Imagine, before you, the Schlesischer Busch. This park whispers tales of division and resilience. It’s a green space in Berlin’s Alt-Treptow. The park borders Kreuzberg.
The Schlesischer Busch’s story began long before it was a park. Until the mid-19th century, this area was outside Berlin’s city limits. The Schlesisches Tor marked the edge. A mixed forest once stood here. It was part of the Cöllnische Heide. This forest was managed as a Niederwald. The term “Busch” hints at this past. Trees were cut in rotation. This created a shrub-like structure.
In 1823, Berlin’s magistrate decided to clear the Heide. They wanted to raise revenue. Despite public protests, they felled around 3,000 Morgen by 1840. Only remnants remained. These were in today’s Treptower Park and along the Landwehr Canal. The magistrate earned 99,825 Thalers. Few old oaks survive in the park’s southeast.
After the Berlin Wall was built, a border strip was created in June 1974. A wire fence was replaced with a rear wall. In the late 1970s, a watchtower was built. It still stands today. This tower is about ten meters high. It has been a protected monument since 1992. It was restored in 2004. The reopening was on November 9, 2004. This marked the 15th anniversary of the Wall’s fall. The 4.4-hectare park was created in 1994.
The Schlesischer Busch features a square, four-story tower. It was used by East German border troops. From here, they monitored 18 watchtowers. They also oversaw security installations. This is one of only three Berlin Wall watchtowers remaining in the city. The tower’s base housed heating and phone lines. These connected to other towers. There were also technical systems. Near the entrance were a cell, a toilet, and an armory. Above was a guardroom for the soldiers. The hatches have iron flaps. Some say this meant the tower could secure the Soviet-Chinese border. Others claim it was to appear more “defensible”. The second floor held the observation post. It had large windows and surveillance equipment.
Three days before border controls ended in July 1990, artist Kalle Winkler occupied the tower. He turned it into a “Museum for Forbidden Art”. From 1990 to 2000, the museum showcased art banned in East Germany. The association “Museum der Verbotenen Kunst e. V.” was founded in 1990. It prevented two demolition attempts. After Winkler’s death in 1994, the association continued. Doreen Grunert and Roland Prejawa led exhibitions until 2000. Then, the association Flutgraben e. V. took over. They still use the tower for exhibitions today.
Until 1995, the former “death strip” became a park. The watchtower has been under monument protection since 1992. Since 2004, the Kunstfabrik am Flutgraben association manages the watchtower. Selected international artists create site-specific projects. These relate to the tower’s history and function. The watchtower also offers documentation. It details the history of the command post. It explains the border section of the Schlesischer Busch. The watchtower is open in the summer months.
Until 1888, the Adlermühle mill stood in the Schlesischer Busch. Built in 1831, it was Brandenburg’s largest mill. Today, it stands in the Säntisstraße in Mariendorf. The Schlesischer Busch today serves as a reminder. It recalls Berlin’s divided past. It also serves as a vibrant community space. It is a place where history and art intersect.