Stories big and small that start in Berlin and look eastward, where the heart of the continent beats and its future is shaped.

From Berlin you can see Europe more clearly: its past, its present, and its possible future – which is brighter than many think.

As a passionate European, I chronicle journeys that delve into the past to illuminate the present while offering perspectives that look beyond immediate events.

Beyondberlin is many things at once: short and mid-size essays, original photo stories, insights and podcasts.

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Putin´s war against women. – Beyond Berlin
Listen now | PODCAST | Sofi Oksanen’s “Same River, Twice” and Victoria Amelina’s “Looking at Women Looking at War.” Two books, one message, three words: woman, war, justice.
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LATEST
Judenplatz: The Viennese Square That Speaks to Europe.
How Judenplatz in Vienna has become Europe’s conscience—and its voice through the event series “Speech to Europe” since 2019.
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Thomas Mann at 150: At War with Words Against Hitler, for the German Soul.
From Nobel laureate to wartime broadcaster—how literature’s giant became democracy’s strongest voice against Nazi Germany.
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Paul Klee’s Angelus Novus, Walter Benjamin’s Angel of History, is on display in Berlin in 2025
Paul Klee’s Angelus Novus is more than a painting—it’s a catalyst of meaning. And a warning. In Berlin, 2025, it still asks if we’re ready to learn from the ruins of our past.
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The Myth of Wonder Weapons: From Blitzkrieg to Drones and the Illusion of Clean War
Explore the myth of the Wunderwaffe, from Nazi Germany to modern drone warfare. A journey through military history, precision weapons, and the enduring illusion of a “clean war.”
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Ruth Andreas-Friedrich and “Uncle Emil” those who said NO to the Nazis.
Listen now | The powerful story of Ruth Andreas-Friedrich, a journalist and resistance fighter in Nazi Berlin. Her courage, legacy, and final act of defiance still resonate today.
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Berlin, May 2, 1945: The surrender of a city and the final days of war in Europe.
In a modest Tempelhof apartment, Berlin’s city surrender was signed—a crucial step toward Germany’s final capitulation, as the shattered city began emerging from its ruins.
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Two on a Jeep: Éric Schwab and Meyer Levin’s Journey into the Heart of Darkness
In May 1945, Meyer Levin and Éric Schwab journeyed through liberated Europe to document the aftermath of the Holocaust—and to find Schwab’s mother. A story of war, memory, and survival.
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April 25, 1945: when a small village became a symbol of the longing for peace.
Eighty years after American and Soviet soldiers shook hands in Torgau, Germany, the spirit of peace is under pressure. A reflection on war, memory, and a fractured Europe.
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When a Country’s Brightest Minds Flee – Beyond Berlin
Thousands of scientists, academics and artists found refuge from Nazi persecution in the Turkey of Kemal Atatürk, transforming the country and bringing it into the modern age.
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“Cold Feet”: Italy’s Suppressed Past in Ukraine
A letter to the father, a historical account, a document of the present: Ukraine, fascist Italy and us. Francesca Melandri’s latest book.
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Essays, podcasts, and books exploring culture, memory, and identity in Europe.

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Beyondberlin.substack.com: Stories big and small that start in Berlin and look eastward, where the heart of the continent beats and its future is shaped.

Short and mid-lentgh essays from Germany and the East, photography and podcasts connecting past and present, memory, culture, politics.

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© Valentina Giannella

Made in:
◉ Berlin, Vienna

Rooted in Europe:
a continent that spans
from Lisbon to Luhansk,
from Tenerife to Tbilisi.