Berlin, Brandenberg Gate

Explore the Intersection of History & Urban Ecology in Berlin, Germany

Join fellow Logger alumni on a tour of Berlin, Germany, led by Professor of Biology Andreas Madlung. Participants will spend 10 days exploring how the city's history—from its days at the center of the Prussian monarchy through the Nazi reign and the city's division during the Cold War—has shaped the cultural and ecological landscape of this fascinating European metropolis.

Trip Details

Travel Dates: May 12–23, 2025
Group Size: Seeking 14 travelers (Space is limited so scroll down and reserve your spot today!)
Cost: $4,700 single occupancy
$8,000 double occupancy

Cost includes accommodations, excursions, transportation, and some meals. Does not include airfare or travel arrangements to and from Berlin.

 

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Hotel Oderberger

Accommodations

We will stay at the Hotel Oderberger, located in the Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood in the heart of the city. The Hotel Oderberger features comfortable rooms, a historic pool and spa, a bar and lounge, an onsite restaurant, and an exquisite, complimentary breakfast buffet every morning. Occupying a part of Berlin that was in the Soviet Zone during the Cold War, this hotel is surrounded by bars, restaurants, shops, and entertainment and is a perfect base from which to experience the city’s history and revitalization.

Berlin Wall

Excursions

Spend 10 days exploring the city of Berlin, learning about its imperial roots, its time under Nazi rule, the division of the city at the height of the Cold War, and its later reunification. Along the way, we’ll visit historic sites, take in some of the city’s many museums and cultural attractions, and gain an understanding of how the flow of history continues to shape its environment.

Itinerary

Itinerary is subject to change. Breakfast is included every morning at the hotel.

  • Arrival | May 12: Arrive in Berlin and take public transportation to hotel (Flights arrive in early-to-mid afternoon from the U.S.)
  • Day 1 | May 13: First full day in Berlin – Delve into Berlin’s imperial history and tour castles built by Prussian kings (picnic lunch provided)
  • Day 2 | May 14: Germany Under Nazi Rule – Tour the Topography of Terror exhibit and memorial, the Jewish Museum, and the Holocaust Memorial to understand life in Berlin during WWII (lunch and dinner provided)
  • Day 3 | May 15: Peaceful Revolution, Human Ecology, & Gentrification – Explore the city's redevelopment after the fall of the Berlin Wall with a guided tour of Prenzlauer Berg where civil rights activists organized their protests in various churches that gave them cover under the guise of establishing "environmental libraries" - Learn about gentrification in this part of Berlin that used to be a center for squatters, artists, and political rights advocates (picnic lunch provided)
  • Day 4 | May 16: The Division of Berlin – Participate in a guided bike tour of the Berlin Wall (or alternative activities), visit the Wall Memorial, and participate in a workshop or guided tour about the fall of the Berlin Wall. In the evening, attend a performance of the German opera “The Flying Dutchman” at the Staatsoper Berlin
  • Day 5 | May 17: Visit the museum and prison complex run by East German State Security (the Stasi) during the Cold War, where former prisoners share their first-hand experiences
  • Day 6 | May 18: Free Day - Options to visit the Mauerpark Fleamarket, and a selection of the museums on Berlin’s Museum Island
  • Day 7 | May 19: History Meets Ecology – Tour the Tempelhof Airport building and the former U.S. Air Force headquarters to learn about the Berlin Airlift during the Soviet blockade of the city, followed by a visit to the Floating University, a nature/cultural learning site, and the Kreuzberg District (dinner provided)
  • Day 8 | May 20: Learn about the evolving, urban ecological landscape of the city at a former rail yard turned no-mans-land that was later reclaimed by nature. Later, we’ll visit the disused Tempelhof airfield to see how Berlin's citizens have turned this airport into a place of cohabitation between humans and nature (picnic lunch provided)
  • Day 9 | May 21: Take a boat ride across Berlin's largest lake, then visit the home of German-Jewish expressionist Max Liebermann as well as the site of the infamous Wannsee Conference (picnic lunch provided)
  • Day 10 | May 22: Visit to the Botanical Garden with its impressive greenhouses - Afternoon free for shopping or a visit to the famous Checkpoint Charlie Museum (the location of the stand-off between Soviet and US tanks during the Cold War) (dinner provided)
  • Departure | May 23: Depart from Berlin to the United States or other destinations in Europe
Berlin Opera

About Berlin

As both the capital of Germany and its largest city, Berlin has spent centuries at the crossroads of Western European history. Known for its arts and culture, architecture, parks and museums, nightlife, and vibrant culinary scene, Berlin is one of the continent’s top destinations. The city is easy to navigate on foot, bike, or public transportation and its central location makes it the perfect jumping-off point for further travel in Europe.

Frequently Asked Questions About Berlin

Professor Andreas Madlung

Professor Andreas Madlung

Andreas Madlung is professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Puget Sound. A plant biologist by training, for the past three decades Professor Madlung’s work has focused on how plants respond to their surroundings, their behavior in stressful conditions, and in particular their use of light receptors to orient themselves in time and space.

Born in Hamburg in what was formerly West Germany, Madlung grew up in a family that was divided between east and west by the Cold War. He witnessed first-hand the difficulties of maintaining family ties across the Iron Curtain and traveled extensively in Germany before, during, and after the fall of the Berlin Wall. During the 2023–2024 academic year Madlung lived in Berlin, where he conducted research.

His longstanding scholarly pursuits explore how organisms, particularly plants, deal with changing environments both on the cellular as well as the whole organism level. Living in Berlin inspired Madlung to take a closer look at the intertwined nature of plants, animals, and humans in a modern city that is uniquely shaped by its Cold War past, and in which the city’s inhabitants take an extraordinarily active part in shaping its ecology.

Madlung has published extensively with undergraduate researchers, postdocs, and technicians from his laboratory at Puget Sound. His research has been funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Murdock Charitable Trust.