Rumors of a gardener once living near the Gemeindeschule Friedrichsfelde intrigue me. This isn’t just any school. It’s a place steeped in Berlin’s history a place where generations learned and laughed. The Gemeindeschule Friedrichsfelde stands proudly on the corner of Alfred-Kowalke-Strasse and Strasse Am Tierpark. Its story begins long before its current form. In 1718 a school existed in Friedrichsfelde. It was likely on this very spot. A new schoolhouse was inaugurated in 1778. Another building was added in 1834. Both were demolished in 1870. A two-story school replaced them. Around 1900 this building grew taller and wider.
But the Gemeindeschule Friedrichsfelde’s history isn’t solely about bricks and mortar. It’s about the people. A gardener lived north of the school. He probably ran a nursery. He rented out his buildings from 1903. At first only one tenant but by 1905 four. The nursery seemingly closed in 1907. The property passed to the Friedrichsfelde community in 1910. Six tenants resided there. However everything was abandoned by 1912. Only stables were mentioned in 1913. These vanished by 1914.
The eastern wing of the current building dates to around 1870. From 1912 the Gemeindeschule Friedrichsfelde became the Second Elementary School. Its life as a school ended in 1920 with Berlin’s incorporation. The building housed the community treasury a police station and a school vaccination office. A northern wing was added in 1920. It housed welfare administration a building office an employment office and more. The police later occupied both wings. The building was used by the Evangelical Church before 1945. Then the NKWD MGB used it. The Stasi took over in 1951. The entire complex received landmark protection in the early 1990s. A new building arose behind the Gemeindeschule in 1920. It housed a school and a children’s home. The street-facing part was a gymnasium. It was destroyed during World War II. A new school building was added after 1960. A typical GDR prefabricated multi-purpose hall became the new gymnasium. The 1920 complex was demolished in 2014. The prefabricated hall remains. Garages now stand where a building stood in 1929. This housed a greengrocer and briefly a company. It may have been part of the old nursery. World War II damaged it. It was completely demolished in the GDR era.
The Gemeindeschule Friedrichsfelde’s story is one of change and resilience. It is a testament to the enduring spirit of a community. A living museum reflecting Berlin’s rich past. It’s more than just a school. It’s a chapter in Berlin’s history. It is a place to remember and learn from.