Matt Robinson
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A chance encounter with a Cold War spy in Berlin led me to stumble into tour guiding two decades ago after moving to the German capital as an aspiring writer from my native England.
Assured that not only did I. . . "know a lot about German history" but also. . . "didn't mind embarrassing myself in front of large groups of people" - the basic requirements for a Berlin tour guide at the time - I was hired by a local tour company and began what has since turned into my passion and profession.
Over the years I have introduced thousands of visitors to Berlin: from independent travellers, families, companies and schools - to Holocaust survivors rediscovering the streets they once called home and the relatives of Nazi perpetrators seeking answers to the crimes within their families.
Although I specialise in Berlin's 'heavy history' of the 20th century (the era of Adolf Hitler's so-called 'Third Reich' and 'Cold War' period), I also understand it would be impossible to understand the big picture when it comes to Berlin without the context of previous chapters in say Prussian and early medieval history - and the city's more uplifting contemporary realities. Adding context to Berlin's history is, for me, one of the most rewarding aspects of being a tour guide and I am always happy to tailor my tours to my clients wishes, expectations, and previous knowledge.Beyond Berlin, I also offer tours of the nearby Sachsenhausen & Ravensbrück Concentration Camp Memorials (where I have been a licensed guide for 15 years), the beautiful parks and palaces of Potsdam (the former summer residences of the Hohenzollern dynasty), as well as trips further to Dresden, Leipzig, and Peenemünde (the site of the Nazi rocket research facility).
After spending several years as a historical consultant at the former East German secret police headquarters, I offer behind-the-scenes tours of the Stasi Zentrale and also (as a result of plenty Covid-research time) also offer an extremely detailed tour of the sites of the 1945 Battle of Berlin
Berlin is a city that is more than the simple sum of its landmarks, and is best experienced that way. There is something for everyone here; and the stories of this city echo across the world.
To learn more visit the website of my company, Berlin Experiences. I also maintain the Battle of Berlin and Potsdam Conference websites, covering in-depth the events that took place during the final confrontation between the forces of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union on the streets of the German capital in April/May 1945 and the subsequent meeting of the leaders of the Big Three power (Truman, Stalin, and Churchill) in July/August 1945 to finalise the division and occupation of Germany and its capital.
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Ravensbrück
Stasi Headquarter
Peenemünde
