Built in 1929-1930 the Funkhaus Grünau stands before you. Initially a sports house for the Danatbank it was a stunning example of brick expressionism and New Objectivity. Architect Otto Zbrzezny designed this four-story masterpiece. Its flat roof and seven-axis facade are striking. The top floor is clad in wood and surrounded by a gallery.
Imagine the grand ballroom on the first floor. Picture the boat hall on the ground floor. A gymnasium occupied the third floor. The building’s semicircular two-story portal with balcony is a real eye-catcher. The facade’s textured brickwork is unique. Projecting staircases with ceramic-trimmed edges add to its charm.
In 1934 the Dresdner Bank took ownership. They used it as a sports and recreation center. During World War II the Wehrmacht seized it. It served as a reserve hospital. Post-war the Soviet Military Administration seized it. They needed a place for a radio broadcasting facility.
Thus began the Funkhaus Grünau’s role in broadcasting history. On May 17 1948 it became the property of the German Administration for National Education. The General Intendency of the Democratic Radio took over renaming it Funkhaus Grünau. It became a crucial backup radio station. It handled significant political and cultural events until the new Nalepastrasse station opened in 1952.
The Funkhaus Grünau hosted some secret operations. The German Freedom Transmitter 904 DFS 904 operated here secretly from 1956 to 1959. It was a clandestine radio station. It aimed to influence public opinion during the Cold War. The German Soldiers’ Transmitter 935 also operated nearby. It was designed to sway West German soldiers.
Between 1950 and 1991 the Funkhaus served as a training center. Aspiring journalists attended a broadcasting school there. Later it became a training center for broadcasting technicians. Even renowned cyclist Erik Zabel’s father Detlef was an instructor. In the 1960s the German Television’s entertainment department moved in. The German Television Ballet used the former broadcast studio as a rehearsal space.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall the Funkhaus changed hands many times. After the Neukölln Educational Center declared bankruptcy in 2007 the building fell into disrepair. A Hamburg-based investment firm bought it at auction in 2008. For years it stood empty. Young artists briefly occupied it for creative reuse projects.
An initiative proposes turning it into a community and educational center. A Sea-Watch training center is planned. The FLINT* Kraken Collective sailing club wants to run a sailing school. Public workshops and a hackerspace are also envisioned. This plan seeks to prevent it from becoming another victim of real estate speculation. It’s a fight to save this piece of Berlin’s history. A fight to give the Funkhaus Grünau a new life.