berlin you can find all the latest headlines at d w dot com or follow us on twitter. 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 czech and it is 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 invite you to join me on

a tour of 70 years of history from germany's provisional capital bonn 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 tube on this museum of german history. we kept 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 bonds path of democracy along the route you'll come across the alex and the colonel. bond was heavily involved in world war 2 so there weren't enough

venues in the sit. for officials to meet when it became the new capital the parliamentary council got together and this natural history museum to draft a basic law for post-war germany now the country's constitution. like. 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 was asked to create a government and draw up the basic law. but it was already a museum back then. yes it was this is always been a museum and their 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. so

the taxidermists didn't do a great job. contained. and they were worried that if they moved it it might fall apart. there are wonderful old photos of all the people sitting here all very serious and ceremonial with a rough spearing over their shoulders. so what exactly was the basic law and feel it's here and bond it cleared interim capital of the federal republic of germany you'll find out in an overview of the 1st decades after the war displayed in bond's house of history. it was helmut cole's idea to create this museum of modern german history which opened in 1900. it's going to take submission is intitled own history germany since $945.00. with the approval of the basic

law constitution. the federal republic of germany all of west germany was established in 1949. months here. looking 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 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 bell and what. 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. estates. it stood for

change. individual is i'm breaking with society one's parents and grandparents. and for the search for peace and freedom by. the fall of the berlin wall and german reunification are key moments in postwar germany history. but as time passes the common attacks a vision has to be updated. this uptick tells a number of stories. it started out as a fishing boat then it was used by refugees trying to reach europe. it was selvage during a rescue mission in the mediterranean near multi. it's been on zone here since we reworked the exhibition last year we wanted to devote a section to the theme of my creation 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 mitt 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 do they hoisted the flag like buckingham palace. of the month yes exactly you can see the flag pole up there. soon as the president comes through the gate they raise the flag. and just as he leaves again they lower it all but the farmer. that looks a bit like the white house you know it's sometimes called the white house on the

rhine. or. lots of it as along the river village and this one was built in the mid 19th century during the romantic period with. the romantics were very keen on the wrong one too shall i and i think also all of this beautiful. time for our e-mail this week it was the minute by your apartment door and takes 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 fate of the dutch government.

one person who won't be able to focus on the path of democracy is this man right here conrad added 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 battle fun pilgrim display some of adenauer its biggest influences in life. are those beginning to rise even might starts here beneath his right ear with cologne cathedral because i know 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 balland hands represent a period of persecution. hender. you

wouldn't lower down. the rhine river. valley go behind it some hills. they stand for there's even goober going to each. other now it was very much a rhinelander. it's really important especially nowadays with all the talk about europe is the goal with the woman on its back though she's hard to see her arms and head hanging down that's. ok never heard of it hard to recognize that yes that is that's you wrote her on the back of the book as in greek mythology. no it was an early champion of a united europe. along with the french president child to go missing 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 they. became friends and then . told. 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 berlin and you guys get to check in with our globe try to stay payments he was in iceland where he visit at the capital a rake it begun then took the loser outside the city to see the geysers and the golden falls.

to start things off the land part of recovery. which is among the homeless structures in the capital city and the best place to see the city from across the street about. $74.00 metres it's the country's tallest church and it's named after the icelandic totem clergyman how greenwood peter song all of the passion. for. my next stop is the problem for egypt where traditional fishing industry meets modern developments with the cafes restaurants and bottom architecture like the top of building right behind me. 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. another great. center. not

a. and that's when you were in reykjavik is the polluted located just 40 minutes out of the city a good time to visit 60 at night because it's very relaxing and i am not as many people you know in. the blue lagoon geothermal spa is one of the most visited attractions in iceland. i think. the warm water is rich in minerals like silica and sulphur and pay thing in the blue lagoon is reputed to even help some people suffering from skin diseases. play. a part in this 1000 having to go through something it's a popular tourist route covering about 300 kilometers of leaping from break you break into the soften up lands and back and a 1st step is the guys. get.

the most impressive one you can tell but if you pull up work which shorts water into the air every 6 minutes or so everyone in there just waiting for it but. i i i. am. reading up this valley up there there are springs and there's a river where you can jump in for life. after a 3 kilometer hike up the valley you get to walk off a 1000000 people gathered there to celebrate german reunification it was soon decided to move parliament from bombed to bow and then. in 1905 the

artists christo and sean called wrap the reichstag building in. and so very fabric . a comprehensive reconstruction then got underway to do signs 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. fosters 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 on 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 shout ones that are years of the

german constitution and the german federal republic what comes to mind when it. the end of the 2nd world war and the creation of a democratic state and start as the cloud do you think germany has changed over the past 70 years and tickets. it's incredible how much free a things are compared to when i was young. women used to have to get permission to go to work. just to have active women and nowadays i'm 74 and i sometimes do it work to move us also as. i am rather concerned about recent developments. things are emerging once again that i thought we had left behind us once and for all exhibit one 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 they you know were 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 basically 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 rice talk and the should 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 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 bomber republic the nazi era and the post group period. piece on.

this of it located of west berlin and the allied airlift are represented on a foot bridge across the river play. it's a great institution full of 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 gripping historical footage a light showing compass is the entire facade.

no with the lights in the background it was very special. does not seem like a good spot on the banks of the spray and the building of the rock star gets lovely as he shows for i thought it was really good really impressive and. there's amazing . 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. this standing effect a 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 vaughan in 1997 and quickly became a hangout for prelims political elite. that was our look back at the history of the german federal republic from its birth and on 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 fragility of democracy and about every citizen's duty to contribute to its upkeep here to the next 70 years and to lending more.

'd german voices. the south african gray.

in the beethoven fest 29 teams campus project. 2 worlds are united in trying music. just wanna. see the cars of the future and be i am prime for. europe's most important auto show keep pace with the big changes in mobility. this year the carmakers will show off their latest electric models. we'll show you the winners and losers the tops and the flops. try this in 60 minutes on.

the fall of the berlin wall becomes before november $989.00. we visit the heroes of eastern europe. we talk to those who began the struggle for freedom and those who showed personal courage told them no good book was going to go no telephone pole film or school that you know you've been in the film we have would go off the wall didn't surprise me i saw it coming 10 years before the flood sure and come back home i mean. what does it take to change the course of history and. raising the iron curtain start september 30th on d w. gets to do.

that.