For a birthday with a zero on the end
The day they were born in Berlin, as a real newspaper
Eight printed pages from the day it all started: what both halves of the city were talking about, the weather hour by hour, the streets they grew up in, and the family’s own stories.
Made for
- A 40th, 50th, 60th or 70th birthday
- A newborn in the family
- Anyone who says they are a real Berliner
Sample edition for Anja, 12 November 1976. Anja and her family are invented. The news, weather and map are real.
Inside the paper
Eight pages, and every one is about them
Pages 4 and 5. Their first kilometres
The hospital, the first flat, the first bicycle, on Berlin’s own map data. For dates before 1989 the map shows where the Wall ran.
The back page
“I counted your fingers in the Urban hospital. I have been counting on you ever since.”
Mama, in the sample edition
Corrections
In our edition of 12 November 1976 we described the newcomer as “quiet at times”. This was wrong. We apologise to the second floor.
Why this and not a card
| What you get | A card | An old newspaper | The First Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| News from that day | |||
| Their Berlin on a real map | |||
| Their story on the front page | |||
| Words from friends and family | |||
| Exists only once |
How it works
Order
Name, date, done.
Answer a few questions
First name, the date and the part of Berlin. If you know the time and the hospital, even better.
Check the proof
I write it, check the facts and send you the whole paper. Change anything you like.
It arrives
Once you approve, it prints in Europe and usually reaches you in 4 to 5 days. That is my print partner’s estimate.
What you hold in your hand
I’m Yusuf. I live in Berlin and I run Walk of Berlin: walks, audio walks and stories about this city. Every edition goes through me before it prints.
- Size
- A4, 8 pages, stitched
- Paper
- Uncoated, with a heavier cover
- Colour
- Black ink and one yellow line
- Copies
- One. An edition of one
- Language
- English
- Printed in
- Europe
- Delivery
- Germany, usually 4 to 5 days after you approve the proof
Questions
They were born in East Berlin. Does that work?
Yes. The paper covers both halves of the city, and the map shows the Wall where it stood.
Is the news real?
Yes. Every news item is written for your edition from public reports of that day, and I keep a source for each one. The weather comes from the German Weather Service. The map is Berlin's own open geodata. The jokes are yours and mine.
What do you need from me?
After you order I send you a short set of questions by email. It takes about as long as writing a good birthday card. You can leave any question blank and I will build around it.
Can friends and family add something?
Yes. You get a link to pass on. Everyone writes their own letter to the editor, and the back page fills up without you chasing anybody.
Will I see it before it prints?
Yes. You get the full paper as a proof by email and you can change anything in it. Nothing goes to print until you say so.
Which dates work?
Any day from 1951 onwards. The weather reaches that far back, hour by hour. For older dates the news takes more digging. If I cannot find enough from that exact day, I use the same week and say so in the paper.
What if something terrible happened that day?
A big event gets one short, plain item, because it was part of the day. Tell me if you want it left out and I will leave it out.
Is it in English or German?
Both. This page makes the English edition. The German one, with German news and a German masthead, has its own page at editions.walkofberlin.com/geburtstag.
How long does it take?
After you approve the proof it prints in Europe and usually reaches a German address in 4 to 5 days. That is my print partner’s estimate, not a guarantee, so please leave some room before a big day.
What if it arrives damaged or gets lost?
Tell me within 30 days, with a photo if it is damaged, and you get a new copy free of charge. Colours on paper can look a little different from your screen, and that does not count as damage.
Can I return it?
A printed paper is made for one person, so it cannot be returned. That is why you see the whole proof first and nothing prints without your OK.
Who makes it?
I do. I'm Yusuf and I run Walk of Berlin from here. I use AI tools for research and for the engravings, and I check every fact myself before anything goes to print. The engravings are made with AI and are not drawn by hand.
Somebody in your life has a date like this
You bring the name and the date. I find out what the city was doing that day.
That did not work, and nothing was charged. Please try again, or write to info@walkofberlin.com.