Behind The Curtain Archive - Page 3 of 4

To say that this city has seen a lot of history over the last couple of centuries is an understatement. Come along with local author Daniel Burghard on an amazing walking tour as he guides you to some of the most significant and iconic WWII and Cold War locations in Berlin.

Starting at the iconic Brandenburg Gate and finishing up at the famous Checkpoint Charlie, at each stop in this roughly 3 hour tour, Daniel will explain the history of the location, as well as read to you eyewitness accounts from his latest book, “The Things They’ve Seen”, covering accounts of life both in WWII and Cold War Germany. In addition, Circus guests who take the tour will receive a complimentary copy of his book to take home, read and learn even more about the eyewitness accounts of history. At the end of the tour, if energy levels are still high, Daniel will point you in the direction of a couple of other WWII/Cold War locations which can be explored independently.

Join us as we help celebrate the 2022 Berlin Writers prize – together with the good folk at The Reader Berlin.

The Berlin writing prize is a yearly English language creative writing competition run by the Reader Berlin, a Berlin based organisation/platform for all writers, offering community, development and support.

Come along to Hallesches Haus to celebrate the winners, toast the judges and sponsors, enjoy readings, drinks, and all the good old literary chat!

Join Circus entertainment manager Andrew on a short neighborhood walk and introductory orientation of the local area. On the walk you will discover some of the highlights of the “Scheunenviertel” – a historic area of Mitte where the Circus is located.

Perfect for first time visitors to Berlin, and a great way to get a taste of the neighborhood from a local’s perspective. Also, Andrew has a pretty strong knowledge of what’s going on in Berlin, so take the chance to get some tips and inspiration to complete your perfect Berlin itinerary.

Join our good friends at “Fork & Walk” tours as they take you on an exclusive neighborhood walk around Mitte, showing you some of the many amazing “foodie” hotspots located just a stone’s throw from the Circus. Along the way you will learn about some of the local history and get a taste of the many boutiques that make the district of Mitte so vibrant.

This tour is exclusive for Circus guests. Space is limited so please let us know in advance if you would like to join

*How this works: Pick ‘n Choose the tastes & flavours you want to try. We suggest to bring a minimum of €10.

Paul Scraton is the co-author of the book ‘Mauerweg: Stories from the Berlin Wall Trail’, published to coincide with the anniversary of the Berlin Wall coming down on this day, the 9th November 1989.

Paul will talk about the book, and the history of the divided city, before taking us on a walk to Bernauer Straße and the Berlin Wall Memorial, site of some of the more dramatic moments in the history of the city. Along the way he will talk about life in East Berlin, and the legacy of division today.

Join us as we join forces with our city walking tour partners ‘Original Berlin Walks’ as we take a closer look at Berlins famous street art. Here’s how ‘Original Berlin Walks’ describe the tour:

“The Americans may have given the world street art, but it was perfected in Berlin. Starting in the ‘60s painting on the side of the Wall, through Berlin’s hedonistic heyday in the 1990s, artists the world over have come to the Hauptstadt to leave their mark. Our team of street art experts keep on top of what’s new, who’s who, and where to go to see the freshest and finest works that Berlin has to offer, which means that this tour is the best way for you to find the hidden corners that most visitors never get to see”

The Stasi museum is located in House 1 on the former grounds of the headquarters of the GDR’s Ministry for State Security. The building was erected in 1960-61 and included the offices of Erich Mielke, who served as Minister for State Security from 1957 until the end of the GDR following the fall of the Berlin Wall.

The permanent exhibition on display traces the history of the Stasi and its relationship with the SED – the ruling Socialist Unity Party. Here you will learn about who the Stasi was, their reason for existing, how they functioned and who were their targets. With this guided tour you will be introduced to the very complicated and nuanced subject matter which is often missed when exploring this period of German history.

Join Circus team member Carmen on a food & culture walk at Berlin’s Turkish Maybachufer Market in Kreuzkölln. Here you will learn about the history of the Turkish diaspora in Germany, and explore the famous Turkish market along the Lanwehr canal – with a guide on the most tasty Turkish-German foods.

