Explore the West Berlin haunts of legendary writers Joseph Roth, Walter Benjamin, Vicki Baum, Irmgard Keun and many others, and learn more about the history and impact of Berlin literature. This tour visits the sites of legendary bars and café when the area around Ku’damm was the epicentre of Berlin publishing in the Weimar Republic and the stories of those who frequented them, and loops back through Kantstrasse in the 1960s and 1980 when the area again was home to a new generation of writing rebels escaping conservative West Germany to the frontier city of Berlin. Ever wanted to know why Kurt Tucholsky had a “book bar” and where Jörg Fauser went to bed with Kommune 1?
In demand: 6 of the next 14 departures are already sold out.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 9.
We will finish the our at the Romanisches Cafe exhibition in Europa-Center
Our first stop is the Stolperstein of John Hoexter here.
We will also talk about the artistic legacy of the whole area, including film, visual art and music.
We will talk about legendary philosopher and writer Walter Benjamin, and why the architecture of the square named after him does not really represent his legacy.
We will also stop at this legendary haunt of Iggy Pop and David Bowie.
Looping back to Bahnhof Zoo via Savignyplatz and Kantstrasse, we discover what West Berlin writers were active here in the 1970s and80s.
We will talk about the impact of hotel writing on Weimar and world literature, exemplified by the works of Joseph Roth and Vicki Baum.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Excurgo comparison of 951 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Rebels & Exiles: A West Berlin Literary Walking Tour lasts about 2 hours. The itinerary has 7 stops.
Prices start at $33 per person for this Berlin experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, starting at 2:00 PM.
It can: 6 of the next 14 departures are already sold out, so booking ahead is a good idea.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
The meeting point is Meetingpoint is at the "Normaluhr" in front of Bahnhof Zoo station. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
The experience is available in DE, EN.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 10 participants.
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Wheelchair accessible
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
real smart, imformative fun personal guide Marcel - knows stuff about every part of Berlin life from the 1870's to yesterday. Not out of a can but a real person telling about the city he lovesThis tour focus on the area where most German writers of the last century lived and played. You get a real sense of Berlin yesterday and today. The tour is way Under priced for all you get.
Wonderful man’s very interesting tour with the exceptionally knowledgeable Marcel ! It’s ever so intriguing to walk on the steps of the personalities chosen and who loved and flourished in the area. Thank you Marcel and looking forward to reading your book 😍
As a city guide living in Berlin, I’m always interested in tours that offer a different perspective on the city, and Marcel’s literary tour definitely does that! It’s a fascinating journey through places that were home to Berlin’s literary scene around the buzzing pre-war City West of the Weimar Republic to the rebellious writers in the West-Berlin of the 60s and 80s. Marcel brings the stories of authors like Joseph Roth, Walter Benjamin, and Kurt Tucholsky to life Whether you’re a Berliner or just visiting, this tour is a real gem. I highly recommend it!
Marcel curated this tour for a group of writers in town for the European Writing Salon. We walked all around the most "sanitized" looking parts of West Berlin, and Marcel's narration and historical photos allowed us to see it all with new eyes. It was especially powerful to learn about that history as writers in this current political moment. Marcel kept the tour fast-paced and interesting while at the same time in-depth and nuanced. Would highly recommend to anyone who loves literary history and who thinks West Berlin is just a boring outdoor shopping mall :)
This was a brilliant walking tour; one that made me feel like I was right there in one of the famous Berlin cafes in the 1930s, writing and working alongside some of the best and most impactful artists and writers in Europe. What I loved about this tour was not only the history and the interesting cultural and political movements that Marcel so thoroughly covered, but the fact that he would stop and read us some of the work that was written, read, and appreciated in the very neighborhoods in which we were standing. It was a truly special experience. Thank you, Marcel!
If you're a Berlin junkie like me and you have a penchant for good stories, this tour's for you. A friend once remarked that "Berlin is bottomless," and this tour did a fantastic job of adding new angles and nuance to my understanding of this city. Marcel is a brilliant historian/storyteller and his passion for the people and texture of the city will have you on the edge of your seat for two hours (even though it's a walking tour). Learn about some of the people and the eras that have defined Berlin though poems, novels, and acts of defiance and courage. Highly recommended.
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rebels & Exiles: A West Berlin Literary Walking Tour | 2 hours | 5.0 (6) | $33 | |
 Discover Berlin Half-Day Walking Tour | 3h 30min | 4.9 (10,309) | $23 | View |
 Berlin's Best: 2 Hour Walking Tour Third Reich and the Cold War | 2 hours | 5.0 (6,284) | $27 | View |
 Third Reich Berlin: Hitler and WWII Walking Tour | 3 hours | 4.9 (3,604) | $20 | View |
 Berlin Private Complete History All Day Walking Tour | 6 hours | 4.9 (497) | $240 | View |
 Private Walking Tour Berlin Third Reich Hitler and World War II | 3–4 hours | 5.0 (393) | $194 | View |
 Private Berlin: Iconic Sights and Hidden Gems Walking Tour | 3–4 hours | 4.9 (318) | $194 | View |