People's Berlin - Berlin's history from below

People’s Berlin showcases the alternative, subversive, forgotten, or erased stories of civic activism and resistance that have played out in the urban landscape over the 800 years of Berlin’s dramatic history. By focusing on the stories of “history from below,” this app reveals Berlin as it has not been seen before. Launched in 2024 with 65 stories told on location, the app continues to grow with an ever-expanding repertoire of relevant content.

Nine color-coded themes guide users into the content: stories of Women’s Berlin, Jewish Berlin, Revolutionary Berlin, Postcolonial Berlin, Migration, Queer Berlin, Nazi Terror, Resistance, Memory, East German Opposition, Urban Pioneering appear as color-coded pins on the map of the city. Rare archival and contemporary photographs, graphics, eyewitness testimonies, short film interviews, and audio files enrich the texts in German and English.

Inspired by the countless examples of civic activism in Berlin, particularly related to Holocaust memory, Iris Wachsmuth (Berlin) and Kirsten Grimstad (Los Angeles) initiated this project to bring this awareness to international audiences and to local Berliners alike. At a time when democracy is imperiled by the rise of authoritarian regimes, People’s Berlin aims to ignite the fire of civil courage and action among its users by championing the stories of popular democracy that energize this project.

Contact: info@peoples-berlin.com