After eating and exploring through the market, we will end the trip at the best baklava spot in town – and enjoy a delicious Künefe (the ultimate dessert!) with tea.

Join Circus communications guru, Victoria, as she takes you on a neighborhood walk of one of the most vibrant Berlin districts Friedrichshain. On this walk the focus will be on vintage clothing stores, a passion of Victoria’s. Along the way you will visit a variety of stores, as well as get a taste of the many weird and wunderful retail outlets that make this area so vibrant.

There will also be a chance to stop and rest and get a bite to eat, all part of the shopping experience!

Join us as we are taken through the award-winning exhibition ‘Topography of Terror’.

Here we will get not only an introduction to the exhibition, but also gain a deeper understanding of the five themes presented, including the Nazi takeover of power; the institutions of terror in Nazi Germany; the terror and persecution both inside the Third Reich and the occupied countries; and the end of the war and the post-war era.

It’s Wednesday and you’ve got nothing to do? We got you covered! Join our awesome crew and experience the magical Christmas Markets of Berlin! Each Wednesday we’ll take you to a different one so you can try all the delicious Christmas food and mulled wine under the colorful lights and holiday decorations. With over 100 markets to choose from, we make sure there’s something for everyone!

Winter wouldn’t be winter without an epic trip to the ice rink. A perfect place to kick off the season, this outdoor ice skating rink is one of the best in Berlin and has it all – from mulled wine to skates for rent. From absolute beginners to skating veterans, the ice welcomes you all!

And don’t worry, the rail will be there when you need something to hold on to your dear life!

On this tour, we will take a 90 minute circular walk through the district of Schöneberg, exploring the exciting and risqué history of the late 1920s, as seen by British author Christopher Isherwood

Visit the places he lived, socialised and documented in his Berlin Diaries of 1929 to 1933, and experience the vibrancy of the era and living on the edge of the Weimar Era. Accompanied by short readings from his works, see where ‘Cabaret’ was born, genders were blurred and films caused riots!

After eating and exploring through the market, we will end the trip at the best baklava spot in town – and enjoy a delicious Künefe (the ultimate dessert!) with tea.

Theater fans! Discover the secrets behind the curtain of the Deutsche Oper, one of Germany’s premier opera houses.

This exclusive tour will take us through the auditorium, the props store and the costume room, as well as onto (and behind) the stages themselves. Along the way we will learn about the history of the opera house, its productions and legendary performances.

‘Join our Kreuzberg veteran, and Circus staff member, Noor, on an authentic tour of one of Berlin’s hippest areas. Noor, has been living in the area for 9 years and is completely in love with her neighborhood. She will take you along her favorite walking route, spanning the Turkish market with all its delicacies, the canal and its unusual architecture and the famous Kottbusser Tor quartier with its rich history and diverse outlets. Be prepared to be a local for an afternoon.’

There will also be a chance to stop and rest and get a bite to eat, all part of the shopping experience!

On this tour, we will take a 90 minute circular walk through the district of Schöneberg, exploring the exciting and risqué history of the late 1920s, as seen by British author Christopher Isherwood

Horst Wessel was a young leader of the Nazi Party in the working-class neighborhood of Friedrichshain. On January 14, 1930, he was shot in his apartment, and he died a month later. Joseph Goebbels turned him into the Nazis’ principle martyr. After 1933, the Horst Wessel Song became the Third Reich’s national anthem. There were Horst Wessel Streets, Horst Wessel Squares, a Horst Wessel Hospital — Friedrichshain even became Horst Wessel City.

Hitler said that Wessel would be remembered for hundreds of years. Today, most people have never heard of him. Two myths have since competed about Wessel’s murder: the Nazis said he was assassinated by a red hit squad; the communists said he was a pimp and was killed in a dispute with another pimp. Both these myths are completely false, and the real story offers important insights about working-class life in Friedrichshain in the late 1920s.

Our tour will start at the site of the murder. In the style of a historical murder mystery, we will trace the path the murderers took on that cold January night so many years ago. We will end up at the site of a Communist bar in the Scheunenviertel.

Join us as we are taken through the award-winning exhibition ‘Topography of Terror’.

