After William returned to the Brandenburg Palace, he stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of the study and looked out. The bustling streets of Brandenburg came into view. William's palace is located in the center of Brandenburg.
Talking about the history of Brandenburg, it is simply a legend.
In modern history, Brandenburg (Berlin) played an extraordinary role: it was the source of two world wars, which once plunged the entire world, especially Europe, into darkness.
Around the 1230s, the town of Brandenburg was established on the banks of the Spree River. The founder of the town was Earl Albert of Brandenburg. Because the Earl was nicknamed "Bear", its town emblem was a
Standing black bear. Today, near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, there is a standing sculpture group of bears named after various countries, including a "Chinese bear".
In 1307, the "Brandenburg-Kohn" alliance of two towns was established.
In 1415, Sigismund, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation, granted the State of Brandenburg to the Hohenzollern family, and "Berlin-Koen" became the capital of the State of Brandenburg.
In 1525, the Hohenzollern family established the Duchy of Prussia.
In 1618, the Principality of Prussia formed an alliance with Brandenburg.
In 1701, the alliance was renamed the Kingdom of Prussia, and Berlin-Koen and three nearby towns were merged and officially named Berlin, becoming the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia.
In 1815, the "German Confederation" was established in Vienna, which included 38 members. After that, Prussia and Austria launched a struggle for the dominance of the "German Confederation".
In July 1866, the Prussian-Austrian decisive battle resulted in a great victory for the Prussian army. Austria withdrew from the "German Confederation". At this time, the four states adjacent to France in the southern part of the "German Confederation" still maintained their independence, and both Prussia and France were fighting against them.
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In 1870, the Franco-Prussian War broke out. The following year, Prussia won and the Prussian army occupied Paris. King William I of Prussia announced the establishment of the German Empire headed by Prussia at the Palace of Versailles. William I was the emperor of the German Empire and Bismarck was the prime minister. At this point, Germany was completely unified.
Set in Dublin.
During the Prussian era, the city of Berlin experienced rapid development.
In 1838, the railway from Berlin to Potsdam was opened to traffic.
In 1881, the world's first tram was put into use in Berlin.
On February 15, 1902, the Berlin Underground was officially opened, with a total length of 6 kilometers.
In the late 19th century, dozens of new factories were built every year in Berlin, and culture and art were also unprecedentedly prosperous.
In 1713, Berlin's population was approximately 60,000.
In 1877, the population reached 1 million. In 1905, the population reached 2 million.
In 1939, Berlin's population was 4.8 million, and after the war only 2.8 million remained. Even today, Berlin's population is only 3.5 million, which has not yet reached the level before World War II.
The "blood and iron policy" was successful in the hands of Bismarck, and its impact on Germany was far-reaching. However, its risks were later ignored by most Germans. As the saying goes, "the successful will not be blamed."
However, even Bismarck himself was not very sure that the "blood-and-iron policy" would succeed. Before leading the 250,000 Prussian troops to the decisive battle with the 280,000 Austrian troops, he even brought poison with him, preparing to commit suicide by taking poison if he failed.
The fate of the entire country and itself is put on a huge gamble.
Hitler inherited Bismarck's mantle, even worse. As Heraclitus said: "You cannot step into the same river twice." Bismarck won, but Hitler lost.
On April 16, 1945, Zhukov launched the Battle of Berlin. 2.5 million Soviet Red Army troops besieged 1 million German troops. The Soviet army captured Berlin at the cost of nearly 80,000 killed and more than 250,000 injured. On April 30, the Soviet and German armies
There was a fight for each room in the Capitol, and finally the Soviet soldiers planted the red flag on the roof of the Capitol. More than an hour after the Capitol fell, Hope
Teller committed suicide.
After that, the German High Command said in the last notice issued: "...the contributions and sacrifices made by the German navy, army and air force have made our enemies have to admire them. Every soldier can
We proudly and unashamedly lay down our arms, and at the most difficult moment in our history, we bravely and confidently go about our work for the eternal happiness of our people... The smoke over Berlin has cleared, and there is a tranquility and peace that has never been seen before.
Long live!"
The remaining German troops gradually came out of the bunkers and accepted the fact that Germany was defeated.
Berlin was devastated after the war. During World War II, 50,000 civilians in Berlin died in bombings, and about 600,000 houses were bombed, accounting for half of the total. Buildings were destroyed, food and clothing were deprived, public facilities were inoperable, and all subway equipment was destroyed by the Soviet army.
Disassembled and shipped away. "Berlin is dead!"
But the people of Berlin relied on their entrepreneurial spirit to build a new Berlin on the ruins.
Nowadays, there is an endless stream of people visiting the Reichstag Building every day, with a long queue outside the door. On the circular display wall inside the newly built glass dome of the Reichstag Building, you can see the past glory and remnants of the Reichstag Building, Hitler
Photos of people standing while attending parliamentary meetings are also printed on it to remind and inform people who visit.
Today, Unterden Linden, which belonged to the original "East Berlin", is Berlin's most famous street, with a total length of about 1,600 meters. The historical essence of Berlin is located near the street. The linden trees on the street have sparse branches and leaves.
Looking at the word "Linde(n)", it is interpreted as "linde (n)" in the "German-Chinese Dictionary" co-edited by Peking University Tongji and SISU, which should have its roots. The word "linde" is probably the first translator
This mistranslation has been used by future generations. The bodhi tree is native to India. According to legend, the Buddha Sakyamuni (i.e. Tathagata Buddha) achieved enlightenment under the bodhi tree.
The Brandenburg Gate can be called a witness to the rise and fall of Berlin:
In 1806, Napoleon led his troops to capture Berlin, and Napoleon enthusiastically accepted the "Key to the City of Berlin" at the city gate;
In 1815, Berlin’s soldiers and civilians celebrated the Victory of Waterloo here; in 1871, they celebrated Germany’s unification here again;
In 1933, Hitler reviewed his troops here;
In 1945, the Soviet army passed through the door;
In 1961, the Berlin Wall was built not far from the gate. The Brandenburg Gate was located on the East Berlin side, and Berlin's subway was also divided into two;
In 1989, Berlin citizens cheered for the fall of the Berlin Wall here again.
After Napoleon led the French army into Berlin, he ordered that the statue of the goddess and the four-horse chariot be removed from the city gate and brought back to Paris. In 1814, Prussia won the War of Liberation and took back the statue of the goddess and the four-horse chariot from Paris.
The horse chariot was reinstalled on the city gate, and an iron cross symbolizing the victory of the Prussian War of National Liberation was carved and embedded in the goddess's laurel wreath. During World War II, the statue of the goddess and the four-horse chariot were blown up.
, later cultural relic experts recast a set of four-horse chariot and goddess statue based on Takuta's plaster model and archival photos, but during the reinstallation
The iron cross and Prussian eagle in the goddess's scepter have been removed.
It is said that when the Berlin Wall fell, many Berliners cried and cheered. On the day when "East" and "West" Germany were reunited, Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" was played under the Brandenburg Gate.