Are Berlin and Los Angeles a good pair? The two cities are known to ignite a spectrum of emotions from frustration to euphoria. They are emotional and creative playgrounds for us to think and express ourselves without restrictions. The cities pave their own path with little regard to traditional norms, which leads to redefined standards. Berlin and Los Angeles continue to be the backdrops for crea
tives and innovators to revolutionize the arts, sciences, and technology industries.
2017 Los Angeles and Berlin are celebrating their 50th anniversary as sister cities. Their stories first collided in the early 1920s and 1930s, when 800 members of the creative community fled to Los Angeles due to the Nazis. In the beginning, Berliners called the city “Weimar at Pacific” or “Living hell”. To this day, moving to Los Angeles still comes with major adjustments. Directors like Billy Wilder bloomed at the time, while others like Fritz Lang fought for creative direction in his films. Eventually, Lang traded in his monocle for cowboy boots and glasses to find his happy medium. During the 90s, more Berliners were drawn to LA: Udo Kier - the hero of Warhol, as well as Wim Wenders who has now been in LA for years. Over the years, Los Angeles has become a hub of inspiration and creation for those in search of creative adventures and new beginnings. The city is flourishing and becoming even more popular than New York’s coveted creative community. Berlin is also at the top of the list for those looking to innovate and start anew. Los Angeles and Berlin are cities made for transformation and acquiring new perspectives, which is why they have been closely associated for 50 years as 'Sister Cities'.
