Analysis of Sources about Berlin - Annotated Bibliography Example

Annotated Bibliography: Berlin Introduction Berlin is the capital of Germany in the simplest sense of political science. Being the largest city in Germany, it has a prominent position in the European Union as it accommodates a large population of diverse nationality. The elaborated literature on the history of Berlin highlights the importance of this city in the modern history of Europe for various political reasons. The study of the history of Berlin and its gradual development into the present status requires a thorough reading of a number of sources documented by scholars and experts. The following sources will give the researchers of Berlin a comprehensive idea about the city by focusing on the political, geographical, demographic, cultural, historical and socio-economic backgrounds of its current position in the world. Annotated Bibliography 1. Visit Berlin. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.visitberlin.de/en The website ‘visitBerlin ‘gives an overall information template of the features Berlin offer for its visitors. The purpose of visiting a place varies among the priorities of people based on their ethical and individual traits. Germany is a wonderful destination for travelers across the world, and in particular, Berlin makes the trip complete for them. This website gives detailed information of the places to visit along with the mode of intra-city mobility, residential faculties besides the long list of hospitals and restaurants that cater to the needs of the tourist to this city. Berlin gets you everything you can buy for cash, and this reality is underlined by the vivid description given in this official tourism homepage. The event calendar provided by the site acknowledges the visitors all news about programs and performances for public view. The helpline number provided by the customer care desk takes the information seekers to a wholesome experience of care and support. This portal is more likely to treat the guests like a receptionist rather than a directory of information. 2. Berlin in brief. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.berlin.de/berlin-im-ueberblick/geschichte/index.en.html The literature under the ‘Berlin.de’ portal gives classified descriptions of various aspects associated with the political developments of the history of Berlin. The spectacular narration of the city’s exposure to continuous and frequent sessions of revolutionary movements and protests from various perspective origins makes it an important resource for learners about Berlin’s ancestry. The details of the economic growth of the city from the thirteenth century in the chronological order make an overview of the evolutions continued till the Medieval Period in the history. The editors of this site give information to the readers regarding the political order of the city’s administration under the Hohenzollerns ranging descending from Elector Friedrich I to Wilhelm II during a period that extended more than five hundred years. More importantly, the descriptions of the cosmopolitan city of the Weimar Republic and the development of Berlin city after the World War I based on the National Socialist ideology gives insight to the East-West reunification of Germany. For the explorers of Germany, it is very essential to access this resource to know the entire story of Berlin in a very precise manner. 3. Erb, H. J. (2014). Berlin: National capital Germany. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/62055/Berlin/21640/The-city-layout The details published by ‘Encyclopedia Britannica’ technically draw a chronological structure of the development of Berlin from a city to the German capital. With the text in this, Hubert Joseph Erb describes Berlin in the perspective based on a perfect blend of physical geography and history for the easy access of the preliminary level learners. Berlin’s position as a diplomatic center during the two World Wars and the subsequent changes in the pride of the city is the central theme of the discussion in the literature provided by the source. The author’s remarkable contribution highlights the geographical proportions of Berlin with elaborated details of the demographic specifications and their transformations across centuries. The reliability of the published information is unquestionable because of the globally approved standard of Britannica. The details of the city’s economy based on industries and transportation provides an overview of Berlin’s potential for growth in commerce. For the learners of geographical sociology and other branches of studies associated with the social sciences of Europe, this resource is an incredible store of information. 4. Germany Occupied, 1945-1949 : Berlin. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.zum.de/whkmla/region/germany/ger4549berlin.html The literature on the history of Berlin offered by ‘World History at KMLA’ gives a specifically organized data of the development facts about the city during 1949 – 1969. The precise text on the international interventions in Berlin after the World War II and the complex diplomatic reengineering around the currency reform in Germany makes this resource a special one from others. The political motives of the USSR under the leadership of Stalin to take advantage of the insurgencies in the city of Berlin are evident from the way he dealt with the transport systems at the boarder lines sharing with Germany. This portal is highly recommendable for the quality of literature and the availability of options to explore extended reading within it. The documented text and sub-links provide details about the inner stories of Berlin beyond political equations prevailed in the second half of the twentieth century. 