On the Potsdamer Platz, which was once a wasteland between east and west Berlin, the contractors have made an inland sea. Cranes and barges shift earth for the foundations of the biggest development site in Europe. Men work below the dam, small and vulnerable as ants, separated from the wall of water by a few inches of steel.
For five years, much of east Germany has been a building site. At first the building stimulated a boom in consumption and construction, but it failed to spill over into productive sectors.
Access intelligence that drives action
To unlock this research, enter your email to log in or enquire about access
