The Day of German Unity is a Friday this year, giving you a long first weekend in October. To celebrate the 35th anniversary of German reunification , you can visit exciting events on German-German history throughout the city. But Berlin also has a whole cornucopia of event highlights in store for you this weekend that go beyond state-supporting events!
Tip 1: Take advantage of the great offer on the Day of German Unity
This Friday marks the 35th anniversary of German Unity Day and, with the reunification of East and West Germany, marks one of the great turning points in German history. Events are planned throughout the city to mark this festive occasion. The Forum Willy Brandt Berlin, for example, is organising a free special tour, which will tell you stories about Willy Brandt's life and work. And at the German Historical Museum, the programme continues with a short guided tour as part of the permanent exhibition "Roads Not Taken. Or: It could have turned out differently", which takes a look at other turning points in German-German history. Or you can watch one of the special films in the Zeiss-Großplanetarium, which bring the touching, turbulent time between the fall of the Wall and reunification to life
Explore the numerous possibilities and experience a political Friday in the spirit of democracy!
When: Friday from morning to evening
Where: Various venues throughout Berlin:
Tip 2: Enjoy Spanish sounds at Flamenco meets Classic
This particularly rhythmic guest event at the Philharmonie Berlin invitesyou to enjoy Spanish music on Friday evening. Hosted by the flamenco dancer Blanca Nieves (Spanish name for Snow White), a unique fusion of Spanish classical music and rousing flamenco is created in the Chamber Music Hall. Two dancers, two singers, percussion, piano, violin and guitar create an evening that transports both eyes and ears to southern climes. During the interval, the foyer of the Philharmonie invites you to linger with Spanish wines and culinary specialities.
When: Friday at 8 pm
Where: Chamber Music Hall of the Philharmonie Berlin, Herbert-von-Karajan-Straße 1, Tiergarten
Tip 3: Deal with the topic of "family"
Most of us are involved in family relationships in one way or another. However, the term family is broader than father, mother and child. In addition to the traditional nuclear family, there are many other family concepts that give rise to different role models, biographies, care work patterns and world views. Starting this Friday, the Humboldt Forum is presenting a comprehensive insight into this multi-layered topic with the exhibition Beziehungsweise Familie. And by that we really do mean comprehensive: "Beziehungsweise Familie" takes you through the exhibition rooms and collections at the Humboldt Forum and includes a large supporting programme. For example, the themed days this weekend entitled "Care or Chaos?" will deal with central questions of care and nursing work.
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 to 18:30
Where: Humboldt Forum, Schloßplatz 1, Mitte and Museum Knoblauchhaus, Poststraße 23, Mitte
Art & craft meets harvest festival
80 exhibitors showcase Berlin's craftsmanship: jewellery, painting, ceramics, fashion and design – fair, sustainable and for lovers of artistic everyday life. Discover, browse and take home now!
Tip 4: Closer - get one step closer to the truth about love
On Friday and Saturday evenings at the ACUD Theatre, you can see a play that has been a worldwide success since the late 1990s. Closer follows four people over the course of four years and shows how they navigate the ups and downs of their relationships and ultimately have to ask themselves the question: does relentless truth really create more closeness? The play by English director and screenwriter Patrick Marber brings the drama of human existence to the stage in an intimate and provocative way and reminds its audience that nothing stays the same. Relationships come, go, break up, change and always leave their mark. You can expect an evening of theatre that gets under your skin.
When: Friday and Saturday at 8 pm
Where: ACUD Theatre, Veteranenstraße 21, Mitte
Tip 5: Enjoy the October sun in autumnal Potsdam
Sanssouci Palace, Charlottenhof Palace, the Flatow Tower in Babelsberg Park and so on... With this number of magnificent buildings, it is almost impossible to escape the royal flair of Prussian architecture in Potsdam. But who would want to? Because these places make a trip to our neighbouring city a unique experience. It is no coincidence that most of them have been recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Sites . With the sanssouci+ combined ticket, you have access to selected palaces and gardens that are practically next door to each other for an entire day. Look forward to an October stroll that will take you past lakes, colourful forests and autumn meadows, while with a bit of luck the autumn sun will bathe your weekend in a fairytale atmosphere!
