in. this square and this building has witnessed history. the grand gilded flight of stairs has led major statesman and to bomb city hall and why von well for 40 years it was capital of the german federal republic this edition of check in as a journey through time in 2019 the german federal republic celebrates its 70th anniversary it all started here and bonn when the german constitution was passed in may 949. today i want to you to join me on a tour of 70 years of history from germany's provisional capital bawn all * the way to the current capital berlin together we'll discover what

a giraffe has to do with the country's constitution or basic law as it's known here and we'll revisit the places and locations that tell the story of post-war germany . we take you to bond's museum of german history. we catch an open air film and berlin government quarter. and we share of viewer video sent in from the hague seat of the dutch government. to kick things off i'm taking a walk down bond's path of democracy along the round he'll come across the alex and the colonel he. was heavily involved in world war 2 so there weren't enough venue's in the city for officials to meet when it became the new capital the parliamentary council. together in this natural history museum to draft

a basic law for post-war germany now the country's constitution i think that. this is where all the important people gather. dark clothes it was all very grand and formal. the base of an orchestra performed that was the day i know i was asked to create a government and draw up the basic law. 2 but it was already a museum back then and was. yes that was this is always been a museum and there voice been lots of stuffed animals standing around they all had to be removed for the ceremony back then the problem was that one animal could not be removed the big giraffe. so the taxi dermis didn't do a great job. contained. and they were worried that if they moved it to fall apart. they were

a wonderful old photos of all the people sitting here all very serious and ceremonial with a giraffe peering over their shoulders. so what exactly was the basic law and be able to hear and bonded cleared interim capital of the federal republic of germany you'll find out in an overview of the 1st decades after the war displayed and bonds house of history. it was helmut kohl's idea to create this museum of modern german history which opened in 1900. it's going to take submission is intitled our history germany's since $945.00. with the approval of the basic law constitution the federal republic of germany west germany was established in one. 149. months here. we look back on 70 years of german

history and here we see kind of had no assigning the basic law. when the loss of germany was still in ruins but i know i wanted to emphasize the importance of this historic moment. so he used the very grand gilded silverware from cologne town hall and group in. the start of. the establishment of west and east germany in 1949 sealed the division of the country. became the provisional capital of west germany and the seat of its parliament. its fast freely elected members sat on these chairs. and you all know this tells us something about the 1st west german parliament. we got some of the original seats and created this display also the podium and lectern

from which are no and others address the assembly element. we have some speeches about nuclear weapons which was a major issue back then and. i look at some and also lighthearted and even rowdy ones which show how parliamentarians sometimes let rip. important moments from east german history are also on display such as the uprising of $953.00 and the building of the berlin wall. in the west soaring prosperity went along with burgeoning protest movements and alternative lifestyles. the v.w. camper van came to be an icon of the hippie era. as. it stood for change individual is i'm breaking with society one's parents and. parents. and

for the search for peace and freedom by. the fall of the balun war and german reunification are key moments in post-war germany history. matters time passes the common attacks a vision has to be updated. here this subject tells a number of stories. it started out as a fishing boat then it was used by refugees trying to reach europe since then and it was salvaged during a rescue mission in the mediterranean near malta it's been on zone here since we reworked the exhibition last year we wanted to devote a section to the theme of migration and integration of an inside. the museum and is a great place to learn about germany past and present. another

stop along the path of democracy is below how much meant besides berlin's bellevue palace it's the 2nd official residence of the german president. so is there a way to know if the president is home today hoist the flag like buckingham palace . of the month yes exactly you can see the flagpole up there. as soon as the president comes through the gate they raise the flag. and just as he leaves again they lower it. but the fall of the guy. looks a bit like the white house you know it's sometimes called the white house on the rhine. or in fact there lots of villas along the river. this one was built.

in the mid 19th century during the romantic period. the romantics were very keen on the role. of the girl will slip all of this fear talk. time for our e-mail this week it was the minute by your apartment door and take along a tour of the hague a dutch t.v. that may not be as well known as the capital amsterdam but nonetheless it is a great political relevance because of the seat of the dutch government.

