Wildau

Emerging from the whispers of the Dahme River, Wildau’s story unfolds. Here, nestled near Berlin, stands a town brimming with a fascinating past. Wildau wasn’t always Wildau. It began as the small village of Hoherlehme, first documented in 1375. But long before the written word, this area bustled with life, evidenced by Bronze Age settlements. Fast forward to 1855, a brickworks, known as Springziegelei, took on a new name: Wildau. This marked a turning point. The arrival of the Berliner-Maschinenbau-Actien-Gesellschaft (B.M.A.G.) in 1897 transformed Wildau into an industrial powerhouse. The company, formerly known as L. Schwartzkopff, brought its locomotive production here, setting the stage for the town’s growth. The distinctive Schwartzkopff-Siedlung, built from 1899, still stands as a testament to this era. This worker’s village, with its striking red brick buildings, offered modern amenities like indoor toilets and gardens, a stark contrast to typical Berlin worker housing of the time. Wildau’s industrial might took a darker turn during World War II. The locomotive plant produced the infamous “Schienenwolf” (rail wolf), a device used by the Wehrmacht during their retreat. The plant also housed the construction of Hitler’s armored train. In the aftermath of the war, the Soviet Army occupied Wildau, and the production halls were demolished. But Wildau persevered. The town adapted, and the industrial site now houses the Technische Hochschule Wildau, carrying the torch of innovation into the future. Wildau’s story isn’t just one of industry. It’s a story of resilience, adaptation, and the enduring spirit of a community shaped by the river, the factory whistle, and the echoes of a rich past.