5. Jose, J & Gutierrez, G. (15 November 1999). Building Homes, Building Politics: Berlins post-war urban development and ideology. Central Europe Review,1 (21). Retrieved from http://www.ce-review.org/99/21/gomez21.html The article ‘Building Homes, Building Politics’ by Juan Jose Gomez Guttierez for ‘Central Europe Review’ portal is a comprehensive evaluation of the post war development of the urban profiles of Berlin. The text provides the details of the endeavors of the politicians with regards to the reconstruction proceedings of the demolished houses and public buildings after 1945. This literature gives prime attention to the architectural developments based on the Han Scharoun style of construction that aimed at rejuvenating the industrial development in the country initiated from Berlin. The text gives the readers accurate knowledge about how the city structure of Berlin was developed in the modern shape. The coherent flow of information based on chronological relevance makes the article a reliable resource for accessing details about the urbanization of Berlin and the simultaneous constructions of war memorials across the city. The stories of the reconstructions and politically divided urbanizations of East Berlin and West Berlin across different political leadership make the reading an essential reference for scholars and researchers. 6. Berlin, Germany. National Geographic. Retrieved from http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/city-guides/berlin-germany/ National Geographic presents Berlin in a wonderful and concept-specific manner in order to encourage the researchers to frame all out information about the city in different angles. The details about the political geography of Berlin that has been affected by multiple wars and chaos show a clear picture of the plights of the people of the city. The editors of the site welcome the attention of the learners in the perspectives of visitors who can get the access to the visual experience of the facts and figures about Berlin. Beyond the knowledge and details about the history of the city, the new look makes an imposing declaration of the cultural heritage of the European population with the various museums, galleries, zoos and squares etc in the city. It is not a direct resource for urbanization studies, however, the literature if reader-friendly and interactive enough to attract even the readers comparatively less proficient in the language. Peter Ross’ presentation of Berlin describes the historical facts about the development of the city that evolved from the concepts of the Prussian authorities. The investigation into the political negotiations of the diplomatic position of Berlin before and after the fall of the Wall can surely attract the readers with an enthusiastic research effect. 7. Pounds, N. J. G. (1990). An Historical Geography of Europe Abridged Version. CUP Archive. ‘An Historical Geography of Europe Abridged Version’ by Norman J.G. Pounds is a complete book that explores the development of Europe in the world history. This book renders reliable information on the development of Berlin as a complete city that stands as a potential industrial center and the processes that led to the growth after the industrial revolution era. The author explores the facts behind the settlement of societies that experienced the transformation of technology and information in agriculture and urbanization as a relationship with the changing political equations and their impacts on the population of Europe. The literature on Berlin in the book gives information on how rivers were exploited for human utilization and agricultural development with the help of technologies that provided for the extended engineering process. Essentially, the author has shown the best ways to know Berlin in the perspectives of scholars of industrial revolutions and associated urban development studies. Altogether, the book helps a travel in the interiors of the history of the urbanization of Berlin and its share in the rapid industrialization of Europe. 8. Urban, F. (2009). Neo-historical East Berlin: Architecture and Urban Design in the German Democratic Republic 1970-1990. US: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. A consolidated reading of the structural development of the Democratic Republic of Germany and the associated features of the modern history of Berlin is available with the book ‘Neo-historical East Berlin’ by Florian Urban. The author has tried successfully to connect the political systems with the economic changes in Germany by keeping Berlin as the center of the cultural warehouse that has transcended the ancient expectations to the present figure. The elaborated studies on the neo-historical relics and remains of the architectural models attempt to find out the relationship between the inner lying bargains of the artisans with the socialist systems at a single glance. The chapter wise elaboration of the urban design of the German Democratic Republic that acknowledges the existing significance of the western influence of architecture makes a complete and real-time experience for the readers. This book stands out as the best referable resource for researchers of neo-historical Berlin because of the quality of the literature and the accuracy of information provided by the author as a step-by-step introduction of classified constructions that has come out in different times in the history. For all the wonderful reading effect this book gives, it can be regarded as a precious material for research works and studies on historical geography of Berlin. 9. Markin, P. B. (2010). The Role of Urban Space in Berlin’s Transformation into a City of Culture after Reunification. Research Paper. