Planet Berlin: Berlin Underworlds
Dietmar Arnold offers guided tours to hidden places found deep under Berlin.
Labyrinthine underground
Escape tunnels, war and nuclear bunkers: Dietmar Arnold's life mission has been to map the subterranean world that has been growing under the surface of Berlin for centuries. It all started with the Humboldt bunker, built on the order of Adolf Hitler during the Second World War. Arnold uncovered it 30 years ago, but his idea was initially eyed with skepticism.
Preserving the past
This reticence has long since changed. Arnold was given the Order of Merit of the State of Berlin for his registered association, Berlin Unterwelten ("Underworld"), a tour company founded in 1997. Its goals are the exploration of the underground aspects of Berlin's urban planning history, as well as the documentation and preservation of the underground sites that are central to the local history.
Theme of the day
Berlin's underworlds are opened up to the public through guided tours that are often based on historical themes. These include the Cold War, or Berlin's formerly flourishing industrial culture.
Brewing pioneers
While many of the underground sites have a military origin, the city's breweries were pioneers of the Berlin underground from the mid-19th century on. As proof, Berlin Underworlds tour participants can descend into the subterranean recesses of the former Kindl brewery in Neukölln.