--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The driver, who had lived in East Berlin…" description: "\"“The driver, who had lived in East Berlin until the wall fell in 1989, was happy to report that Berlin was currently the most popular tourist destinati..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c5/a-g-riddle-5016_berlin_the-driver-who-had-lived-in-east-berlin_2451078.jpg" --- # The driver, who had lived in East Berlin until the wall… ![“The driver, who had lived in East Berlin until the wall fell in 1989, was happy to report that Berlin was currently the most popular tourist destination in Germany and one of the top three in Europe. During the previous year, nearly thirty million people had visited Berlin, which had only three…” quote by A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c5/a-g-riddle-5016_berlin_the-driver-who-had-lived-in-east-berlin_2451078.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c5/a-g-riddle-5016_berlin_the-driver-who-had-lived-in-east-berlin_2451078.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c5/a-g-riddle-5016_berlin_the-driver-who-had-lived-in-east-berlin_2451078.jpg) > ““The driver, who had lived in East Berlin until the wall fell in 1989, was happy to report that Berlin was currently the most popular tourist destination in Germany and one of the top three in Europe. During the previous year, nearly thirty million people had visited Berlin, which had only three and a half million permanent residents. The influx of tourists had put a strain on the city’s housing market, making it tough for Berliners to find a decent apartment to rent. Many estate agents and other enterprising individuals were now signing annual leases on apartments simply to sublet them to tourists on sites like Airbnb.”” [A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The surge of tourism in Berlin after the wall fell created a housing shortage for locals as investors turned apartments into short‑term rentals. **In simple terms:** Tourism drove up rents, hurting residents. Key Takeaway Consider policies that balance tourism with affordable housing. Themes urban development housing tourism economics gentrification Mood concerned analytical Type policy economic social When to use this quote - city planning - rental market - tourist accommodation - government regulation Key Concepts short‑term rentals market pressure urban policy Questions to Reflect On - How can cities protect locals while welcoming visitors? - What regulations could limit exploitative subletting? A Different Perspective Short‑term rentals can boost income but also displace long‑term residents. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/berlin/) [Berlin wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/berlin-wall/) [East berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/east-berlin/) [Housing market](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/housing-market/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) ## Related quotes > [“The ethos of East Berlin punk infused the city with a radical egalitarianism and a DIY approach to maintaining independence-to conjuring up the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-mohr/the-ethos-of-east-berlin-punk-infused-the-city-with-a-radical/) Tim Mohr > [I know when the Berlin wall went down and I walked into what was East Berlin and saw two big Nike banners - that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-knight/i-know-when-the-berlin-wall-went-down-and-i-walked-into-what-was-east/) [Phil Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-knight/) > [“Fraj-ile," I say, pronouncing it the way she does - as if it might be a popular tourist destination in the Pacific, beautiful Fraj…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/fraj-ile-i-say-pronouncing-it-the-way-she-does-as-if-it-might-be-a/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) > [Chocolate and candy. That's what we brought in to our friends. We worked in East Berlin with other artists who were smuggled out to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whoopi-goldberg/chocolate-and-candy-that-s-what-we-brought-in-to-our-friends-we/) [Whoopi Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whoopi-goldberg/) > [I view the United States, today, much like East Berlin. And I'm off the grid. I've tried for 20 years to warn the country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/i-view-the-united-states-today-much-like-east-berlin-and-i-m-off-the/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) > [My first visit to West Berlin was in February 1983. The drive through East Berlin, the fact that West Berlin was surrounded by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/my-first-visit-to-west-berlin-was-in-february-1983-the-drive-through/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [I remember I went to Berlin right after the Wall came down. I first went to East Berlin, and all the buildings were old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/i-remember-i-went-to-berlin-right-after-the-wall-came-down-i-first/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [ It is advertising that enthrones the customer as king. This infuriates the socialist...