Visiting many of the city’s historical landmarks, at each stop in this roughly 3 hour tour, Daniel will explain the history of the location, as well as read to you eyewitness accounts from his latest book, “The Things They’ve Seen”, covering accounts of life both in WWII and Cold War Germany. In addition, Circus guests who take the tour will receive a complimentary copy of his book to take home, read and learn even more about the eyewitness accounts of history. At the end of the tour, if energy levels are still high, Daniel will point you in the direction of a couple of other WWII/Cold War locations which can be explored independently.

Paul Scraton is the co-author of the book ‘Mauerweg: Stories from the Berlin Wall Trail’, published to coincide with the anniversary of the Berlin Wall coming down in November 1989.

Join us as we join forces with our city walking tour partners ‘Original Berlin Walks’ as we take a closer look at the former concentration camp Sachsenhausen.

Explore the history of one of the most important forced labour camps in Nazi Germany. Original Berlin Walks’ guides are trained and licensed by the memorial site to unravel the complex history of the Holocaust. Using witness accounts and the latest historical research uncover what life was like for the prisoners of Sachsenhausen as they underwent forced labour in conditions of appalling brutality.

Meet your guide at the Circus reception and travel by train to the town of Oranienburg. Trace the very same path that prisoners were forcibly marched to the site by their Nazi guards, and explore the memorial with an expert guide.

Take time to visit exhibitions at the site and discover the lives of prisoners brought to the meticulously designed camp that functioned as the head of the entire camp network.

This tour is exclusive for Circus guests. Space is limited so please let us know in advance if you would like to join

*How this works: Pick ‘n Choose the tastes & flavours you want to try. We suggest to bring a minimum of €10.

Join us for a group guided tour of the newly created permanent exhibition at the world renowned Berlin Jewish Museum. Here’s what the curators of the exhibition have to say:

“The new core exhibition tells of Jewish past and present in Germany – five historical chapters and eight rooms on art and culture address the tense relationship between belonging and exclusion from the Middle Ages to the present, with a focus on the Nazi era and the years after 1945. The tour offers you a first overview of the exhibition, told from a Jewish perspective by means of selected stations and objects. This journey through time picks up on polyphonic, sometimes contradictory positions. Historical objects, media stations, video installations, and works of art from the collection invite you to follow the eventful history and learn more about what it means to be Jewish today.”

In addition to visiting the permanent exhibition, our group guided tour will include an introduction and study of the museum building’s world famous architecture.

Join us as we take a guided tour of the fascinating exhibition “Everyday life in the GDR”.

The German Democratic Republic (GDR), or Communist East Germany, ceased to exist at midnight on 3 October 1990. It was neither democratic, nor was it a republic. It was a dictatorship in which there were no free elections, no division of powers, and no freedom of movement. Millions of Germans lived in Communist East Germany for 40 years – so what was it like? How did the country function in which for 40 years a bread roll cost 5 pfennigs, but there were as good as no bananas? The country that built the highest TV tower in Germany, but did not provide enough housing to go around? That produced beautiful fairy-tale films, but forced critical artists into exile?

The permanent exhibition on “Everyday Life in the GDR” shows what East Germans’ lives were like in the 1970s and 1980s – at work, in public and in private. It shows how the Communist regime shaped everyday life, how people coped with the lack of things and the borders, and how they created free spaces for themselves.

As part of our long running series of eyewitness history talks, we are very excited and pleased to once again welcome back to the Circus the very special Salomea Genin who will share with us her memories of growing up in Berlin in the 1930’s, her escape of Nazi Germany and her final return to the East Germany (GDR) in what promises to be another amazing and enthralling evening.

Salomea Genin was born in Berlin in 1932 to Polish-Jewish parents, and the family fled the Nazis to Australia in 1939. By the early 1950’s Salomea was a committed member of the Australian Communist Party, and visited the German Democratic Republic as a delegate of the World Youth Festival. Out of this visit was born a desire to help build an anti-fascist state in East Germany, and in 1963 she moved there. Twenty years later she came to the realisation that she had willingly participated in what was a police state, and in turn this led her to join the political opposition and build a new life, even before the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of East Germany.

Hear her story of exile and the joy and anguish of her multi-faceted homecoming.

