Walks in Berlin

History Walks

Empathy Walks

Forest Walks

My current video-art project combines observational footage of Berlin, Germany with audio recordings - featuring objective facts about the city's history and subjective lived-experiences of anonymous individuals in Berlin between April 1 and November 1, 2024.

Live screenings of the project will incorporate live editing and live music from Berlin-based musicians. The project is called "Walks in Berlin: a polyphonic great city"

I will host 100 walks between April and November. Each lasting approximately 2 hours, covering 2 kilometers by foot.

History Walks is a walk down Unter den Linden, the grand boulevard first laid out in 1647. We start at the Marx-Engels Forum and end at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. During the walk, I provide a solid foundation of Berlin’s history.

Along the way, we see the Prussian Palace, Berliner Dom, Old Museum, the Royal Guard House and Memorial to all victims of War and Tyranny, the State Opera and St. Hedwig's Cathedral, the place of the infamous Nazi book burning and the Brandenburg Gate.

Empathy Walks is a walk in the former airport in Berlin, Tempelhofer Feld, where strangers get in pairs to practice Empathic Listening. The walks always lead to people feeling understood, listened to, connected. I developed simple instructions and easy guidelines to make this happen.

Forest Walks is a walk through an urban forest in Berlin. We start at a mass-grave with 7,000 people who died in the Battle for Berlin. We walk silently through a hardwood forest and along the river Spree.

Dates and Times

We will see these buildings and learn the history of the square.

We will visit Stüler's masterpiece, along with other buildings he designed.

History Walks

I only give small group tours - with a maximum of 15 participants.

In just two hours, I give a solid overview of historic buildings and the national and international contexts that shaped the landscape of Berlin since the 13th century until today.

I point out key developments from different Prussian kings, significant architecture, and the distinct phases of the city's history. I also present a relevant archive of historic photos and paintings, providing you with a further historical understanding of the route.

The tour is not saturated with too many names and dates for you to take in. And I give you time to look at the most interesting things along the way.

We start at the Marx-Engels statue and end at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.

Empathy Walks

Empathy Walks are very simple.

We meet, set intention, and guidelines.

We pair up to walk and talk.

We take turns talking and listening with empathy.

The guidelines:

We practice empathic listening.

We do not offer advice.

We simply prove we listened, by mirroring back what was heard.

Agenda

Group arrival
Guidelines
Pair up, walk 10 minutes - one person listens and the other speaks. Then the listener mirrors back. Then they switch roles.
Group check-in
New pairs, round two of listening/speaking
Feedback / Reflection round

Forest Walks

We meet at the Soviet War Memorial, where 7,000 soldiers who died in the Battle for Berlin are buried. We walk in silence, at a slow pace, through a beautiful hardwood forest to the river Spree.

Themes: grief, remembrance, regeneration, listening, looking closely, embodiment