Rückkehr zur Sachlichkeit? West-Berliner U-Bahnhöfe (1987)
Schön war die Zeit, als die Welt noch in Ordnung war-
West-Berlin in pictures #233:
Return to objectivity? West-Berlin underground stations (1987)
Source: Berliner Kunstblatt 55 (1987)
Paracelsus Bad (U8) Bismarckstrasse (U2/U7) Eisenacher Strasse (U7) Halemweg (U7) Mierendorffplatz (U7) Rathaus Spandau (U7) Richard-Wagner-Platz (U7) Paulsternstrasse (U7)
![transitmaps:
Historical Map: Berlin S-Bahn (c. 1955-1960) still at the ruined Siemensstadt station
What an amazing photo!
The Siemensbahn was part of Berlin’s S-Bahn network from 1929 (when it was built as a short spur line to allow workers to commute to and from the Siemens factories in the area) to 1980, when it was shut down after a railway workers’ strike. As seen on the map, the Siemensbahn is the short spur line just above and to the left of the large red area in the centre.
The map is located (or was, in 2008, when the photo was taken) at the Siemensstadt station, which now lies in ruins and largely forgotten. The original poster of Flickr dates it to around 1980, probably based largely on the time the station closed. However, I date it to somewhere around 1955 to 1960 for a few reasons.
Firstly, the map is pretty much hand-drawn and lettered. A map from 1980 would look more sophisticated, as this link shows.
Many of the outer lines are still steam-powered (cross-hatched lines are marked in the legend as “Mit Dampf…[torn]”).
While borders between West and East Berlin (as well as the Greater Berlin area) are shown, and there’s a clear colour differentiation between the two cities (blue for West Berlin, red for East), it’s still possible to travel between east and west. Each station is marked with both the time it takes to get there from Siemensstadt and the price… and these markings continue into East Berlin. Therefore, the map’s post-WWII, but before the Berlin Wall went up (1961).
Comparing this map from 1955 and this one from 1960 shows that the outer ring line around the northwest of the city was completed some time between these dates. This line is shown on this map, although it’s hard to see because of the damage to the map: this gives the best dating I can come up with without researching individual stations. Can anyone narrow it down even more?
Another point of interest is the East Berlin station of Stalinallee, where someone has crossed out Stalin’s name and replaced it with “Frankfurter”, a reference to its pre-war name: Große Frankfurter Straße. This grafitti could have been added at anytime in the decades since the map was first put up, but the “Stalinallee” name also helps date the map, as the street was renamed as Karl-Marx-Allee in 1961.
(Source: SnaPsi Сталкер/Flickr - definitely worth clicking through to the large version)
Note: About 15 years ago we gave a friend a similar map from the early sixties, but after the Wall has already been built as a birthday present and entitled it: “Schön war die Zeit, als die Welt noch in Ordnung war!”* (approx: “What a wonderful time when everything was fine”) And I really never expected back then that this sentence would be become the claim of my little blog about things related to West-Berlin more than a decade later…
*West-Berlin in pictures #232](http://24.media.tumblr.com/883f3a24677581e83cb6995588930fd0/tumblr_mlf9fd6oGR1r54c4oo1_250.jpg)
Historical Map: Berlin S-Bahn (c. 1955-1960) still at the ruined Siemensstadt station
What an amazing photo!
The Siemensbahn was part of Berlin’s S-Bahn network from 1929 (when it was built as a short spur line to allow workers to commute to and from the Siemens factories in the area) to 1980, when it was shut down after a railway workers’ strike. As seen on the map, the Siemensbahn is the short spur line just above and to the left of the large red area in the centre.
The map is located (or was, in 2008, when the photo was taken) at the Siemensstadt station, which now lies in ruins and largely forgotten. The original poster of Flickr dates it to around 1980, probably based largely on the time the station closed. However, I date it to somewhere around 1955 to 1960 for a few reasons.
Firstly, the map is pretty much hand-drawn and lettered. A map from 1980 would look more sophisticated, as this link shows.
Many of the outer lines are still steam-powered (cross-hatched lines are marked in the legend as “Mit Dampf…[torn]”).
While borders between West and East Berlin (as well as the Greater Berlin area) are shown, and there’s a clear colour differentiation between the two cities (blue for West Berlin, red for East), it’s still possible to travel between east and west. Each station is marked with both the time it takes to get there from Siemensstadt and the price… and these markings continue into East Berlin. Therefore, the map’s post-WWII, but before the Berlin Wall went up (1961).
