“Why Schwarzwald here?” I once overheard a child ask his father. The father smiled. He said it was a piece of the Black Forest transported to Berlin. Today we are exploring the Schwarzwaldsiedlung. This large housing estate sits in Berlin’s Waidmannslust district. It is part of Reinickendorf borough.
The Schwarzwaldsiedlung is also known as Rollberge-Siedlung. You might see it written as Schwarzwald-Siedlung or Rollbergesiedlung. Do not confuse it with the Rollbergsiedlung in Berlin-Neukölln. Some people also call it Quartier Titiseestraße.
From 1938, streets here got names of towns in the Black Forest. Titiseestraße is one example. You will also find Nagolder Pfad and Pforzheimer Straße. The reasons for this choice are unclear.
Zabel-Krüger-Damm borders the Schwarzwaldsiedlung to the north. Schluchseestraße defines the south and west. A footpath parallel to Öschelbronner Weg marks the eastern edge. The Märkisches Viertel is very close. The Schwarzwaldsiedlung and Märkisches Viertel arose at the same time. However, they were separate projects. The GSW housing association was responsible for the Schwarzwaldsiedlung.
Planning and construction took place from 1962 to 1972. Gerd and Magdalena Hänska worked with Peter Brinkert on designs. Jan and Rolf Rave also contributed. Josef Paul Kleihues and Heiner Moldenschardt were involved too. The residential high-rise by Hans Scharoun on Zabel-Krüger-Damm is a highlight. It is now a protected landmark. Two apartment blocks designed by GSW stand west of the Scharoun high-rise. They run along Zabel-Krüger-Damm.
North of Titiseestraße are three courtyard-like structures. Each opens to Titiseestraße but is closed off to the north. Two firms designed each of these courtyards. Josef Kleihues and Heiner Moldenschardt planned the western halves. Jan and Rolf Rave designed the eastern halves.
Between Titiseestraße and Schluchseestraße, there’s a curved area. On this banana-shaped section stand buildings by Gerd and Magdalena Hänska with Peter Brinkert. Bernhard Binder’s buildings are next to them. A high-rise slab by Dieter Fischbach, a Dütmann employee, completes the eastern end.
The central square is on Waldshuter Zeile. Here you will find shops and buildings of the Reinickendorf Protestant church district. A daycare center and the Grundschule in den Rollbergen are also here. The bronze sculpture “Gespaltene Kugel” by Paul Brandenburg stands on this market square. It was created in 1976.
The Schwarzwaldsiedlung is a testament to urban planning of the time. It offers a unique residential environment. The mix of architectural styles and the connection to the Black Forest through street names give this area a special character. Take a moment to appreciate the history and design. Think about how this community came to be.