Imagine a land divided, a tale of two cities, embodied in Gatow, Kladow und Groß-Glienicke. This area whispers stories of division and reunification. It offers a unique glimpse into Germany’s complex past.
Gatow, Kladow und Groß-Glienicke weren’t always one. Groß-Glienicke was initially a single entity in Havelland. However, 1945 saw its eastern part cleaved off. This eastern section, now known as Groß-Glienicke, was attached to Kladow. Kladow became part of West Berlin. The remaining western part stayed in the Soviet zone, later becoming part of the DDR. In 2003, this western part was incorporated into Potsdam as a district.
The Berlin part of Groß-Glienicke is home to over 3,000 residents. The Potsdam district has around 5,000 residents. Groß-Glienicke sits in northern Potsdam and southwestern Berlin. It shares borders with several places including Dallgow-Döberitz, Berlin-Staaken and Berlin-Wilhelmstadt.
The Groß Glienicker See is divided by the Potsdam-Berlin border. Northwest lies the Döberitzer Heide, a vast forest. South of Groß-Glienicke is the Sacrower See.
First mentioned in 1267, Groß Glienicke derives its name from the Slavic word “glina,” meaning clay. The village church, a plastered fieldstone structure, dates back to the 13th and 14th centuries. Inside, you’ll find features from around 1680. Epitaphs and gravestones honor the von Ribbeck family. They were the lords of the manor from 1572 to 1788.
In the early 20th century, the Wollank family built historical buildings and a burial site in the former park of the manor. After the last owners died and debts mounted, the manor was abandoned in 1938. The manor house burned down in 1945.
In 1945, a land exchange occurred. The eastern part of Groß Glienicke, from the middle of the lake, became part of West Berlin’s Spandau district. The Brandenburg part remained an independent municipality. It was incorporated into Potsdam in 2003.
The inner German border significantly damaged the Gutspark. The Berlin Wall separated the DDR-controlled municipality from the Groß Glienicker See. West Berliners enjoyed the lake for recreation. East Germans were denied even a glimpse of it. The street name Seepromenade reminded them of the nearby bathing and leisure area. The border ran through the lake’s center. This led to occasional border incidents.
Kladow itself was first mentioned as Clodow in 1267. This makes it the oldest section of Spandau. Intensive settlement began in the early 19th century. Kladow was annexed into Spandau in 1920. Since 2003, Kladow has included part of the former RAF Gatow airfield. Gatow was crucial during the Berlin Airlift.
Today, Kladow maintains a village feel. Buildings like Gut Neukladow and the Village Church reflect its history. New housing estates also dot the landscape.
In Groß Glienicke, a Panzerkaserne was built in 1937 for the Wehrmacht. After 1945, Soviet forces and the DDR border police used it. Until the Wende, the Rosa-Luxemburg-Kaserne was a key site for the Grenztruppen der DDR. The area was converted into the Waldsiedlung.
As you stand here, consider the layers of history beneath your feet. Gatow, Kladow und Groß-Glienicke embody resilience. They stand as a testament to a divided past and a unified future.