Lost in thought, I wondered. What stories could these ancient trees tell? Welcome to Oberseepark. This park is a serene oasis in Berlin’s Lichtenberg district. It offers a unique escape from city life. The Oberseepark has a tranquil lake at its center. Visitors can enjoy activities or relax by the water.
Let’s step back in time. The Oberseepark was created between 1912 and 1913. Garden architect Otto Werner designed it. World War I interrupted the work. The park was finally completed in 1920. It was designed to honor Hohenschönhausen soldiers. These soldiers died in World War I. A memorial stone was added to an honorary grove.
The Oberseepark has changed since 1920. Visitors once entered through a small pavilion. The network of paths was much denser. Most paths led to the memorial grove. The pavilion and the memorial were destroyed in World War II.
After the war, the area became a restricted zone. The Soviet Military Administration occupied villas here. These villas housed high-ranking Soviet officers. The area was closed to the public until the late 1950s.
Today, the Oberseepark spans 5.5 hectares. In the 1970s, the district administration added art. Eberhard Bachmann’s “Die Sonnenanbeterin” was installed. Siegfried Krepp’s bronze sculpture “Sommer” followed in 1979. Metal thieves stole “Sommer” in early February 2013. In 2015, Evgenia Usimova’s “Elegie” replaced it. The Förderverein Obersee & Orankesee e. V. donated the sculpture. It depicts a dreamy, nixie-like dame. It connects to the legend of the neighboring Orankesee.
In 1996 and 1997, the district administration renovated the Oberseepark. A path around the Obersee was created. However, the path on the north bank can be difficult. In 2016, a new water filter system was installed. It aimed to improve water quality. Unfortunately, it broke down after only a few weeks.
Near the Oberseepark, you can find the Mies van der Rohe House. It was the last house designed by the famous architect in Germany. It now serves as an art museum. Other remarkable houses stand on Oberseestraße. They were built between 1909 and 1938.
The Obersee itself is artificial. It originated in 1895 as a water reservoir. It supplied ice for the Löwenbrauerei AG. This brewery was located on Konrad-Wolf-Straße. The area was naturally low-lying. It contained the Erftpfuhl and Lindenwerderlake. The second villa colony of Hohenschönhausen developed around it. By the 1960s, buildings completely surrounded the Obersee.
A water tower has marked the Obersee since 1900. It stands on the Lindwerderberg. This is the highest natural elevation in Alt-Hohenschönhausen. The tower supplied water to the brewery. Later, it supplied the villa colony. The tower was decommissioned in 1922. In 1933, the container was removed. During World War II, it served as a flak position. In the DDR era, it became a radio station. In 2004, the tower found a new owner. Today, it houses an apartment and a bar. A green light ring indicates when the bar is open.
The Oberseepark invites you to linger. Enjoy the peace and beauty of this green oasis. Let the stories of the Obersee inspire you. Take a moment. Consider the Oberseepark’s rich history. Imagine the lives that have intersected here.