\[it is\] the crossing of the boundary between West Berlin and East… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enoch-powell/it-is-advertising-that-enthrones-the-customer-as-king-this-infuriates/) [Enoch Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enoch-powell/) > [I'm from East Berlin. I grew up in the Bertold Brecht, Kurt Weil tradition, also in the old hippie tradition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-hagen/i-m-from-east-berlin-i-grew-up-in-the-bertold-brecht-kurt-weil/) [Nina Hagen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-hagen/) > [Architects thrive after massive urban disasters. The abject collapse of East Berlin gave us the only city in Europe with a mighty host of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/architects-thrive-after-massive-urban-disasters-the-abject-collapse/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) > [My father loved to take us on historical vacations, and you should have seen the stares we received in East Berlin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-samuelsson/my-father-loved-to-take-us-on-historical-vacations-and-you-should/) [Marcus Samuelsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-samuelsson/) > [When I was a kid, while touring East Berlin - back when there was an East Berlin - I got my left foot stuck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-bleyer/when-i-was-a-kid-while-touring-east-berlin-back-when-there-was-an/) [Kevin Bleyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-bleyer/) > [ Okay, NATO expanded to East Berlin and East Germany. Under \[Bill\] Clinton NATO expanded further, to the former Russian satellites. In 2008 NATO formally… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/okay-nato-expanded-to-east-berlin-and-east-germany-under-bill-clinton/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Capitalism has created the highest standard of living ever known on earth. The evidence is incontrovertible. The contrast between West and East Berlin is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/capitalism-has-created-the-highest-standard-of-living-ever-known-on/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“I remember, in former East Berlin, how startling it was to see the wall cut some streets. The street would go straight into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josip-novakovich/i-remember-in-former-east-berlin-how-startling-it-was-to-see-the-wall/) [Josip Novakovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josip-novakovich/) ## More by A.G. Riddle > [“To this day I believe a person’s ideal first job is the one that reveals the most about them. Knowing who I was helped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-riddle/to-this-day-i-believe-a-person-s-ideal-first-job-is-the-one-that/) [A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) > [“We are far too uncivilized to possess the weapons we do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-riddle/we-are-far-too-uncivilized-to-possess-the-weapons-we-do/) [A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) > [“THE GREATEST MYSTERY OF ALL TIME… THE HISTORY OF HUMAN ORIGINS… WILL BE REVEALED. 70,000 years ago, the human race almost went extinct. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-riddle/the-greatest-mystery-of-all-time-the-history-of-human-origins-will-be/) [A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) > [“Empower them to run their own reports.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-riddle/empower-them-to-run-their-own-reports/) [A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) > [“When she needed to rest, she closed her eyes, refused to let her mind think, and instead focused on her breathing. She first forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-riddle/when-she-needed-to-rest-she-closed-her-eyes-refused-to-let-her-mind/) [A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) > [“Science lacks something very important that religion provides: a moral code. Survival of the fittest is a scientific fact, but it is a cruel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-riddle/science-lacks-something-very-important-that-religion-provides-a-moral/) [A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) > [“The taps mimicked the theme song to The X-Files.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-riddle/the-taps-mimicked-the-theme-song-to-the-x-files/) [A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) > [“The human race is the biggest mass murderer of all time. Think about it: we’re hard-coded to survive. Even our ancient ancestors were driven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-riddle/the-human-race-is-the-biggest-mass-murderer-of-all-time-think-about/) [A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) > [“attended UNC-Chapel Hill, where he founded his first company with one of his childhood friends. He currently lives in Parkland, Florida and would love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-riddle/attended-unc-chapel-hill-where-he-founded-his-first-company-with-one/) [A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) > [“watched Yuri’s plan unfolded”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-riddle/watched-yuri-s-plan-unfolded/) [A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) > [“Have faith and patience, Dr. Thomas. Time works miracles. We must have the courage to wait for them.” They”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-riddle/have-faith-and-patience-dr-thomas-time-works-miracles-we-must-have/) [A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) > [“The man on the other end of the satellite phone looked up when the GPS coordinates flashed on his screen. He copied the location…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-riddle/the-man-on-the-other-end-of-the-satellite-phone-looked-up-when-the/) [A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) > [“Lying there in silence, Elim thought about how quickly a person’s fate could change, how precious life and health are. He had walked into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-riddle/lying-there-in-silence-elim-thought-about-how-quickly-a-person-s-fate/) [A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) > [“Disasters are an opportunity for the worst of humanity. And the best.