Berlin history can be traced back to 720 B.C when the Berlin region was inhabited by two of the major Slavic tribes- the Heveller and the Sprewanen. The Hevellers settled on the bank of River Havel whereas the Sprewanen settled near River Spree.
The medieval periods in Berlin history can be traced back to as far as 1350 A.D. An important event in the medieval history of Berlin was the occurance of Black Death. This event saw the mass execution of the Jews who were blamed for the phenomena of black death. In the coming years, during 1376 and 1380, Berlin suffered yet another disaster, when most of the city was swiped out by fire. Further down the history, in the year 1576, Berlin suffered the aftereffects of the Thirty Years' War that took place between the year 1618 and 1648. After the marching of Napoleon Bonaparte in Germany, Berlin was granted an independent government administration.
Berlin was declared the capital city of Prussia in the year 1710 by Frederick III after he crowned himself the King of Prussia. Berlin remained the capital of the new kingdom till 1945. Berlin was also established as the capital of Germany, which was later interrupted by the
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division of Berlin into East and West Berlin. After the reunification of Berlin in the year 1990, it was again declared the capital of the country.
The two most important events that have paved the history of Berlin are the construction of the Berlin Wall and the Battle of Berlin. Built in the year 1961, the Berlin Wall was the best step that East Germany could think of to curb the huge influx of East Germans into the West German territories.
The Battle of Berlin is another important feature of Berlin history. After a series of defeats in the Battle of Kursk in Russia and other battles in Africa, Germany was almost rendered defenseless. Adding up to the adverse situation was the successful invasion of Germany by the French Allied forces. Gradually, the Allied Powers of America, Britain and Russia also started closing in onto the country. After a period of rigorous war and bloodshed, Germany had to surrender to Russia not being able to compete with the military prowess of Russia.
Berlin history has paved the cultural heritage of the city and the country of Germany as a whole in such a way that both of them seem to be inseparable.
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