'Wilhelm Hoeck 1892': Stories and histories from the oldest beer pub in Charlottenburg, home of a 1932 Olympic champion. This book is about beer, schnapps and tradition, about an oarsman and a sensational Olympic victory. It is about a cash register, a jukebox and of course about people - people who made this place to be the one it is. This book is about a gem of Berlin gastronomy: the old-style Berlin pub and restaurant 'Wilhelm Hoeck 1892' in Berlin-Charlottenburg. Just enter, and you will be captivated by a long gone era. You forget time and plans, and stay until the last call and glass. And you will hear yourself promise to come back and show it to all your friends. Many have kept their word. No wonder: once you have been to 'Hoeck', you are compelled to return as often as possible. Wilhelm Hoeck 1892 is old and antique, original and authentic. Dark paneled walls, scoured tables, time-honored schnapps kegs and shelves full of old bottles tell stories and histories from more than onehundred twenty-five years. It sure is a fine piece of old Berlin.

Matthias Gerschwitz, born 1959, the youngest of six children, was raised in Solingen, a German town between Cologne and Düsseldorf. After his university graduation, he moved to Frankfurt and for seven years worked as product and promotion manager for a mid-sized manufacturer of household products. Subsequently, he went to work for an international fragrance and flavor company near Cologne. He has lived in Berlin since 1992 where he has been working as a marketing consultant. He started publishing books in 2007.