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem European Forum Center for German Studies. Retrieved from http://www.cgs.huji.ac.il/Pablo%20Markin.pdf A very useful material for the research work for the study of Berlin is provided by the Jerusalem Hebrew University’s thesis paper on “The Role of Urban Space in Berlin’s Transformation into a City of Culture after Reunification” composed by Dr. Pablo B. Markin. This paper gets the readers information on how Berlin was transformed as a result of the influence of urban space and cultural changes and their correspondence with the modernization experienced across the world. The entire text compose in a comparative perspective makes a comprehensive overview of the transformation of the city across strategic changes in architecture. The literature on urban space gives details about the aspects associated with the overall socio-cultural pattern of Berlin, which provides the scholars the reliable data of the changes that resulted in the modernization of the city. This paper is recommendable for the studies associated with the civic society of the urban Berlin on the basis of the architectural models and design of the urban space. Also, the precise editorial of the post reunification status of Berlin gives information on how the city has claimed its global position as a potential center of attraction with its elaborated construction policies. Overall, this reading will help the researchers with solid foundations of learning. 10. Berlin History. (n.d.) retrieved from http://www.berlinnh.gov/pages/berlinnh_webdocs/berlinhistory A very authentic source of information on Berlin is available with the ‘Berlin, New Hampshire’ article titled ‘Berlin History’. In this article, the specifications of the geographical features of Berlin are mentioned as supportive to developmental constructions such as dams. The article composed by the Linda Upham-Bornstein venture clearly indicates the way in which rivers were exploited for the benefit of generating electricity and for the pulp manufacturing endeavors of the popular paper industries. The researches done for the making of this article encompass the socio-cultural and economic aspects of industrialization of Berlin with a list of examples to show the revolutionary changes in the transport system and the utilization of different ethnic groups in the industrial sector. The text featuring the Brown Company as the central figure of the article provides a very useful material for the research scholars to know the untold role of rivers and paper industries played making of the modern Berlin as the outcome of a process of evolution that took place in over a century and a half. Conclusion Berlin is a city of great history and heritage with the experience of staging a number of war stories and political revolutions over the centuries it has taken to develop to the present form. The formation of a city is assumed around theories and ethnical studies of sociology; however, the Berlin of a scholar’s reference has more features to identify with its potential as an international city of industrial development than a city that divided Germany. The study about Berlin is easy for the researchers from a number of materials available for reading about the city in different perspectives. Majority of the findings about Berlin gives it the identity of a modern city in the neo-historic era which has guaranteed the multi-dimensional progress of the natives. The Making of Berlin and Benton’s Theory According to generalized information, the urbanization process originated in the European region in the Medieval Period. As suggested by Benton, this period spread a German influence across Europe in the socio-cultural and economic enterprises. From among the various theories of Benton, the most compatible looking one is the Artisnal Theory of urbanization which emphasizes the need for promoting employment in traditional agriculture and creative industrial enterprises as the basis for developing a township. The development of Berlin as a city of capitalist entrepreneurship from the Socialist era by the end of the twentieth century reemphasizes this belief. Similarly, the architectural innovations initiated in Berlin after the World War II also show the trend set by the conservative principle of architecture by the participation of the artisans. This indicates the hidden connection of the artisinal theory as proposed by Benton in the overall development of Berlin. Thus by consolidating the motives behind the promotion of agriculture and architecture around Berlin, an assumption is possible to relate the making of Berlin to Benton’s artisanal theory. References Berlin in brief. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.berlin.de/berlin-im-ueberblick/geschichte/index.en.html Berlin History. (n.d.) retrieved from http://www.berlinnh.gov/pages/berlinnh_webdocs/berlinhistory Berlin, Germany. National Geographic. Retrieved from http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/city-guides/berlin-germany/ Erb, H. J. (2014). Berlin: National capital Germany. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/62055/Berlin/21640/The-city-layout Germany Occupied, 1945-1949 : Berlin. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.zum.de/whkmla/region/germany/ger4549berlin.html Jose, J & Gutierrez, G. (15 November 1999). Building Homes, Building Politics: Berlins post-war urban development and ideology. Central Europe Review,1 (21). Retrieved from http://www.ce-review.org/99/21/gomez21.html Markin, P. B. (2010). The Role of Urban Space in Berlin’s Transformation into a City of Culture after Reunification. Research Paper. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem European Forum Center for German Studies. Retrieved from http://www.cgs.huji.ac.il/Pablo%20Markin.pdf Pounds, N. J. G. (1990). An Historical Geography of Europe Abridged Version. CUP Archive. Urban, F. (2009). Neo-historical East Berlin: Architecture and Urban Design in the German Democratic Republic 1970-1990. US: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. Visit Berlin. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.visitberlin.de/en Read More