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday depending on opening times
Where: Potsdam's palaces and gardens
Tip 6: Say goodbye to the Berlin Museum of Letters
Since 2005, the Buchstabenmuseum Berlin has been delighting visitors with typographic city history. Some of the exhibits on display here are several metres tall, including the letters of the former Tagesspiegel building or dazzling neon letters that once adorned the façades of popular restaurants. Individual guided tours, hands-on workshops and interdisciplinary collaborations with institutions such as the State Library have revealed the secrets of lettering in public spaces. But now, after twenty years, this is sadly over: the Buchstabenmuseum closes its doors once and for all on Sunday. So it's high time to drop by one last time!
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 pm
Where: Buchstabenmuseum, Stadtbahnbogen 424, Mitte
Tip 7: Experience Peer Gynt at the Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz
Our next tip also offers one last opportunity: to experience Ibsen's Peer Gynt at the Volksbühne. The story about the escapist peasant boy is one of the classics of European theatre and, thanks in particular to the accompanying Grieg compositions, has been making theatregoers' hearts beat faster since 1875. This weekend, the play will be performed twice and for the last time. It is directed by the Norwegian theatre director Vegard Vinge, who gives the classic material a modern form with his collective Vinge/Müller/Reinhold. A multimedia theatre experience awaits you at the Volksbühne, combining elements of opera, performance art and an impressive stage design.
When: Friday at 3 pm and Sunday at 12 pm
Where: Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, Linienstraße 227, Mitte
Tip 8: Enjoy the autumn atmosphere at the pumpkin festival
The Schöneberg Pumpkin Festival in Akazienstraße has marked the start of autumn in Berlin for three generations now. This is where young and old meet, eat together, chat and, of course, marvel at pumpkins in all their colours and shapes. More than 10,000 examples of the popular autumn fruit are on offer here, table to table with handicrafts, designer fashion, jewellery, spices and much more. To ensure that the pumpkins you buy turn into delicious dishes at the end of the day, there are also many different preparation tips for those interested. On the occasion of the pumpkin festival, many shops in Akazienstraße will also open their doors on Sunday - the ideal opportunity for a relaxed weekend stroll!
When: Saturday from 11 am to 8 pm, Sunday from 10 am to 8 pm
Where: Akazienstraße, Schöneberg
Tip 9: Immerse yourself in grand show glitz and glamour at BLINDED by DELIGHT
With his new Grand Show BLINDED by DELIGHT , US star designer Jeremy Scott has once again brought to life a glittering paradise that transports visitors to the Friedrichstadt-Palast directly into a world of glamour. And that is precisely the idea, as the audience can accompany the protagonist Luci on her life-changing journey: One morning, she opens her eyes and suddenly wakes up in her own dreams. Everyday worries fade away, love and happiness seem within reach - almost too good to be true. But soon Luci has to make a decision: Does she stay in her dazzling fantasy or does she return to reality? Around 100 artists, opulent costumes and a spectacular stage set make this weekend's show another unforgettable highlight.
When: Friday at 19:30, Saturday at 15:30 and 19:30 and Sunday at 15:30
Where: Friedrichstadt-Palast, Friedrichstraße 107, Mitte
Tip 10: Dedicate yourself to German-German history at Checkpoint Charlie
From 1961 to 1989 , the Berlin Wall had a major impact on the everyday lives of Berliners. Especially in the east of the divided city, people's lives changed dramatically in its shadow. Today, the Wall Museum at the former US border crossing at Checkpoint Charlie is a reminder of this dark and powerful symbol of division. It provides deep insights into the dramatic history of the GDR and the daring escape attempts from East to West. Since its foundation, the museum has documented the tensions between the FRG and GDR and displays numerous original exhibits that reflect the inventiveness of the escapees - some managed to flee in cars, hot air balloons and even mini-submarines. A must for anyone interested in the history of divided Berlin on German Unity Day!
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 8 pm
Where: Mauermuseum, Friedrichstraße 43-45, Mitte
Tip 11: Get to know the queer side of the city at Homolulu
Berlin is considered one of the global capitals of the queer scene, and has been for quite some time. You can find out just how long the city's queer history really is and where the city's most popular gay clubs were located back in the 1920s on a sunny bike tour this weekend. On Friday and Saturday, Homolulu Berlin is organising a bike tour of queer heroes that will take you all over the city. Experienced guides will tell you about the first queer Berlin activist group, the first gender reassignment surgery and the first public outing. Grab your bike and explore the nightlife of the 1920s - from which we can still learn a lot in terms of tolerance and openness a hundred years later. The tour starts in Mitte and ends after about three hours in Schöneberg's Motzstraße!
When: Friday and Saturday at 2 pm
Where: Unter den Linden 4, Mitte