one person you won't be able to miss on the path of democracy is this man right here. and now on one of the fathers of the basic law and the federal republic's 1st chancellor.

this past a work of sculpture of a battlefront pilgrim displaced some of adenauer its biggest influences in life. are those begin t. . shirts here beneath his right ear with cologne cathedral because there are no was mayor of cologne until 953. when the nazis came to power he not only had to resign he also faced persecution. that's what the bound hands represent a period of persecution. hender the other side. you wouldn't lower down. the rhine river. valley go behind it some hills. they stand for this didn't begin to reach and. are now it was

very much a rhinelander. it's really important especially nowadays with all the talk about europe is the bull with the woman on its back. she's hard to see her arms and head are hanging down. ok yeah bit hard to read i don't know if she's like yes that is that's you wrote her on the back of the book as in greek mythology. you know it was an early champion of a united europe. along with the french president child to go mitch they were both rather old and had both been through 2 world wars. by. the by that's why when they came to the conclusion that they would only be peace when different communities got to know each other and neighbors became friends. with them. not. me.

i'm now going to catch a train to berlin because after reunification parliament and government return to the old capital. i make my way to rely on you guys get to check in with our love try to stay payments he was in iceland where he was at at the capital reykjavik and then took a loser outside the baby to see the geysers and the golden falls. stuffings over the land part of recovery efforts to get receive money for all the structures in the capital city and the best place to see the city from above district about. $74.00 metres it's the country's tallest

church and it's named after the icelandic poet and clad humans hughley mode peter song all of the passion. that you listen to. my next stop is the problem approach every where traditional fishing in the street it's modern developments to look up these restaurants at one of architecture like the accomplice building right behind me. compound is a conference center and a consequence for the iceland symphony orchestra and the building features a distinctive colored glass facade inspired by the landscape of iceland. got another great strong. but not an. end of a mess. when you were in reykjavik is the flu which is located just 40 minutes out

of the city and a good time to visit sexually at night because it's very relaxing and not as many people you get out of the blue lagoon geothermal spa is one of the most visited attractions in iceland. i think. the warm water is rich in minerals like silicon sulphur and anything in the blue lagoon is reputed to even help some people suffering from skin diseases. if. i'm fairly stout heading to the concept it's a popular tourist route covering about 300 kilometers leaping from break you break into the soften up lands and back. it's the guys. get. the most impressive form you can tell but if you post. which should score you

20 year every 6 minutes or so everyone there is waiting for it but. my. reading of this valley goes up their offspring and their river weekend jump in really. after a 3 kilometer hike up the valley you get to a hot river in which you can bathe. because. i think.

berlin's main station it's only a stone's throw to the government quarter. right after crossing the river surely you'll pass by the chancellor. and the right stock. and since we're commemorating the 70th anniversary of the republic and you can be certain there's a reason for my visit to this stretch behind the right. here you'll find the 1st articles of the constitution not set in stone but in glass. article 3 has a particularly interesting history. all people are equal before the law men and women have the same rights. the male dominated parliamentary council trying to keep that out of the constitution but the 4 female members persevered and won. as you can probably tell the right

the building itself is a lot older than the federal republic it was built over 130 years ago a lot has happened since the fall of the german empire the republican nazi tater ship the division of germany and answering unification since $999.00 the right started building is the seat of the german parliament the bundestag and the such the political heart of the country. the reichstag is a symbol of germany's troubled and complex history it was opened in 894 by kinds of vilhelm the 2nd he loves democracy and feel the power of parliament in 1900 the social democratic politician philip addressed the crowd from the balcony and declared germany a republic kaiser bill home the 2nd to get it the young democracy would be shaken by many political crises. in 133 hitler became chancellor an arson

attack on the reichstag was a welcome opportunity for hitler to dissolve parliament and suspend the constitution 945 nazi germany was defeated that reichstag was in ruins germany would soon be divided and then as well. in 1955 what was left of it was demolished the rest of the building was restored in the 1960 s. . in october 1990 half a 1000000 people gathered there to celebrate german reunification it was soon decided to move parliament from bombed to berlin. in 1905 the artists christo and sean claude wrapped the reichstag building in some very fabric . a comprehensive reconstruction then got underway to designs by the british architect norman foster who added a dome of glass. since

