Giles Schumm
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Hi! I'm Giles.
I'll start with a confession: I fell in love with Berlin the moment I arrived in 1992, freshly relocated after finishing my BA in Creative & Performing Arts in Newcastle and a spell in London. It was a city of sheer freedom and irresistible contradictions, and I knew immediately I was home.
While teaching English and translating, I threw myself headfirst into the vibrant, chaotic 1990s underground scene of East Berlin as both a musician and an insider. I lived in an ex-squatted house in East Berlin, spending my days and nights playing in and visiting legendary venues like Tacheles, Schokoladen, Eimer, and beyond.
Alongside the music, I delved deeply into the city's turbulent history—tracing its transformation from a late medieval outpost through the Prussian and German empires, the sparkling and doomed Weimar years, the dark rise of Nazi Germany, and the Cold War and its dramatic end.
To me, a great tour isn't just a timeline of dates; it’s an immersive narrative. I really enjoy helping visitors to unlock the secrets of this fascinating city, not only from a historical perspective but also with stories from the lives of individuals, interspersed with my impressions from the many years I've lived here. Every street corner holds a secret waiting to be unraveled, and I treat each tour like a unique adventure shared with my guests.
I offer public and private tours tailored to your interests—including my first-hand experiences of '90s East Berlin, as well as classic historical and cultural routes across the capital. I look forward to exploring Berlin with you!
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Berlin Highlights
Third Reich/WW II Berlin
Cold War Berlin
Medieval Berlin
Prussian Berlin
WW I & Weimar Berlin
Revolutionary Berlin
90s East Berlin