On September 6, join us at the Circus Hotel for a conversation with past winner Sarah K. Perry and two of the Berlin Writing Prize 2019 shortlisted writers, Avrina Prabala-Joslin and Sarah Van Bonn.

With the Berlin Writing Prize 2022 Judging underway, and with Sarah K. Perry coming for a visit, we thought it would be a great time for a reunion and a good catch-up session with these three writers to see what they’ve been up to since then and talk about what it really means to be a writer today. There will be a reading, or two, and we’ll be talking about entering competitions (and sometimes actually winning them!), what effect -if any- a city can have on their work, self motivation, where they get their inspiration, and more.

The conversation will be followed by a Q&A and discussion. So bring all your burning questions and comments and let’s catch up over drinks!

Join us for a walk through a neighbourhood that was once Berlin’s industrial heartland, known as ‘Red Wedding’ for its support of the Communists in the 1920s, and now a district with a thriving DIY-cultural scene recently voted 4th Coolest Neighbourhood in the World by Time Out. On the walk you will hear stories from of street-battles in the Weimar Republic and life in the divided city, get some tips from the present including tips for friendly bars and microbreweries… and learn a bit about Berlin’s 19^th and 20^th century history along the way.

Local writer Paul Scraton is a resident of Wedding, and much of his novel BUILT ON SAND is set on and around the route of the walk.

Potsdam is a small, but historically rich city – together with Berlin it was the center of Prussian power. It was also of enormous importance to the Soviets. In the summer of 1945, the Potsdam Conference of the victorious Allied powers was held here.

The city became one of the most important Soviet bases in Germany, with countless facilities and thousands of Soviet soldiers who characterized the street life for almost 50 years.

The tour takes you through Soviet Potsdam, to one of its most important secret service bases and the world famous Bridge of Spies.

Join us as we unlock the gates of Tempelhof Airport to get inside one of Berlin’s most interesting buildings and symbol of its dark and turbulent past. A classic example of National Socialist architecture, Tempelhof is a daunting example of what Berlin was supposed to become: Adolf Hitler’s “Grand Capital” Germania.

Tempelhof was also famously used by the Allies during the Cold War to resist Soviet efforts to blockade West Berlin, and thus became a symbol of the ‘Berlin Airlift’ and hope in the post-war period. This special guided tour will take us behind the scenes to learn more about the architecture and hidden history of this truly amazing building.

On this tour, we will take a 90 minute circular walk through the district of Schöneberg, exploring the exciting and risqué history of the late 1920s, as seen by British author Christopher Isherwood

Paul Scraton is the co-author of the book ‘Mauerweg: Stories from the Berlin Wall Trail’, published to coincide with the anniversary of the Berlin Wall coming down in November 1989.

From Marlene Dietrich to David Bowie, the world`s biggest film festival to a groundbreaking orchestra, Berlin really is a world center for cinema and music of all kinds. This three-hour tour takes a sideways look at two of the city`s most successful industries, taking in many of Berlin`s top film and music sites.

You will discover why so many films are made in Berlin and understand that the city`s tortured 20th century history is only part of the reason. You will also find out why Berlin can easily claim to be the world capital for classical music and also learn about arguably the most important rock music recording studio in history.

Tour guide Mark Meadow’s is a reporter for the Deutche Welle, Germany’s national broadcaster, and has a deep understanding of the city’s cultural history.

The Stasi Prison at Hohenschönhausen was an important part of the Ministry for State Security’s repressive actions against the people of the German Democratic Republic.

We will be joined by local guide, who will take us around the Stasi Prison and share the many eyewitness account’s of how the Stasi operated, what they did and where they did, exposing the dark side of life in East Germany

Join us for an exclusive tour of Berlin’s iconic Olympic Stadium, just for Circus guests, as we gear up for the Eurocup football tournament in Germany! Discover the fascinating history and stunning architecture of this legendary venue, famous for hosting the 1936 Olympics and its role in Berlin’s rich sports heritage. Explore the impressive grounds, and feel the excitement build as we approach the Eurocup. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to experience the grandeur of Olympic Stadium!

