West-Berlin advertising : colourful and witty impressions of a half-town

Looking attractive and not only because of the Wall cutting Berlin in two parts. In the 1970S and the 1980S, West-Berlin tourist office (Verkehrsamt Berlin) edited posters about a city where culture, nightlife, diversity and fun were ruling the town. This was the case for any visitor coming to West-Berlin. The campaigns over the 1970s and the 1980s helped strengthen the "Mythos Berlin" concept ("The Myth of Berlin"), a town of all possibilities.

In the 1970s, West-Berlin tourism slogan was "Ganz Berlin ist eine Wolke" which could be translated as "All of Berlin stands on a cloud", an obvious reference to the English expression "to be on cloud nine". In the 1980s, the official campaign became more reasonable. "Berlin tut gut" ("Berlin is good for you") was used until the collapse of the Berlin Wall.

Some of the posters were brash, flirting sometimes with vulgarity... But they reflect these long gone days! They remain a testimonial of West-Berlin's free thinking spirit.

1971

1973

1975

1978

1982

1983

1985

1985