| | * greatly damaged by Allied bombing, 1941 and 1943-45. | | * greatly damaged by Allied bombing, 1941 and 1943-45. |
| | * partitioned into zones and occupied (Americans, British, French, Russians), June 1945 | | * partitioned into zones and occupied (Americans, British, French, Russians), June 1945 |
| | Berlin is well known for the liberal attitudes that proliferate in its corners. During the time of the [[Cold War]], numerous young men from West Germany moved to West Berlin, in order to avoid military service. They founded numerous communities, mainly in the city district Kreuzberg, known also as the Turkish Quarter, for its large concentration of Turkish immigrants. Annual events include the depraved and decadent spectacle of the so-called '[[Gay parade|Love Parade]]' (until 2006), a procession designed to promote perversion and immorality. A remarkable political event was the former mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit, publicly announcing in his election campaign that he is [[homosexual]].<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/23/world/europe/23wowereit.html?ei=5090&en=fab18328b0dbeafe&ex=1316664000&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all article in NY Times]</ref> Since 2014 Michael Müller, a member of left-center [[SPD]], is the mayor of Berlin. | | Berlin is well known for the liberal attitudes that proliferate in its corners. During the time of the [[Cold War]], numerous young men from West Germany moved to West Berlin, in order to avoid military service. They founded numerous communities, mainly in the city district Kreuzberg, known also as the Turkish Quarter, for its large concentration of Turkish immigrants. Annual events include the depraved and decadent spectacle of the so-called '[[Gay parade|Love Parade]]' (until 2006), a procession designed to promote perversion and immorality. A remarkable political event was the former mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit, publicly announcing in his election campaign that he is [[homosexual]].<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/23/world/europe/23wowereit.html?ei=5090&en=fab18328b0dbeafe&ex=1316664000&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all article in NY Times]</ref> Since 2014 Michael Müller, a member of left-center [[SPD]], is the mayor of Berlin. |