Comparing this map from 1955 and this one from 1960 shows that the outer ring line around the northwest of the city was completed some time between these dates. This line is shown on this map, although it’s hard to see because of the damage to the map: this gives the best dating I can come up with without researching individual stations. Can anyone narrow it down even more?
Another point of interest is the East Berlin station of Stalinallee, where someone has crossed out Stalin’s name and replaced it with “Frankfurter”, a reference to its pre-war name: Große Frankfurter Straße. This grafitti could have been added at anytime in the decades since the map was first put up, but the “Stalinallee” name also helps date the map, as the street was renamed as Karl-Marx-Allee in 1961.
(Source: SnaPsi Сталкер/Flickr - definitely worth clicking through to the large version)
Note: About 15 years ago we gave a friend a similar map from the early sixties, but after the Wall has already been built as a birthday present and entitled it: “Schön war die Zeit, als die Welt noch in Ordnung war!”* (approx: “What a wonderful time when everything was fine”) And I really never expected back then that this sentence would be become the claim of my little blog about things related to West-Berlin more than a decade later…
*West-Berlin in pictures #232
(via westberlin)
Duo Beland/Stollenz, Ladengalerie, Kunsttage Berlin 1982
“Aug in Aug mit den Gurus im Weltenraum”
Schön war die Zeit, als die Welt noch in Ordnung war-
West-Berlin in pictures #231
“Eye to eye with the gurus in space”
Uwe Beland (right) and Andreas Stollenz (left) later founded ndw underground/indie group “Bollerman”. Today “Stulle” is also known as Froyd making “technokraut”.
Source: Berliner Kunstblatt (1982)
“Flächenbrand”, Ladengalerie, Kurfürstendamm 64, 1000 Berlin 15, Kunsttage Berlin, Charlottenburg, 1982
Schön war die Zeit, als die Welt noch in Ordnung war-
West-Berlin in pictures #230:
“Flaechenbrand”, Ladengalerie, Kurfuerstendamm 64, 1000 Berlin 15, Berlin-Charlottenburg
“The second group that will play at Ladengalerie on May 22nd and which will be painted by Peter Schunter is called “Flächenbrand” (conflagration), because they don’t want to be “the casualties of Mogadishu” no more. They consist of: Merkel, drums, got taxes repaid, the brothers Jahr, bass and guitar (one of them received a pension, the other does not), Grimm (got unemployment assistance). Among the instruments the drummer uses are oil and beer caskets, chair legs, and a washing drum not because they want this to be considered as “avantgarde”, but just because of the lack of alternatives.
Source: Berliner Kunstblatt
Elfi Fröhlich: Carola, 15, Schülerin, 1980, Foto , 70 cm × 100 cm, (mit Rahmen: 70 cm × 100 cm), Werknummer: F 13
Schön war die Zeit, als die Welt noch in Ordnung war-
West-Berlin in pictures #229
Stuttgarter Platz, Charlottenburg, um 1963
Die Gegend galt in den 60er Jahren als Nachtschwärmerviertel, wovon die „Leila Tanz-Bar“ zeugt. An Stelle des Kinos Mascotte befindet sich heute ein Apartmenthaus mit Spielothek im Erdgeschoss. Die Hotels gibt es noch, sie heißen nur anders. Und das „Montmartre“ hat keinen Stuck mehr. Die Entstuckung sollte die Häuser moderner machen.
Schön war die Zeit, als die Welt noch in Ordnung war-
West-Berlin in pictures #228:
Stuttgarter Platz, Berlin-Charlottenburg, ca. 1963
This area had been known as a quarter for nighthawks in the 1960s as the “Leila Tanz Bar” proves here. Instead of the cinema “Mascotte” there is an apartment house inclunding a casino on ground floor now, but the hotels are still there today, they have been just renamed. And the “Montmartre” lacks plastering nowadays because the removal should have made those houses look more modern.
