{"id":199,"date":"2025-03-11T10:39:20","date_gmt":"2025-03-11T09:39:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.fu-berlin.de\/knowtheancients\/?p=199"},"modified":"2025-03-11T10:45:28","modified_gmt":"2025-03-11T09:45:28","slug":"architectural-legacies-of-the-cold-war-in-berlin-teufelsberg-gare-francaise-berlin-and-berlin-wall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.fu-berlin.de\/knowtheancients\/2025\/03\/11\/architectural-legacies-of-the-cold-war-in-berlin-teufelsberg-gare-francaise-berlin-and-berlin-wall\/","title":{"rendered":"Architectural legacies of the Cold War in Berlin: Teufelsberg, Gare Fran\u00e7aise Berlin and Berlin Wall"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

March 11, 2025, by Benjamin Scheel<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the end of World War II and the defeat of the German Nazi regime, Berlin was divided into four Allied occupation zones in July 1945. These zones were managed by the respective occupying forces: the United States controlled the southwestern part of Berlin, Great Britain managed the western area, France oversaw the northwestern section, and the Soviet Union governed the northeastern, eastern, and southeastern parts of the city. Together, these powers ruled Berlin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soon after these events, tensions, and ideological differences between the capitalist democracies of the USA, Western Europe, and Canada, on one side, and the communist regime originating from the Soviet Union, on the other, increased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1948, the Soviet Union imposed an economic and territorial blockade on West Berlin, which was controlled by the Western Allies: the USA, Great Britain, and France. This event marked the beginning of the Cold War’s impact on Germany and Berlin. The establishment of the Bundesrepublik Deutschland (BRD) and the Deutsche Demokratische Republik (DDR) in 1949 further solidified this division.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The construction of the Berlin Wall in August 1961 represented the climax of confrontation during the Cold War from a German perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Cold War significantly influenced the city of Berlin and its residents, impacting the city’s development since the 1960s. Even over 30 years after the Cold War ended \u2013 marked by the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the dissolution of the DDR in 1990, and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 \u2013 traces of this ideological, military, and political confrontation remain evident in Berlin’s cityscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the architectural remnants from the Cold War are presented in the following lines of this blog post. The selection of these traces is subjective and not exhaustive, and it was influenced by their relative accessibility. This post aims to encourage readers to explore the traces of the Cold War in Berlin on their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Teufelsberg<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Teufelsberg is a large mound located in the Grunewald, which is part of the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf district in the former British occupation zone. This mound was constructed using the rubble from the ruins of World War II, specifically the remnants of the Wehrtechnische Fakult\u00e4t der Technischen Hochschule, a project planned by Albert Speer in the 1930s but never completed. The site was ultimately destroyed during Allied bombings in 1945.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By 1960, the mound reached a height of approximately 120 meters. In the 1960s, the Western Allies, specifically Great Britain and the USA, established a signals intelligence interception station at the top of the mound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fig. 1: The main gate serves as the entrance to the former signals intelligence listening station. Upon entering, the road splits: to the right, there is a parking lot, and to the left, one can find the stationary listening devices and the buildings where intercepted data was processed. In the background, the Main Gate Guard House is situated between the divided road and sections of the Dining Facility. \u00a9 Stella Schiffczyk<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In 1961, the first devices used at the listening station were mobile trucks and trailers. This setup was used by the British and American military to intercept radio signals from the DDR and other Warsaw Pact countries. By 1964, most of these mobile units were replaced with the first permanent buildings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Field Station Berlin underwent a comprehensive redevelopment starting in the late 1960s as part of Project Filman. This redevelopment included the completion of two significant buildings: a two-story operations building for the British and a larger three-story main operations building for the Americans, both of which were finished in 1972.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fig. 2: View from outside the listening station: the main operations building featuring its iconic radomes (the picture shows two of the three radomes in total). \u00a9 Stella Schiffczyk<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Between 1978 and 1982, further less important new devices were installed. During the 1980s most parts of the Field Station Berlin were remodeled and upgraded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The listening station, located in a unique area of West Berlin and surrounded by the DDR, was ideally positioned to intercept military and political radio signals from the east. Its proximity to other Warsaw Pact states made it an excellent location for this purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Berlin Wall opened on November 9, 1989, and the reunification of Germany took place the following year, marking the end of the Cold War. As a result, Field Station Berlin became obsolete. In the early 1990s, the entire facility was dismantled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The former listening