3
Karl-Marx-Allee
A monumental socialist boulevard showcasing the most impressive Stalinist architecture in East Germany.
- 4
Frankfurter Tor
Two landmark towers representing the architectural development of socialist ideas in the former GDR.
- 5
The Berlin Wall
The longest remaining section of the notorious border that once divided East and West Berlin.
6Cold War History
Discover Berlin's role as a geopolitical hotspot during the decades-long standoff between East and West.
Map
In front of Red Town Hall (Rotes Rathaus) Nearest public transport: Rotes Rathaus metro station; Klosterstraße metro station