Photo: Heinz Noack
Vor “Bonjour Tristesse”, Kreuzberg, Schlesische Straße/Falkensteinstraße, um 1980
Schön war die Zeit, als die Welt noch in Ordnung war-
West-Berlin in pictures #227:
Before/After “Bonjour Tristesse”, Berlin-Kreuzberg, Crossroads Schlesische/Falkensteinstrasse, ca. 1980
Photo: Hen’s March
Lützowstr. 89-90, Tiergarten/Schöneberg, ca. 1963
Das Löwenportal markierte einst den Eingang zum „Deutschen Kolonialhaus“, Berlins exotischster Einkaufsstätte mit Waren aus den Kolonien. Nach dem Ersten Weltkrieg war es damit vorbei, im Zweiten fiel das Haus. Heute steht hier ein Bürogebäude, das Trümmergrundstück daneben ist immer noch leer.
Schön war die Zeit, als die Welt noch in Ordnung war-
West-Berlin in pictures #226:
Luetzowstr. 89-90, Berlin-Tiergarten/Schoeneberg, ca. 1963
The Lions portal had once marked the entrance to the “Deutsches Kolonialhaus” (“German Colonial House”), Berlin’s most exotic shopping place offering products from the colonies. It had been closed after World War I and was destroyed during World War II. There is an office building today, the area aside has remained undeveloped until today.
Photo: Heinz Noack
Mauer-Graffiti, 1970er
Schön war die Zeit, als die Welt noch in Ordnung war-
West-Berlin in pictures #225
Berlin Wall - graffiti, 1970s
Ideenwettbewerb “Überwindung der MAUER durch Bemalung der MAUER - 1. Preis: Matthias Hohl-Stein, “Preis der Nationen”, Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie, Kreuzberg, 1985
Schön war die Zeit, als die Welt noch in Ordnung war-
West-Berlin in pictures #224:
Ideas competition “Overcoming the WALL by painting the WALL” - 1st prize: Matthias Hohl-Stein, “Prize of Nations”, Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin-Kreuzberg, 1985
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Elfi Fröhlich: “Bianca”, 16 Jahre, Fotografie aus dem geförderten Projekt “Punk in Berlin”, 1983
Schön war die Zeit, als die Welt noch in Ordnung war-
West-Berlin in pictures #223:
Elfi Fröhlich: “Bianca”, 16 years old, photography from the promoted project “Punk in Berlin” (1983)
Source: Berliner Kunstblatt
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Hausfassade ohne Gebäude, Kreuzberg, um 1980
Schön war die Zeit, als die Welt noch in Ordnung war-
West-Berlin in pictures #222:
betonbabereblogged by West-Berlin
A FACADE WITHOUT A BUILDING, BERLIN KREUZBERG, LATE 1970s/ EARLY 1980s
(via overtheberlinwall)
“Aufruf an alle Künstler, Musik- und Theatergruppen, Schriftsteller u.a.!”, die tageszeitung, 1978
Schön war die Zeit, als die Welt noch in Ordnung war-
West-Berlin in pictures #221:
“Appeal to all artists, music and theater groups, writers etc.!”, die tageszeitung, 1978
Der Senat will innerhalb der nächsten Wochen 10 besetzte Häuser räumen!! Das lassen wir uns nicht gefallen!! Bitte meldet euch in der Winterfeldtstr. 20/22 oder zwischen 17 und 19.00 unter der Tel.Nr. 784 86 55
“The Senate of Berlin wants to evacuate 10 squatted houses within the next weeks!! We won’t take shit from that!! Please come forward at Winterfeldtstrasse 20/22 or call 784 86 55 between 5 and 7 p.m.”
“die tageszeitung”, 1978
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Ideenwettbewerb “Überwindung der MAUER durch Bemalung der MAUER - 2. Preis: Benoît Maubrey, “Speaker’s Wall”, Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie, Kreuzberg, 1985
Schön war die Zeit, als die Welt noch in Ordnung war-
West-Berlin in pictures #220:
Ideas competition “Overcoming the WALL by painting the WALL” - 2nd prize: BenoîtMaubrey, “Speaker’s Wall”, Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin-Kreuzberg, 1985
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“Himmel West - Himmel Ost” - Ideenwettbewerb “Überwindung der MAUER durch Bemalung der MAUER - 2. Preis: Ewa Partum, “Performance”, Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie, Kreuzberg, 1985
Schön war die Zeit, als die Welt noch in Ordnung war-
West-Berlin in pictures #219:
“Sky West, Sky East” - Ideas competition “Overcoming the WALL by painting the WALL” - 2nd prize: Ewa Partum, “Performance”, Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin-Kreuzberg, 1985
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