/5
Living the Wall: Personal Histories of the GDR
Verified by:
FREETOUR.com
Provided by:
Martin Guenther
Duration
2h 30min
Meeting point
TV Tower at Alexanderplatz
Languages
English
From €0
Tip based
Free Booking. Free Cancellation.
No fixed price — pay what you feel the tour is worth.
Overview
Drawing from my own family’s experiences, we’ll explore:
What did daily life look like behind the Wall?
What was it like to go to school under a socialist regime?
How did it feel to live in a country you weren’t allowed to leave?
And how do East Germans remember that time today?
This tour isn’t just about politics or Cold War history; it’s about people. Along the way, we will visit Alexanderplatz, Karl-Marx-Allee (formerly Stalinallee), and the Andreasviertel ending within striking distance of the East Side Gallery.
As we walk, we’ll also discover the surprising legacy of the GDR still visible today through items that outlived the regime.
Some of which include:
Plattenbau (the wonderful concrete apartment blocks)
Kino International (the premier cinema of the GDR)
Ampelmännchen (pedestrian crossing men)
We'll also taste some East German products that not only survived the fall of the Berlin Wall but are still available, and in many cases, beloved in Germany today. By the end of the walk, you’ll come away with a richer understanding of how history shaped the lives of ordinary families and how those memories continue to shape Germany today.
What did daily life look like behind the Wall?
What was it like to go to school under a socialist regime?
How did it feel to live in a country you weren’t allowed to leave?
And how do East Germans remember that time today?
This tour isn’t just about politics or Cold War history; it’s about people. Along the way, we will visit Alexanderplatz, Karl-Marx-Allee (formerly Stalinallee), and the Andreasviertel ending within striking distance of the East Side Gallery.
As we walk, we’ll also discover the surprising legacy of the GDR still visible today through items that outlived the regime.
Some of which include:
Plattenbau (the wonderful concrete apartment blocks)
Kino International (the premier cinema of the GDR)
Ampelmännchen (pedestrian crossing men)
We'll also taste some East German products that not only survived the fall of the Berlin Wall but are still available, and in many cases, beloved in Germany today. By the end of the walk, you’ll come away with a richer understanding of how history shaped the lives of ordinary families and how those memories continue to shape Germany today.
Tour Conditions
Accessibility
Suitable for people with reduced mobility
Minimum Attendees
Requires at least 4 participants to run
Children
Suitable for families with children
Extra Fees
No additional cost
Pets
Pet-friendly
Read more
This activity includes:
- Strausberger Platz
- Berliner Fernsehturm
- Karl-Marx-Allee
- GDR tastings
Our Guides
Martin
On arrival
Our meeting point is under the iconic TV Tower at Alexanderplatz. Please meet at the benches in front of the TV Tower entrance (between Coffee Fellows and TKMaxx. Look for the tall man with a red hat - that's me!
Things to note
We will walk around 3.5km in total, stopping a few times for tastings!
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Free Cancellation
You are free to cancel a booking anytime. We kindly remind you to cancel bookings you cannot arrive for. Being reported as absent decreases your customer level points and the benefits you can enjoy.
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