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Lutherie in Berlin: Berlin calling

2025-08-22T08:35:00

NEW (69)

While some European capitals have a well-documented history of violin making, Berlin has passed under the radar. Daniel Kogge looks at some of the German capital’s most prominent makers from the 18th century onwards

By the year 1700, European capitals such as Paris, Rome and London were hotbeds of cultural activity. Their social and economic development meant that there was an appetite for music and the arts, which attracted artisans such as violin makers. Berlin, on the other hand, had yet to catch up with its European neighbours: the city was home to only around 29,000 inhabitants and much of the land was still a swampy wilderness…

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