station site is now accessible for a fee. The remaining structures, which have been partially demolished, are now adorned with street art paintings and installations that have emerged over the past 20 years. The site is mainly frequented by tourists seeking what they believe are spectacular photo opportunities to share on their social media accounts. However, today’s visitors only receive a superficial understanding of the site’s historical significance in Berlin due to its current presentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Gare Fran\u00e7aise Berlin-Tegel<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The French occupational zone was in the northwestern part of West Berlin, specifically in the districts of Reinickendorf and Wedding. In Tegel, a borough of Reinickendorf, the French occupational forces constructed a railway station known as Gare Fran\u00e7aise. This station was built in 1947 and has been in use since December 6 of that same year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The station building is a single-story structure with main entrances on its longer sides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the Gare Fran\u00e7aise Berlin-Tegel began operating, France became the only Western Allied occupation power with a direct train connection to West Berlin. Trains ran three times a week between Strasbourg and West Berlin.  This service was used for transporting military personnel and equipment, as well as for the families of French soldiers stationed in West Berlin. Even French exchange students came to West Berlin via this station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Gare Fran\u00e7aise Berlin-Tegel was in use until September 1994.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fig. 3: The Gare Fran\u00e7aise Berlin-Tegel. View from Buddestra\u00dfe. \u00a9 Karsten Koch<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Fig. 4: Close-up of one of the main entrances on the long side of the Gare Fran\u00e7aise Berlin-Tegel. \u00a9 Karsten Koch<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Berlin Wall<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Berlin Wall is probably the most famous symbol and material trace of the Cold War. It impressively manifests the division of Berlin, Germany, Europe and even the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From an archaeological perspective, the Berlin Wall served primarily as part of the DDR’s border security along the border between East and West Germany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The regime referred to it as the \u201cAntifaschistischer Schutzwall“. However, the wall was less about protecting against an invasion by Western forces and more about containing its own citizens from emigrating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Around 140 persons were killed or died while attempting to cross the Berlin Wall from east to west. In total, more than 1000 lost their lives along the German-German border while trying to overcome it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Fig. 5: Remains of the Berlin Wall at Niederkirchnerstra\u00dfe. In the background: The Martin-Gropius-Bau. Behind the Wall is nowadays the Dokumentationszentrum Topographie des Terrors. At the right side further down Niederkirchnerstra\u00dfe is the Preu\u00dfischer Landtag, today’s seat of the Abgeordnetenhaus von Berlin. \u00a9 Karsten Koch<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Berlin Wall encircled West Berlin over a length of approximately 160 km.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The construction of the Berlin Wall began on August 13, 1961, following the orders from the political leadership of the DDR regime, with the oversight and protection of the East German Volkspolizei and the East German Nationale Volksarmee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The border security facilities around West Berlin were extended and expanded in several phases and underwent significant changes between 1961 and 1989. This included the demolition of houses directly adjacent to the Wall to create a clear line of sight and shooting range along the eastern side of the border. Further fortifications along the 30 to 500-meter-wide border strip included various features such as trenches designed to stop vehicles from crashing into the wall, patrol zones protected by armed guards and dogs, watchtowers, and searchlights. The \u201cHinterlandmauer\u201d was a second wall line at the eastern end of the border strip and the first obstacle that stood in the way of the escapees. It was erected in 1962.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fig. 6. Detail of the remains of the \u201cHinterlandmauer\u201d near Bernauer Stra\u00dfe. The \u201cHinterlandmauer\u201d surrounded West Berlin and stretched approximately 68 km in length. \u00a9 Karsten Koch<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Fig. 7: The former DDR border watchtower at Kieler Stra\u00dfe is now part of the Gedenkst\u00e4tte G\u00fcnter Litfin. G\u00fcnter Litfin was the first person to be killed at the Berlin Wall after its construction began. He was shot while attempting to escape to West Berlin on August 24, 1961. The surrounding residential buildings were constructed after the fall of the Berlin Wall. \u00a9 Karsten Koch<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War, as well as the \u201cWiedervereinigung\u201d, the wall was largely demolished and dismantled during the 1990s. In that decade, various sections of the wall that were removed were sold to interested parties in Berlin. Many areas of the border and remnants of the wall have since been rebuilt or have become overgrown with vegetation. Today, only a few remnants of the Berlin Wall can still be seen within the cityscape of Berlin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bibliography<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

R. Bernbeck, Rezension zu: Wayne D. Cocroft \/ John Schofield, Archaeology of the Teufelsberg. Exploring Western Electronic Intelligence Gathering in Cold War Berlin. Routledge Archaeologies of the Contemporary World. Routledge, London 2019, Germania 99, 2021, 329\u2013334<\/p>\n\n\n\n

