For the first time in 42 years, the mayors of East Berlin and West Berlin held a joint meeting in the “Rote Rathaus (Red Municipal Building)” on Tuesday, 12 June.

East Berlin Mayor Tino Schwierzina (SPD) and West Berlin Mayor Walter Momper (SPD) have underlined the historical nature of the meeting and stated that they decided to meet in the same building every fortnight.

The demolition of the Berlin Wall and holding the Olympic Games in Berlin in the year 2000 were the main topics discussed at the meetings between the two mayors.

In fact, the demolition of the Berlin Wall has begun as of today (13 June). Momper announced that border controls between Berlin’s two sides will be eliminated as of 1 July 1990. The mayors declared that the unification of Berlin will be completed following the election of the joint city council and emphasized that the unified Berlin should be the capital of the new and united Germany.

As you may recall, after World War II, Berlin City Council convened for the first time on 21 May 1945 and elected engineer Dr Arthur Werner, aged 70, as mayor.

Three years later, the joint city council was included in the British Occupation Region. Upon this, a separate municipality was established in East Berlin, which was under the occupation of the USSR, and Friedrich Ebert was elected as the first mayor on 30 November 1948.