Restructuring of Housing and Ethnic Segregation: Recent Developments in Berlin

In Germany, and particu larly in Berlin , the fall of the Wall in 1989 and the years follow ing reuni® cation were accompanied by a large in ̄ ux of immigrants. These `new’ m igrants in Berlin are added to the long-resid ent guestworker population in the western part of the city. This paper investigat es the housing situation of the increasin g population of foreign ers before and after uni® cation as well as the changing segregat ion of ethnic minorities. After a comparison of the differen t housing system s in East and West Berlin and their consequences for ethnic segregat ion in the 1980s, the main elem ents of the housing transform ation since 1990 are identi ® ed and related to the changing residential pattern s of foreign ers. The pattern s of four selected nationalities with divergen t migration motives are analysed in more detail. The paper draws attention to differen ces between East and West Berlin as well as to recen t convergences between the two parts of the city.