W. D. Cocroft, The Archaeology of Military Communications, Industrial Archaeology Re-view 35, 2013, 65\u201379<\/p>\n\n\n\n

W. D. Cocroft \u2013 J. Schofield, Archaeology of the Teufelsberg. Exploring Western Electronic Intelligence Gathering in Cold War Berlin (Abingdon \u2013 New York 2019)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

H. M. Harrison, Die Berliner Mauer. Ein Symbol des Kalten Krieges?, in: L. Schmidt \u2013 H. von Preuschen (Hrsg.), On both Sides of the Wall. Preserving Monuments and Sites of the Cold War Era. Auf beiden Seiten der Mauer. Denkmalpflege an Objekten aus Zeiten des Kalten Krieges (Bad M\u00fcnstereifel 2005), 18\u201327<\/p>\n\n\n\n

L. Schmidt \u2013 H. von Preuschen (Hrsg.), On both Sides of the Wall. Preserving Monuments and Sites of the Cold War Era. Auf beiden Seiten der Mauer. Denkmalpflege an Objekten aus Zeiten des Kalten Krieges (Bad M\u00fcnstereifel 2005)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

L. Schmidt \u2013 H. von Preuschen, Einf\u00fchrung, in: L. Schmidt \u2013 H. von Preuschen (Hrsg.), On both Sides of the Wall. Preserving Monuments and Sites of the Cold War Era. Auf beiden Seiten der Mauer. Denkmalpflege an Objekten aus Zeiten des Kalten Krieges (Bad M\u00fcn-stereifel 2005), 8\u201310<\/p>\n\n\n\n

L. Schmidt, Die Berliner Mauer. Eine Erinnerungslandschaft, in: L. Schmidt \u2013 H. von Preuschen (Hrsg.), On both Sides of the Wall. Preserving Monuments and Sites of the Cold War Era. Auf beiden Seiten der Mauer. Denkmalpflege an Objekten aus Zeiten des Kalten Krieges (Bad M\u00fcnstereifel 2005), 11\u201317<\/p>\n\n\n\n

J. Schofield \u2013 W. Cocroft (Hrsg.), A Fearsome Heritage. Diverse Legacies of The Cold War (Walnut Creek 2007)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

J. Schofield \u2013 W. Cocroft \u2013 M. Dobronovskaya, Cold War. A Transnational Approach to a Global Heritage, Post-Medieval Archaeology 55, 2021, 39\u201358<\/p>\n\n\n\n

J. Schofield \u2013 A. Schofield, Ansichten der Mauer. Alliierte Perspektiven, in: L. Schmidt \u2013 H. von Preuschen (Hrsg.), On both Sides of the Wall. Preserving Monuments and Sites of the Cold War Era. Auf beiden Seiten der Mauer. Denkmalpflege an Objekten aus Zeiten des Kalten Krieges (Bad M\u00fcnstereifel 2005), 36\u201343<\/p>\n\n\n\n

C. Theune, Arch\u00e4ologie an Tatorten des 20. Jahrhunderts2 (Darmstadt 2016)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further sources<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.berlin.de\/landesdenkmalamt\/denkmale\/highlight-denkmale-der-alliierten\/frankreich\/reinickendorf\/franzoesischer-militaerbahnhof-647687.php<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

March 11, 2025, by Benjamin Scheel Introduction After the end of World War II and the defeat of the German Nazi regime, Berlin was divided into four Allied occupation zones in July 1945. These zones were managed by the respective occupying forces: the United States controlled the southwestern part of Berlin, Great Britain managed the … \u201eArchitectural legacies of the Cold War in Berlin: Teufelsberg, Gare Fran\u00e7aise Berlin and Berlin Wall\u201c<\/span> weiterlesen<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1825,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-199","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-allgemein"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.fu-berlin.de\/knowtheancients\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.fu-berlin.de\/knowtheancients\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.fu-berlin.de\/knowtheancients\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.fu-berlin.de\/knowtheancients\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1825"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.fu-berlin.de\/knowtheancients\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=199"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.fu-berlin.de\/knowtheancients\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":208,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.fu-berlin.de\/knowtheancients\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199\/revisions\/208"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.fu-berlin.de\/knowtheancients\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=199"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.fu-berlin.de\/knowtheancients\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=199"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.fu-berlin.de\/knowtheancients\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=199"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}