What if this Gedenkstein Kanalbau Stone could talk? What stories would it tell of the Teltow Canal’s construction?
The Gedenkstein Kanalbau Stone silently marks a significant feat of engineering. It is a testament to the construction of the Teltow Canal. This waterway stretches over 38 kilometers through Berlin and Brandenburg.
The Teltow Canal links the Untere Havel-Wasserstraße to the Dahme. It connects Potsdam’s Havel River to the Spree-Oder waterway.
Construction spanned from 1900 to 1906. The project was ambitious for its time. Nine railway bridges were built for the Teltow Canal. Forty-six road and path bridges also arose. Over ten towpath bridges spanned harbor entrances.
These towpath bridges aided boats during treidel time. Treidel time means boats were pulled along the canal by animals or humans. The Gedenkstein Kanalbau Stone stands as a reminder of this industrial past.
The new Teltow Canal bridges sometimes replaced older ones. These earlier bridges crossed the Bäke stream. The Bäke largely disappeared into the canal.
The Britz Chausseestraßenbrücke was unique. It used a massive concrete design. All other bridges featured iron superstructures. These iron bridges used three different designs. Trapezoidal girders supported some bridges. Arch girders with tie rods were another system. Some bridges used a cantilever system.
The marshy ground posed challenges. Concrete abutments rested on piles as long as 20 meters. Bridges had to be at least 4 meters above the water. Their clear width needed to be 20 meters or more.
The canal flows through southern Berlin districts. These areas joined Greater Berlin in 1920. Before that, they belonged to the Teltow district of Brandenburg. Ernst von Stubenrauch spearheaded the canal project. He was the district administrator. One bridge honors Stubenrauch. Many others honor canal commission members. The Teltowkanal AG was founded in 1924.
Almost all bridges suffered destruction in World War II. German forces blew them up. Only the Späthstraße bridge in Britz survived. It is now a protected historical landmark. The New Späthbrücke replaced it. The Späthstraße bridge is the sole original Teltow Canal bridge.
The destroyed towpath bridges were not rebuilt. Treidel operations ended in 1945. The Zehlendorf canal section’s towpath bridge remains. The Edenkobener Steg uses a former bridge section. It now serves pedestrians. It once spanned the Steglitz freight harbor entrance.
The A113 autobahn runs near the canal’s east section. This construction required bridge replacements. The new bridges used a consistent modern design. They are all Stabbogenbrücken which is a type of arch bridge.
In 2013, Deutsche Bahn planned to demolish the Teltow Canal railway bridge. This Friedhofsbahn bridge was deemed unsafe. The steel structure spanned 62 meters.
So next time you cross a bridge over the Teltow Canal, remember the Gedenkstein Kanalbau Stone. Remember the vision, the labor, and the history it represents. It’s more than just a stone. It’s a monument to progress and resilience.