I will never forget the day the wall came down. I was 11 years old, watching history unfold on television, with my parents. Even at that age, I knew what I was witnessing was momentous. My mother, who had once come to Western Germany from the Eastern side with her family before the wall was even built, could only repeat in disbelief: “I can’t believe it, I can’t believe it.”
When Berlin fell at the end of WWII, a new chapter began. And not an entirely good one. The allies won the war, which is something today’s Germans are incredibly grateful for. And for Berlin at the time that was, of course, a relief. But what came next was the start of a very difficult chapter that was to last for four decades. The city dissected into two parts (even if the actual wall was only built in 1961), families separated, future uncertain. In school, I learned about this “divided city,” about the wall that sliced lives and families apart, about what it meant to live on either side. My grandmother’s stories of post-war Germany gave me a glimpse of how heavy that burden had once been. How those opposed to the regime had long seen what was brewing, yet too few were able to stand in the way of fascism.
This is not a political blog post. Rather, it is one of hope.
But it took more than 40 years to be able to start over.
Fast forward to today, and Berlin is no longer sitting in the shadow of its past. It has embraced its scars instead of hiding them, transforming reminders of division into monuments of resilience and new-found unity. Tourists from around the world flock to Berlin to touch the remnants of the wall, walk through the museums that preserve history, and reflect at the Holocaust Memorial. Berlin has learned that to become whole, it must never forget where it came from.
Many of AIRINC’s clients have assignees coming into Berlin and also going out of it. Many people choose Berlin as a destination for self-initiated assignments or their work from anywhere place. Berlin is now able to embrace everyone, and international minds embrace Berlin. Clients from different industries are headquartered here, and the city is vibrant not only on a professional, but on many cultural levels too.
For me, the city’s riches are deeply personal. Originally from Cologne, I moved to Berlin after an Erasmus year in Paris to continue my university studies. At first, I hated it. The winters were harsh, the city grey, and I missed the lights and beauty of Paris. But slowly something shifted. Berlin revealed itself to me as a place where you could be whoever you wanted to be. In the early 2000s, it was already buzzing with creativity, self-expression, and possibility. Slowly, I fell in love—with the summers, with the endless cultural life, and with the freedom it seemed to gift everyone who arrived. When I left it in 2004 to move to London, I didn’t want to leave. Today, I am grateful to be returning often to visit clients, attend events, and to combine that with visiting friends.
Today, Berlin feels rich in many senses, though not in the literal one. Unemployment is still higher than in many other German states, and it seems like the city never has enough money. But in terms of non-monetary richness, it has so much to speak for: it’s a city of over 900,000 foreign residents home to one of Germany’s largest LGBTQ+ communities and a magnet for international couples, creatives, and entrepreneurs. With over 4,000 startup companies, Berlin is no longer just recovering; on that level, it’s thriving.
Global success stories like Zalando, HelloFresh, and Delivery Hero all started here. But all changes also bring challenges. The cost of living, once Berlin’s secret advantage, has climbed steeply, and housing and childcare remain extremely tough to secure. The East–West divide, though less visible inside Berlin’s borders, still lingers in parts outside of it. Some foreign friends tell me they feel perfectly comfortable and a complete sense of belonging inside the “Berlin bubble”, but traveling outside of it reveals a far less multicultural landscape. These are reminders that every hero’s journey is ongoing - every climb still comes with obstacles.
But in the grand sweep of its story, Berlin has gone from rags to riches. From division to diversity. From failing to flourishing.
For those considering a move here, know this: like me, you may not love Berlin instantly. Or maybe you will. But it will challenge you. It will transform you. Come prepared. Put your assignees on the right salary packages, partner with the right relocation experts, and let a trusted DSP guide your next steps.
Your own German journey could begin in the very city that embodies resilience and reinvention.
Contact us for a cost estimate of your move, or a net-to-net salary calculation if you’re putting your assignees on a local contract. Or, if you’re using the balance sheet approach, we can help you with many factors such as cost of living adjustments, housing allowances and more.