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-riddle/disasters-are-an-opportunity-for-the-worst-of-humanity-and-the-best/) [A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) > [“When others are fearful, be greedy; when others are greedy, be fearful,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-riddle/when-others-are-fearful-be-greedy-when-others-are-greedy-be-fearful/) [A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) [Explore all 101 A.G. Riddle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) ## More Berlin quotes > [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [I did a concert... in September with the Berlin Philharmonic... They're great musicians, and there's always something to learn from them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-bartoli/i-did-a-concert-in-september-with-the-berlin-philharmonic-they-re/) [Cecilia Bartoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-bartoli/) > [The fall of the Berlin Wall makes for nice pictures. But it all started in the shipyards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lech-walesa/the-fall-of-the-berlin-wall-makes-for-nice-pictures-but-it-all/) [Lech Walesa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lech-walesa/) > [The music changed. We had Irving Berlin and Gershwin and Lerner and Loewe and Cole Porter. Great music. Now we have 'Rent.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyd-charisse/the-music-changed-we-had-irving-berlin-and-gershwin-and-lerner-and/) [Cyd Charisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyd-charisse/) > [My works are dear to me, each in its own way, I shall have to answer for them on the Day off Judgement. God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-chagall/my-works-are-dear-to-me-each-in-its-own-way-i-shall-have-to-answer/) [Marc Chagall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-chagall/) > [I'm not a prophet, but I always thought it was natural for dictatorships to fall. I remember in 1989, two months before the fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/i-m-not-a-prophet-but-i-always-thought-it-was-natural-for/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [The church of St. Peter at Berlin, notwithstanding the total difference between them in the style of building, appears in some respects to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-philipp-moritz/the-church-of-st-peter-at-berlin-notwithstanding-the-total-difference/) [Karl Philipp Moritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-philipp-moritz/) > [...what happened in New York and Washington is the same thing that England and America did to Berlin every day for three years during…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy-kilmister/what-happened-in-new-york-and-washington-is-the-same-thing-that/) [Lemmy Kilmister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy-kilmister/) > [I am in Paris. Yes ma'am , I made it back. I came up from Berlin, stopped here ten days, fought a losing battle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-anne-porter/i-am-in-paris-yes-ma-am-i-made-it-back-i-came-up-from-berlin-stopped/) [Katherine Anne Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-anne-porter/) > [God bless America, land that I love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-berlin/god-bless-america-land-that-i-love/) [Irving Berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-berlin/) > [I wouldn't want to live in Berlin. It's bombed out and there's a lot of techno.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-crosley/i-wouldn-t-want-to-live-in-berlin-it-s-bombed-out-and-there-s-a-lot/) [Sloane Crosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-crosley/) > [Berlin is still a very edgy place, a very cosmopolitan place. It's a place where completely different ideas and cultures come together and clash…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/berlin-is-still-a-very-edgy-place-a-very-cosmopolitan-place-it-s-a/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) > [Berlin would be a great place to have no cell phone, I think. Especially if you were able to live in a central location.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-ebert/berlin-would-be-a-great-place-to-have-no-cell-phone-i-think/) [Alex Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-ebert/) > [Those who have ever valued liberty for its own sake believed that to be free to choose, and not to be chosen for, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-berlin/those-who-have-ever-valued-liberty-for-its-own-sake-believed-that-to/) [Isaiah Berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah-berlin/) > [The toughest thing about success is that you've got to keep on being a success. Talent is only a starting point in this business.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-berlin/the-toughest-thing-about-success-is-that-you-ve-got-to-keep-on-being/) [Irving Berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-berlin/) [Browse all 438 Berlin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/berlin/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The driver, who had lived in East Berlin until the wall fell in 1989, was happy to report that Berlin was currently the most popular tourist destination in Germany and one of the top three in Europe. During the previous year, nearly thirty million people had visited Berlin, which had only three and a half million permanent residents. The influx of tourists had put a strain on the city’s housing market, making it tough for Berliners to find a decent apartment to rent. 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