Hubert Goenner here depicts Einstein's life in Berlin, recounting his diverse connections and entanglements with artists, intellectuals, and scientists, while also discussing how Einstein was perceived by his contemporaries in Berlin. This biographical and critical double portrait focuses on one of the most significant scientists of the 20th century and the metropolis of the "Golden Twenties." Einstein and Berlin are connected in ways that are often underestimated. As the vibrant and headstrong Berlin emerged as a new hub of modernity, attracting artists, intellectuals, researchers, politicians, and industrialists, the unconventional Einstein increasingly acted like a magnet for the public and the greatest minds of his time. In 1919, Einstein's unique ascent to becoming a widely recognized global citizen began, while Berlin was culturally attractive and held a geopolitical influence comparable to London, Paris, and New York, even seeming to surpass them. Although neither Berlin shaped Einstein, nor did he ever say the phrase "Ich bin ein Berliner," he still felt a connection to Berlin, its institutions, and some of its residents, even after experiencing the impending terror regime of the Nazis.