The wooden barracks of the “Ruhleben Emigration Station” in Berlin-Spandau were demolished in 2012 – the preservationists came too late. But the story remains: More than a million mostly Jewish migrants from Eastern Europe had to go through the emigration station in Spandau between 1891 and 1914. Where exactly? At the Freiheit 42. The new Spandau newsletter from the Tagesspiegel has now reported on this.
Before they were allowed to emigrate to the USA and other countries via the North Sea ports, their papers, their finances and their state of health were checked here. You shouldn’t get too close to the Berliners, they feared that they might bring in diseases. The travelers had to take a bath before being transported onward, and their clothes were even disinfected. Above is a last picture from 2012 in the Tagesspiegel, shortly before demolition. Today there is a rustic car dealership.
“The barracks on the station grounds became a symbol of how migrants were treated, as well as the fear of illness and the influx of strangers,” writes the citadel around museum director Urte Evert.
A new exhibition is reminiscent of this story: It was opened by City Councilor for Culture Frank Bewig, CDU, and Samuel Salzborn, Berlin’s anti-Semitism officer. There is more information here: zitadelle-berlin.de
When the trotting track was built next door a good 100 years ago, operations at the emigration station were closed for fear of disease transmission.
[History reading tips: A Nazi helmet “decorated” the railings of the citadel: In the spring of 2022, the Nazi steel helmet was stolen with bolt cutters. Here is the story in the daily mirror. And when will “Hitler’s bronze horses” come to the citadel? I wrote that down for you here in the Tagesspiegel in spring 2022]
In 1955 the racetrack was finally flattened, instead BSR, water works and a tank farm company built there. Do you need guidance? With pleasure. Here I show you aerial photos in comparison of what it looked like in the industrial district between Ikea, the police academy and the Stresow S-Bahn station at the time: 1928.tagesspiegel.de
[This text comes from the Spandau newsletter from the Tagesspiegel. If you would like to read more from Spandau: Here is a quick overview of the topics from the current newsletter].
– Bureaucracy farce about the Jewish theater ship in Spandau: is the premiere about to burst? The story is in the newsletter, which has long since reached the Senate and federal authorities.
– Police inaugurate new monument in Spandau – but newsletter evaluation shows: Ironically, in Spandau more monuments are damaged than anywhere else
– Who is the woman who set up the singles walk in Gatow: Interview with one – of course! – Newsletter reader about Gatow, singles, her books and pooping crows
– Tram plans for Spandau: The newsletter explains the plans to you and reports on the initial public response
– 25 years of Spandau station: the anniversary
– Exhibition in Ruhleben shows the history of the emigrant station
– Brewery and vanilla pastry: delicious Spandau tips
– Special Olympics: Teams from Oceania move to Spandau
– “All come in green”: VfV Spandau in the cup final, part II
– Neighborhood Day and Volunteering Festival
– No more crab fishing: The last fisherman from Tiefwerder doesn’t want to anymore – but has new ideas
– Mega construction site Rudolf Wissell Bridge: Who was that again? And where else in Spandau is he remembered?
– Citizens’ office in Staaken – and when will the citizens’ office in Kladow open again after Corona?
– Neighborhood festivals, cultural tips, many dates from Spandau’s cultural life
– Photo puzzles from Kladow: two postcards from the 1930s – with one difference
The Tagesspiegel newsletter for Berlin’s districts already has more than 260,000 subscriptions: choose your district newsletter now! In it we inform you about district news, neighborhood debates, name dates, links and tips. We look forward to you.
