At the Edge of the Wall: Public and Private Spheres in Divided Berlin (Studies in Contemporary European History Book 26)

Located in the geographical center of Berlin, the neighboring boroughs of Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg shared a history and identity until their fortunes diverged dramatically following the construction of the Berlin Wall, which placed them within opposing political systems. This revealing account of the two municipal districts before, during and after the Cold War takes a microhistorical approach to investigate the broader historical trajectories of East and West Berlin, with particular attention to housing, religion, and leisure. Merged in 2001, they now comprise a single neighborhood that bears the traces of these complex histories and serves as an illuminating case study of urban renewal, gentrification, and other social processes that continue to reshape Berlin. "Located in the geographical center of Berlin, the neighboring boroughs of Friedrichschain and Kreuzberg shared a history and identity until their fortunes diverged dramatically following the construction of the Berlin Wall, which placed them within opposing political systems. This revealing account of the two towns during and after the Cold War takes a microhistorical approach to illuminate the broader historical trajectories of East and West Berlin. Merged into a single borough in 2001, they now comprise a neighborhood that bears the traces of these complex histories and serves as an illuminating case study of gentrification, immigration, and the other social processes that continue to reshape Berlin"-- Provided by publisher