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Tempelhof: from Hitler’s ‘Weltflughafen’ (international airport) to city park

From a grassy air strip to the world's largest airport, and from a Prussian parade ground to a city park: no other airport has had such a turbulent history as Flughafen Tempelhof airport. In 1926, with 10 flights a day, this was Europe’s largest airport – even bigger than London, Paris and Amsterdam. When, during the Cold War, the Soviet Union blocked all access roads, West Berlin received all of its supplies by air via Tempelhof: the so-called 'Berlin Airlift'.

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Berlin, 德國

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The Berlin airlift during the Cold War

It is quite ironic that one of Hitler’s largest constructions has a special place in the heart of many Berliners. Tempelhof, built as the grand gateway to ‘Germania’, the new capital of the Third Reich, saved many from starving to death after the war. When West Germany introduced the Deutschmark currency in 1948, Soviet leader Stalin responded by blocking all access routes to West Berlin. The only way to get supplies to 2 million West-Berlin residents was by air. It was a blessing in disguise that Tempelhof was located on this side of the Berlin Wall. The 'Berlin airlift' was a monster operation: for almost a year a cargo plane would land here every minute. The supply planes were known as the ‘Rosinenbomber’ (raisin bombers), because as the pilots came in for landing, they tossed boxes of raisins, candy and chocolate bars to the cheering children. During that time, 278,000 flights delivered 2.3 million tons of freight.

Berlin’s largest city park

After the closure of the airport, the city squabbled for years over its future. Tempelhof is now the largest city park in Berlin. The runways are used by people to bike, jog, skate and kite-surf. People fill the grassy fields to relax, play football or barbecue. The park also hosts frequent pop festivals and major sports events. The hangars have been transformed into a sports centre, disco, offices, art studios and recording studios. Under the direction of landscape architect Eelco Hooftman, a small residential neighbourhood is being built on the edge of the park. The historic airport terminal has been designated a historic monument and will be preserved.

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Nightlife

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On 9 November 1989, East Berlin’s isolation from the West ended when the Berlin Wall came down. Although East and West have been reunited for almost 3 decades, some 'ostalgia' from this period has been preserved. Visitors to Berlin can embark on a Trabant safari, spend the night in an East-Berlin hotel and sample an old-fashioned DDR meal in a local restaurant.

Nightlife

Berlin is known as a city where you can party day and night. Germany’s capital boasts around 300 (legal) clubs so making a choice can be tough. One of the nightclubs on everyone’s list is Rosi’s, rated by various magazines as Berlin’s best club.

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Graffiti or street art: Berlin is home to plenty of it. Street artists use the city as their canvas and give Berlin the edgy look the city is famous for. The remnants of the Berlin Wall are especially popular to exhibit all kinds of creative talent. Whether you are in (the former) East or West Berlin, every neighbourhood is filled with street art. You can also take a special tour dedicated to the art of graffiti!

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Film lovers will have a great time in Berlin; every winter the city hosts one of the most important film festivals in the world, the Berlinale. During the rest of the year there is also plenty to entertain film buffs. Visit the set of classic science fiction film ‘Metropolis’ in the oldest film studio in the world. Or watch silent movies accompanied by live piano music in one of Berlin’s art cinemas. In addition to the large multiplex cinemas, there are many art cinemas that screen films in their original version.

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One of the islands in the Spree river is home to so much world-renowned art that UNESCO has placed it on the World Heritage list. According to the UN cultural commission, ‘the unique collection of buildings illustrates more than a century of modern museum design’. It began in the 16th century with the pleasure garden near the city castle, and now Museum Island is home to 5 of the world's most prestigious museums.

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No place has played such a prominent role in Berlin’s turbulent history as the Brandenburger Tor (Gate). This is where it all happened: Napoleon’s triumphal procession, Nazi parades and Hitler’s grim speeches, a no-man's land during the Cold War, JFK’s visit, Ronald Reagan's speech and the spontaneous street celebrations after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Dive into Berlin’s turbulent history at its only remaining city gate.

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One of Berlin’s most popular destinations, the Reichstag, is open for the public to visit free of charge. For many years the monumental construction didn’t serve the purpose for which it was built, but since the German reunification it is once again the seat of parliament. And what a spectacular building! After a massive restoration by architect Norman Foster, the famous glass dome offers a stunning 360 degree view of the city. A column of mirrors casts light into the parliament’s assembly hall.

Nightlife

Ask a Berliner to describe Berghain and you will hear a lot of different opinions: the queues are endless and the commanding bouncers practice a notoriously inscrutable door policy. And if you do manage to get inside the former East-German power plant, the place is expensive, hot and dark, but in compensation the club is enormous and ecstatic. Berghain is perhaps Berlin’s greatest club; many even say it’s the best techno club in the world.

Nightlife

No European city is as famous (and infamous) for its boundless nightlife as Berlin. Thanks to unrestricted opening hours the night never ends and nowhere more so than in Friedrichshain. During the Cold War this neighbourhood on the Spree River became derelict and shabby, but since the Wall came down it has been rejuvenated. Here you will find 3 nightclubs where you can let go of all inhibitions until early Monday morning.

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Today, Berlin is an upbeat city where people live, work, shop and celebrate in freedom. However this has not always been the case. Only a quarter century ago, East-Germans were shot dead if they tried to flee to the free west, and only half a century ago the entire city was ablaze. Many of the scars have gradually disappeared, but there are still many places in the city that remind us of Berlin’s turbulent history.

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“Lots of small people in lots of small places doing lots of small things can change the face of the world.” This is written on what remains of the Berlin Wall. And that’s exactly what happened. It was not the rulers of the world but the regular people of Berlin who took down the Wall in 1989. An approximate 1-kilometre-long section of the wall has been preserved, which now – colourfully painted – forms the East Side Gallery. A vibrant and vivid protest.