On this unique experience, we tour the canals of Berlin and discover Berlin by boat, seeing Berlin neighbourhoods Kreuzberg and Neukölln from a whole new perspective, as we journey from day to night.

Join us as we are taken through the award-winning exhibition ‘Topography of Terror’.

Local writer Paul Scraton is a resident of Wedding, and much of his novel BUILT ON SAND is set on and around the route of the walk.

After eating and exploring through the market, we will end the trip at the best baklava spot in town – and enjoy a delicious Künefe (the ultimate dessert!) with tea.

The city became one of the most important Soviet bases in Germany, with countless facilities and thousands of Soviet soldiers who characterized the street life for almost 50 years.

The tour takes you through Soviet Potsdam, to one of its most important secret service bases and the world famous Bridge of Spies.

Join Circus barman, Danylo, on a neighborhood walk to explore one of his favourite corners in the city, and one of the most vibrant and beautiful areas in Berlin – the Bergmannkiez.

This trip will be full of delicious food, historical parks, vintage clothing, boutiques, secondhand stores, and the best home made ice cream in town! Explore Berlin like a local.

Join Circus Hostel Manager, Anna, as she takes you on a neighborhood walk of one of the most vibrant Berlin districts Friedrichshain. On this walk the focus will be on vintage clothing stores, a passion of Anna’s. Along the way you will visit a variety of stores, as well as get a taste of the many weird and wunderful retail outlets that make this area so vibrant.

There will also be a chance to stop and rest and get a bite to eat, all part of the shopping experience!

Discover the lives of Berlin’s most extraordinary daughters

Stroll through the historic centre of Berlin and hear about the lives of the city’s most fascinating women. From queens and revolutionaries to feminists and world leaders, Berlin’s women have left their mark on Germany and the world.

Discover the life of May Ayim, a German-Ghanian feminist who was among the first academics to study Afro-German women’s history in Germany. Learn how German women were left to remove the rubble from post-WWII Berlin’s streets by hand in 1945, and find out how Marlene Dietrich left Germany and began actively opposing the Nazis.

This tour is exclusive for Circus guests. Space is limited so please let us know in advance if you would like to join

*How this works: Pick ‘n Choose the tastes & flavours you want to try. We suggest to bring a minimum of €10.

On this tour, we will take a 90 minute circular walk through the district of Schöneberg, exploring the exciting and risqué history of the late 1920s, as seen by British author Christopher Isherwood

Starting at the iconic Brandenburg Gate and finishing up at the famous Checkpoint Charlie, at each stop in this roughly 2 hour tour, Daniel will explain the history of the location, as well as read to you eyewitness accounts from his latest book, “The Things They’ve Seen”, covering accounts of life both in WWII and Cold War Germany. In addition, Circus guests who take the tour will receive a complimentary copy of his book to take home, read and learn even more about the eyewitness accounts of history. At the end of the tour, if energy levels are still high, Daniel will point you in the direction of a couple of other WWII/Cold War locations which can be explored independently.

Paul Scraton is the co-author of the book ‘Mauerweg: Stories from the Berlin Wall Trail’, published to coincide with the anniversary of the Berlin Wall coming down in November 1989.

The Stasi Prison at Hohenschönhausen was an important part of the Ministry for State Security’s repressive actions against the people of the German Democratic Republic.

Have you always wanted to write poetry, but don’t know how to start? Maybe you already write poems and are looking for a good excuse to spend a weekend delving deeper? Maybe your writing feels a little bland and you want to explore other forms that could help you break out of old patterns.

In this single-day poetry workshop, renowned poet, editor and performer Sara Larsen will guide you through a series of exercises and discussions to help you unearth your unique poetic voice.

You will immerse yourself in a variety of poetic forms from across the globe – the sonnet, ballad, ghazal, pantoum, ode, tanka and more (!) —and practice composing your own poems. You will study each form in-depth, while also engaging with avant-garde approaches that break, subvert, and reinvent the forms. You’ll both learn the rules AND learn how to break them, so you can explore possibilities outside your pre-established writing boundaries. This class will be engaging, experimental, playful and generative. You will walk away with a clutch of new poems and a multitude of ideas for your future work, whatever genre or form it may be.