This story is part of New series Explore the world through books. We asked some of our favorite writers to encourage them to check out some of their favorite readings and tips on literary landmarks to help them get to know their city. Travel around the world with them in the coming months, from Madrid to Mexico City, Istanbul and beyond. Sign up for the Books newsletter Don’t miss a stop!
Berlin is not clean. You need to know in advance. Never come here because of the beautiful architecture of the old European town.
Berlin Cathedral feels like an oversized one. Opposite the street is the absurd Stadtschloss. The castle was demolished in 1950 and replaced by a fairly Brutalist building, and has recently been rebuilt from scratch with an ultra-modern interior, faithful to the 19th century façade. At Potsdamer Platz, a tent-like glass roof acts as a strange time capsule that shows what people in the early 1990s thought their future would be. The Brandenburg Gate is down the road. The Brandenburg Gate is a neoclassical monument that has become a symbol of the new reunified Germany.
The 20th century left a deep mark on the city. Not long ago, Berlin was still separated by walls. And the history in front of the wall became even darker. Note the small golden rectangle (Stolperstein, or stumbling stone) on the pavement. Each is named after a Jewish resident of Berlin who was killed by the Nazis. Children and grandchildren may now live here. In Berlin, if you know your history, you will feel pain in every corner.
However, when the weather is nice and you cycle from the Neukölln district to Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain and Prenzlauer Berg, the architecture recedes and you can zoom freely with an endless array of crowded cafes, restaurants and parks. You will be able to do it. Many different languages.
Much of Berlin’s charm lies in what’s happening indoors — in cafes, clubs, and people’s apartments. The harsh history of the city has sometimes triggered an extreme quest for joy. Dance schools and streets have a serious dance and club culture, from techno music to afrobeat. The availability of many large spaces after the fall of the wall also brought about a thriving contemporary art scene, with many great artists having studios in Berlin. And when it comes to literature, many prominent German writers, including Austria and Switzerland, now live in Berlin.
But the best thing about Berlin may be that the mantra of equality for everyone is still demonstrated in many ways. Berlin is still reasonably priced (well, relatively speaking) and doesn’t require a lot of money to be cool. With style and attitude, you will join Berghain or other exclusive clubs more than any millionaire. I don’t know when it happened, but Berlin somehow went beyond the tragic past and became a wonderful place.
What should I read before packing the bag?
The big classic is Alfred Döblin’s “Berlin Alexander Platts..It is one of the great modernist novels of the 20th century, and knowing Berlin is just one of the many good reasons to read it.
What kind of books and writers should I bring?
Vladimir Nabokov’s “gift.. It’s the last book he wrote in Russian — a big novel about men and women that fate tries to come together (which hasn’t helped for a long time). It is also about a huge community of Russians who fled to Berlin after the revolution. For obvious reasons, this is a timely topic.
Irmgard Keun’s “Artificial silk girl.. This is a very original and very stylish novel about Berlin in the early 20th century. Narrator is a young woman with an irreverent and funny voice that you will not easily forget.
Hans Fallada “”Everyone dies alone.. This is one big social novel written by someone who survived it in Berlin under Nazi rule. It will give you a nightmare, but it gives you an idea of what it really was like and how only a great novel can do.
The book will take you to your next destination
We asked prominent writers from around the world to put together a literary guide to cities close to their hearts.
Thomas Bullsig’s “Short end of Sonnenallee.One of the finest satirical novels (literally) about life in East Berlin behind the wall. The translation by Jonathan Franzen and Jenny Watson and the introduction by Franzen will be published by Picador Original in April 2023.
Sven Regener’s “Berlin blues.. One of the weirdest German books to date, explore what life in Berlin would have been like after a reunification without lots of liquor and money.
Also, if you read German, try Jens Bisky’s newly published, yet untranslated history.Berlin.. Don’t be fooled by its large size, just like the city itself.
If you don’t have time for a day trip, what books can help you explore further?
One of the novels of Theodor Fontane, the great writer of the 19th century. It is often done in the idyllic landscape of Brandenburg around Berlin.
And Voltaire’s “A memoir of the life of Mush de Voltaire.. Potsdam is just an hour from Berlin, and the friendship between Frederick the Great and the greatest writer of the 18th century has led to many very entertaining mutual accusations, but it is endlessly interesting to explore.
What is the writer everyone in the town is talking about?
Now, for obvious reasons, people are talking about great Ukrainian writers-for example. Yuri Andorhovic Andrey Kurkov-Russian dissident writers such as Vladimir Sorokin, Lyudmila Ulitskaya, and Victor Elofeev who arrived in Germany and could not return to their hometown for political reasons. These are common names in Europe. That is, little is known in the United States, like the names of the great writers of almost every world that are not written in English.
Tell me what audiobooks bring to a good company while I’m walking around.
Bertolt Brecht’s “Three Penny Opera.. There is also a BBC production with David Bowie. Yes, it’s officially set in London, but it’s a typical play in Berlin in the 1920s. Don’t try to understand the story: just enjoy the song.
Who are the literary icons you might see named on road signs, statues and public monuments?
While listening to The Threepenny Opera, you may want to take a walk through the Berliner Ensemble, the theater that directed the play after Brecht himself returned from Hollywood asylum, when the Threepenny Opera premiered in 1928. There is also a statue of Brecht, but the real monument is, of course, his theater.
Which literary pilgrimage site would you recommend?
This is not a fun recommendation, but go to Hohenschönhausen Prison. There, East German secret police interrogated dissidents, many of them to writers. At that time, I couldn’t find it on any map. Few people knew it existed. Former prisoners are now tour guides! Former prisoners are relatively young and relatively young, so they have a visceral understanding of how recent the dictatorship was still in place. It may ruin your day, but it helps you to understand more about the second half of the 20th century than most books and museums.
Where is a good place to read a book and curl up on holidays?
From the Berliner Ensemble, a 10-minute walk past Friedrichstraße station (which was a railway station between East and West in the days of the walls), you will reach a huge bookstore called Dasman in Friedrichstraße. It has everything in every language and is so big that you may never find your way.
Or, if you’re already in the western part of the city, go to Bücherbogen in Savignyplatz. Smaller than Dasman, but probably Berlin’s most beautiful independent bookstore.
Then pick up all the books you bought and, in the spring or summer, go to the sandy Volkspark Friedrichshain and stay until the sun finally sets. However, in winter, don’t try it. Avoid the park.
In fact, never come to Berlin in winter.
Daniel Kehlmann’s Berlin Reading List
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“Berlin Alexander Platts” Alfred Döblin
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“gift,” Vladimir Nabokov
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“”Artificial silk girl,Irmgard Keun
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“”Everyone dies alone,Hans Fallada
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“”Sonnenallee’s short end,Thomas Brusig
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“Berlin Blues” Sven Regen
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“Berlin,” Jens Bisky
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Theodor Fontane’s novel
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“Memoir of the Life of Mush de Voltaire” Voltaire
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“Three Penny Opera” Bertolt Brecht
Daniel Kehlmann’s latest novel, Till, adds humor to a conflict-torn European story and has been featured in major films. This is his eighth novel, translated or translated into more than 20 languages.
