Berlin: Europe's most exciting capital?
Perhaps the German city least in need of an introduction, Berlin has emerged from the scars of two major wars – one real, the other cold – to become one of Europe’s most exciting capitals. Located in the northeast of the country – just one hour from the Polish border and only three from the Baltic Sea – the capital’s claim as a gateway between east and west is reinforced by the many different cultures that make their home here.
Warschauer Bruecke by photocase user Dave Steiner
Though major manufacturing industries have long since departed, the capital has placed its hopes in the young. Media and music companies continue to migrate to Berlin, and the city hopes its wealth of universities will allow it to establish itself as one of Germany’s biotech and research centers. A dizzying array of cultural and nightlife attractions ensures Berlin will never have a tough time attracting people.
Overview of the Universities
Humboldt University is Berlin’s oldest university, and with 32,000 students it’s also one of Germany’s largest. After a chequered history during WWII and the Cold War, it has recovered remarkably since reunification and moved up from 29th to 5th in the German Research Foundation university rankings. Humboldt’s interdisciplinary school, the Berlin School of Mind and Brain, was recently named in the country’s excellence initiative. In partnership with Free University, Humboldt also boasts a respected medicine school at the globally renowned Charité Hospital in Berlin.
http://www.hu-berlin.de/
Founded as the American answer to the Soviet-dominated Berlin University in the early post-war years, Free University has become one of Germany’s most successful universities as well as Berlin’s biggest. Its Otto Suhr Institute for Political Science is the largest in Europe and among the world’s most respected. The university can also lay claim to a highly regarded earth studies program.
www.fu-berlin.de
At the Technical University of Berlin, around 20 percent of the 28,000 students are from abroad, one of the highest rates in Germany. Mathematics and IT have traditionally been TU Berlin’s strong suit.
http://www.tu-berlin.de
Although the University of Art (UdK) is the smallest of Berlin’s universities, it has one of the best reputations for churning out innovators in design, fashion and art. Contemporary artist George Baselitz, fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, even singer Bobby McFerrin, have taught here.
http://www.udk-berlin.de
Known for its two-year Master of Public Policy program the Hertie School of Governance has made a name for itself in political science circles as it boasts some of the most renowned names in the field among its faculty. It is an international state-accredited private university that cooperates with top-level international universities, including the London School of Economics (LSE)
http://www.hertie-school.org
What Berlin is like
Cristobal Rovina Kaltwasser arrived in the city in 2004 and first moved into the multicultural neighborhood of Kreuzberg before switching to Prenzlauer Berg in former East Berlin. A native of Chile and a trained sociologist, he’s now working on his doctoral thesis on a DAAD scholarship at Humboldt University.
What’s Berlin like for a student?
I think Berlin’s fantastic. Berlin is very charming and melancholic and shaped by the history of the 20th century. It’s a strange combination. You have everything you need as a student: good libraries, a good atmosphere, great nightlife. But compared to other, smaller cities, one can also feel very anonymous and a bit lonely as a student in Berlin.
Did Berlin meet your expectations?
100 percent. I knew the city before I came, and really wanted to come back.
How do you find time to study?
Berlin is a perfect place to study. The weather guides you in this way: the cold and the somewhat melancholic atmosphere steer you towards drinking coffee and reading.
What is an absolute must for every new arrival?
So much. I’d recommend the following: take a bicycle, a good city map and then ride to the well-known spots in the city (Unter den Linden, AlexanderplatzAlexanderplatz
Alexanderplatz: großer Platz in Ostberlin
, certain areas of Mitte, the government quarter, the Landwehr Canal in Berlin-Kreuzberg). You absolutely can’t miss the Tiergarten and the Victory Column.
My Favorite Spot:
Cristobal says he has many in Berlin: the Philharmonic, the main library and the Hamburg Bahnhof (a museum) are his top three. But he also likes the Volkspark Friedrichshain.
Did you know?
Both Humboldt University and Free University claim Nobel prize winners Albert Einstein and Max Planck as their own. The bizarre fight stems from the pre-war days when both physicists taught at Berlin University. When a group of students and faculty split from BU and formed Free University after the war, they claimed the Nobel Prize winners for their new institution.
Spots to check out
-In the summer, head out to the many lakes around Berlin (the Wannsee is a favorite). Most lakes are easily reachable by public transport.
-If you’re feeling lazy, how about lounging beside the Spree river at one of the many seasonal beach bars – Kiki Blofeld and Bar 23 in Kreuzberg are among the best.
-In winter, stroll along Auguststrasse on weekend nights for gallery openings in the epicenter of one of the world’s most exciting art scenes.
-Try Germany’s fast food of choice in the city where it all began: good döner kebabs can be found all over Berlin, but some of the best are at Hasir in Kreuzberg.
What’s happening?
There aren’t enough words in the English or German languages to describe the city’s varied and bizarre nightlife. But if you had to choose one, it would be endless. Start with dinner at Monsieur Vuong in Berlin’s Mitte district before heading up the street to 8mm bar for some pre-dancing drinks. Stay there all night or hit the dance floor at the Panorama bar in Friedrichshain.
Useful links
A one-stop shop (in German) for those who want to study in the capital.
http://www.studieren-in-bb.de/links/hochschulen-b.shtml
Campus Germany, sponsored by the DAAD, offers tips on local customs and issues such as health insurance.
http://www.campus-germany.de/
There are several sites that help new arrivals find apartments to rent and share. Good places to start include:
Room with a Loo: http://www.roomwithaloo.com/
www.wg-gesucht.de
www.studenten-wg.de
Also, check out the Ex-Berliner, Berlin’s largest English-language publication. Their online presence, www.exberliner.com, includes real estate and
nightlife guides.
Need help finding an apartment?
I am looking for an apartment in Berlin = Ich suche eine Wohnung in Berlin
Here you will find vacancies in Berlin
Photo 1: Photocase.com/Dave Steiner
Photo 2: Reinhard Goerner/fu-berlin.de
Photo 3: YG
