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During the Cold War, Berlin was divided from the rest of Europe by a huge fortified wall and the city could soon be returning to isolation as the continent's only major capital without a top flight soccer team.
Hertha Berlin remains the city's only representative in the Bundesliga but are teetering on the brink of relegation, essentially needing a minor miracle to stay up.
Stranded at the foot of the table on 23 points Hertha probably need to win all three of their remaining three matches -- against top clubs Schalke 04, Bayer Leverkusen and league leaders Bayern Munich -- to climb into a relegation playoff.
Freiburg currently occupy that spot on 28 points with Hanover 96 a point further back, but Hertha have not given up just yet.
"No one in the team is walking around with their heads down," Hertha official Gerd Graus told Reuters on Wednesday.
"The atmosphere in the team is very good and everyone knows exactly what needs to be done," the director of media added.
"The fighting spirit is there and do not forget that we have been playing under pressure since the winter break. Captain Arne Friedrich has said what needs to be done: get maximum points. We are used to handling this pressure this season."
Hertha's first task is against second-placed Schalke 04 on Sunday, an opponent chasing a first Bundesliga title for more than half a century.
WRITTEN OFF
"We have been written off about five times since the second round started but we are still here, still fighting. We have not been relegated yet and we will not talk about relegation until or if that happens. We will go into the Schalke match fighting," Graus added.
"If you look at the map there are hardly any European capitals without first team football, that is correct. But we have not been relegated yet. Hertha are still here."
After picking up a mere six points from 17 games in the first part of the season, the Berliners looked destined to go down without a fight.
However, the arrival of coach Friedhelm Funkel and some key transfers in the winter break saw the side pick up 17 points in 14 games since then, boasting the league's best defence in the process with just 12 goals conceded.
"Look at our defence, the best since December. Relegation or no relegation, this is just hypothesis at the moment. We know what needs to be done and we will go out and try to do it," Graus added.
Bayern are two points clear at the top on 63 points and travel to a Borussia Moenchengladbach side are no longer in relegation danger, while Werder Bremen will be desperate to cling to third spot when they host Cologne.
(Editing by John O'Brien; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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