1909 the building has been the seat of the german parliament the bundestag. foster's design is all about transparency light and openness as befits a democracy the building has become one of germany's most popular tourist attractions. especially when the weather is nice and sunny days huge crowds gather in front of the right stack i'm interested to hear what other visitors think about germany's evolution throughout the past 7 decades. the ones that are years of the german constitution and the german federal republic what comes to mind. now you fear end of the 2nd world war on the creation of a democratic state and the democrats thought as the cloud do you think germany has changed over the past 70 years and tickets. it's incredible how much free

it things are compared to when i was young. women used to have to get permission to guys who were. just as not active women and nowadays i'm 74 and i sometimes do at work too much my boss also as. i am rather concerned about recent developments. things that are emerging once again that i thought we had left behind us once improved. over what do you think as an outsider has changed in this time over the decades after the 2nd world war. a lot i mean just. considering that you had the berlin wall and. for 50 years basically it was an island in east germany and then you know we're unified and you know they're part of the e.u. and. you know kind of

a bigger you know political entity i want to see this building because it's very great it's amazing it's. it's big it's human goals it's a very beautiful and this is history or. only german this history for a world and i want to be a part of this history and i want to see this. the government corridor between the right stock and the ship play has definitely become a significant and lively part of the capital there's plenty of space and lots to do . if you're like me and you can't get enough of german history check this out if you come to the government quarter and summer here and for a treat on a big open air screen it's only taken on

a journey through time. when the sun goes down the steps of the high stuck building become cinema stalls. i don't. even know the big circular window in the parliamentary office building opposite the marquee elizabeth. becomes a film screen a window into the past from the german implant to the weimar republic the nazi era and the post group period. piece on. this soviet located of west berlin and the allied airlift are represented on a foot bridge across the river. it's a great institution in that dark box about the testimony to the freedom of all the people around the world there's a great film. this also footage of east germans risking their lives and escaping to

the west. on the 9th of november 1989 the burden ball came down. we hear from people who were there that night. we want to finally be reunited. this is i think this is the day germany becomes one again it's an incredible feeling. to such a gripping historical footage a light showing compass is the entire facade. no with the lights in the background it was very special. but does not sound like a spot on the banks or pushed in the building of the rock star gets lovely as he

shows ricky serve well i thought it was really good really impressive and. it was amazing. and. the film about the history of democracy in germany is shown on some evenings in german with english subtitles the last showing is the motto business the day of jim and unity. and this is where we come full circle just a few meters down the road from the parliament you'll find a piece of bomb in this stand to give potato the permanent mission was the embassy of the federal republic and communist east berlin today it's a meeting point for fans of the rhineland way of life. it was founded by 2 men from

bonn and 997 and quickly became a hangout for berlin's political elite. that was our look back at the history of the german federal republic from its birth and in bonn all the way to its present home base ember a letter germany's a medical history has taught us a lot about the value and from gelati of democracy and about every citizen's duty to contribute to its upkeep here to the next 70 years and to lending more.

kick off long. way to tell us. the circumstances of the women's world cup. if you haven't jumped on the high train yet you know it yourself to get involved with someone. to.

come get welcome to paradise from going back packers love major. but when little known destinations become public knowledge they quickly become taurus battlefield. the delights and sorrows of travel. gringo trails. where i come from we had to fight for a free press and was born and raised in a military dictatorship with just one t.v. shadow and if your newspapers when official information as a journalist. i have worked on the streets of many characters and their problems are always the same 14 social inequality a lack of the freedom of the press and corruption who can afford to stay silent

when it comes to the fans of the humans and see the microphones who have decided to put their trust in us. my name is jenny harrison i work a day darling. so i want to do all sholto of the home a lot of fast food. you. know it's not a political protest these are crystal palace fans on the way to a home game. atmospheres in english guy.