NARRATOR: 'Berlin is the capital of Germany, it's the biggest city in Germany with fantastic places to visit and things to do. More than 3 million people live here. We meet one of them and he's going us to show us his favourite places in Berlin.'
EMIL: Hallo ich bin Emil. Ich bin neun Jahre alt. Da oben wohne ich. Und ich bin heute euer Stadtführer.
NARRATOR: 'Emil lives right in the centre of Berlin. He loves playing football and there's a pitch very near his home.'
EMIL: Hallo, das ist der Fußballplatz. Auf dem spiele ich immer mit meinen Freunden Fußball. Nur leider sind die gerade nicht da. Die sind in der Schule.
NARRATOR: 'That's enough football, there are sights to be seen and Emil's favourite is the television tower: der Fernsehturm.'
EMIL: Seht ihr mich?
Ich bin ganz klein und das ist der Fernsehturm, das höchste Gebäude Berlins. Da gehen wir jetzt rauf.
Das ist Berlin! Da ist meine Schule. Da wohne ich. Das ist der Westen und das ist der Osten.
NARRATOR: 'For many years Berlin was a divided city. A huge wall was put up after the Second World War between the western and eastern parts of the city.'
'The wall, die Mauer, was taken down in 1989 and today this is all that's left.'
EMIL: Das ist der Rest der Mauer.
Ich mag die Mauer nicht und auch die Bilder darauf finde ich nicht so toll.
Aber ich finde es gut, dass sie in diesem Jahr abgerissen und ich in diesem Jahr geboren wurde.
NARRATOR: 'After the wall was torn down, Berlin became the capital of Germany. The politicians moved into the parliament building known as der Reichstag.'
EMIL: Das ist der Reichstag. Da arbeiten die Politiker. Ich mag Politiker nicht so, weil sie ihre Versprechen, die sie uns geben, fast immer brechen.
NARRATOR: 'Not far from the Reichstag is das Brandenburger Tor. It's the most famous site in Berlin.'
EMIL: Alle Touristen lassen sich hier fotografieren, am Brandenburger Tor. Das werde ich jetzt auch tun.
Können Sie mich mal bitte fotografieren?
WOMAN: Aber klar!
#Klack
NARRATOR: 'It's the end of our tour, but Emil has a story about how Berlin got its name. It may be not true, of course, but many people believe it.'
EMIL: Das ist ein Bär. Wisst ihr warum Berlin, Berlin heißt? Wahrscheinlich hat ein Bär Berlin seinen Namen gegeben. Jetzt ist die Tour zu Ende und ich habe mir ein Eis verdient.
Tschüss!!
Emil, a young German boy, introduces his city - Berlin.
He then shows where he likes to play football and takes a tour of various sights in the capital, including the Brandenburg Gate, the remainder of the Berlin Wall and the Reichstag.
This clip comes from the BBC2 series, Being German.
Teacher Notes
- This video can be used to provide cultural background, perhaps before starting a 'local area' or 'tourism' unit, or before beginning a project on the German capital.
- For extension, it could be used as a listening comprehension, picking out Emil's opinions on the places he visits.
Curriculum Notes
This short film is relevant for teaching German at KS2 in England and Wales, KS2 in Northern Ireland and second level in Scotland.
More video clips on Living in Germany:
People living in Germany from other countries. video
Selin, a young girl who was born in Germany but has Turkish parents, lives in Kreuzberg, the Turkish part of Berlin. She shows her family's flats and introduces her family during their evening meal.
The school day in Germany. video
An introduction to the school day in Germany including lessons, timings and breaktime activities. Two primary school pupils, Nikolas and Sara, take a tour of their school in South Berlin.
Allotments in Germany. video
An introduction to the issue of urban living in Berlin and the lack of green space. Jan and Sven's families have allotments instead of gardens. They take a tour of the small houses on the allotments and explain what activities they and their families do there.
Cycling in Germany. video
The topic of cycling and its popularity in Germany and Berlin in particular is introduced. In year 4, students have to take a cycling proficiency test. They demonstrate how to check a bike is safe, before practising for and taking their test.
Football in Germany. video
Members of the Hertha Berlin youth football team talk about their ambitions for the future. They are training in preparation for a semi-final match and the names for the different positions are mentioned.
