Episode twenty-six of the new series of Pieces of History takes us to one of the most strikingly symbolic places in Cold War Europe: Mödlareuth - the tiny village once known as “Little Berlin.” With only a few dozen residents, this quiet rural community found itself split by a concrete wall after 1945, becoming an unexpected microcosm of division and ideology.
Joining me is historian Susan Berger, whose work focuses on the lived experiences of ordinary people shaped by major political events. Susan guides us through Mödlareuth’s past: what the village was like before the division, why such a small place ended up walled off, and how the emotional shock of separation transformed daily life.
Drawing on local records, oral histories, and the memories of those who lived on either side, we explore how East and West Germany treated the people of Mödlareuth, what surprised Susan most in her research, and how personal stories from the village help us understand the broader Cold War landscape.
Together, we reflect on how to balance grand historical narratives with intimate human experiences - and what Mödlareuth ultimately teaches us about borders, identity, and the communities shaped by division.
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Museum Modlareuth - https://www.moedlareuth.de/en/
