Elsengraben

Flowing through the heart of Lichtenberg, the Elsengraben whispers tales of Berlin’s ever-changing landscape. The Elsengraben isn’t just a ditch. It’s a 2.5-kilometer-long waterway, a vital thread in the city’s fabric, connecting Wartenberg and Alt-Hohenschönhausen. Imagine tracing its path, starting from the bubbling springs near Wartenberger Straße, close to the railway embankment at Kietzer Weg. The Elsengraben meanders southwest, a silver ribbon winding alongside Josef-Höhn-Straße, Marzahner Straße, and Wassergrundstraße. Its journey culminates in the Papenpfuhlbecken, nestled within a curve of railway tracks between Landsberger Allee and Bürkersfelder Straße. This basin plays a crucial role, channeling water through the Marzahn-Hohenschönhauser Grenzgraben towards Rummelsburger See. As you stand here, envision the Elsengraben’s journey beneath small bridges like the one on Gottliebstraße, and the Christiansteg linking Edgarstraße and Josef-Höhn-Straße. Another bridge marks its final entry into the Papenpfuhlbecken. The Elsengraben doesn’t always flow openly. It sometimes disappears beneath our feet, carried through pipes under streets like Gehrenseestraße, Bennostraße, and the eastern extension of Bürkersfelder Straße. Interestingly, mid-20th-century maps reveal a nameless waterway in this area, originating in the allotments near Mühlegrund. There was no collecting basin then, and it seemed to end at Ferdinand-Schulze-Straße, likely diverted underground. The Elsengraben, though a humble ditch, reflects Berlin’s constant evolution. It’s a testament to the city’s growth and adaptation, a hidden waterway with a story to tell.