Programme 1. Germany

2019 is a year of potentially momentous change for the United Kingdom, and in a new series of five programmes, Neil MacGregor visits five different countries to talk to leading political, business and cultural figures to find out how they, as individuals and as members of their broader communities, see Britain. India, Egypt, Nigeria and Canada are explored in the rest of week, but he begins his journey in Munich and Berlin.

To what extent can the essence of the relationship between Germany and Britain can be traced back to key events or cultural influences, and what impact do those events still have on the nature of that relationship today. Wolfgang Schäuble, the President of the Bundestag; TV host, writer and cultural commentator Thea Dorn and Hartmut Dorgerloh, the new Director of Berlin's Humboldt Forum each reveal what they learnt about Britain at school and how their first encounters with British cities and culture have shaped their perception of Britain now - whether it is Shakespeare, the 1966 World Cup final or the Sissinghurst Castle Garden.

Producer: Paul Kobrak