I design your Berlin tour!

My name is Robert and I consider myself a true Berliner. I grew up in East Berlin during the 1980s, I was in the middle of the revolution of 1989. I stood on the Berlin wall, I saw Germany re-unite right here. I also received my PhD in German history. I’m an expert, I’m a Berliner. I’m fun, too!

See Berlin! Feel Berlin! Understand Berlin! Love Berlin! Become a true Berliner too!

BIO

My name is Robert Sommer. I grew up in East Berlin during the 1980‘s. I've been working as tour guide for more than 10 years. I've specialized in walking tours focusing on life in East Berlin during the Cold War, Jewish life in Berlin, and the Nazi Period. Besides explaining the history of Berlin, I have many personal stories to tell especially about the fall of the wall and the re-unification of Germany. I actually stood on top of the Berlin wall at the Brandenburg Gate in November 1989 - unfortunately I have not found myself in any of the pictures taken that day.

History, culture and languages have always been my passions. I lived in Santa Cruz (California) in 1993. I studied at the University of Florence (Italy) and Humboldt University of Berlin from where I received my PhD in history. My dissertation focused on forced prostitution in the Nazi concentration camps. So I‘m also working as independent historian and researcher for various film productions, as well as for various concentration camp memorials.

For me showing Berlin means to pass on the love I have for this city to someone else. Berlin is the most amazing and vibrant city I know. I love to travel but I always come back to Berlin. It‘s a city which stays inside of you and never lets you down. And so I take pride to say in our dialect: „Berlin ick liebe dir!“ ( Berlin I love you).

ABOUT BERLIN

Berlin was founded almost 800 years ago. In the beginning it was a fishermen’s village. It became the home of the Prussian dukes and later the Prussian kings. Prussia became a superpower, Berlin became one of the most important capitals in Europe. At the verge of the 20th century Berlin became the biggest industrial city. Because of its tolerant atmosphere Berlin became the center of Judaism in Europe. It was the center of the film industry in the 1930s. Its university became the most important one in Europe. Berlin was the wildest city in the 1920’s in Europe. The Nazis took over and tried to destroy the liberal spirit of the city. From Berlin, they organized terror and lead they war of annihilation. That lead to a total destruction of the city. The Western allies and the Soviets divided it. A wall cut it into two worlds. The wall came down, Germany “re-united”, Berlin became Germany’s capital again

Today Berlin is a vibrant and wild city. It’s rich in history and full of culture. Berlin is the hottest city of Europe, maybe of the entire world!

Come and see the city with the eyes of someone who has lived most of his life in Berlin, who loves his city? See Berlin! Feel Berlin! Understand Berlin! Love Berlin! Become a true Berliner too!