Across the Spree River stands the Gerickesteg. This isn’t just any bridge. It’s a testament to engineering and a piece of Berlin’s history. The Gerickesteg was built between 1914 and 1915. It replaced an older pedestrian bridge. That bridge was known as the Bellevuesteg. People also called it the “Bullerbruecke” or noisy bridge. This was due to the city’s railway above. The new Gerickesteg was designed to be a more elegant solution.
The Gerickesteg’s graceful arch spans 52 meters. This impressive span needed no support in the river. This allowed boats to pass easily underneath. The bridge is only five meters wide. It elegantly connects the Helgolaender Ufer and Holsteiner Ufer. The design was a collaborative effort. Engineers Friedrich Krause Fritz Hedde and Emil Usinger worked on the bridge. The renowned architect Bruno Mohring handled the aesthetic aspects. The decorative features included masks crafted by sculptors Georg Roch and Hermann Feuerhahn.
The bridge was named Bellevuesteg initially. It was later renamed Gerickesteg in 1920. This honored Wilhelm Gericke a prominent Berlin businessman. Gericke was known for his contributions to Moabit’s development. He was even nicknamed the “King of Moabit”. The Gerickesteg’s construction cost around 133000 Marks. This equates to approximately 648000 Euros today.
Sadly like many Berlin bridges the Gerickesteg was damaged in World War II. It was partially destroyed to slow the advancing Red Army. The southern end sank into the Spree River. Amazingly it remained intact. It was salvaged in 1947. The bridge was rebuilt in a simplified style by 1950. Sadly the original decorative elements were lost. The ornate Art Nouveau lanterns were replaced with simpler ones. A renovation took place in 1987 to celebrate Berlin’s 750th anniversary.
A unique feature of the Gerickesteg is its gas lighting. Four pylons at the entrances and two hanging lights on the bridge itself were originally gas-lit. Even in 2008 the gas lighting was updated. Unfortunately a gas pipe malfunction caused a temporary shutdown. The city eventually planned to switch to electric lighting. This is a decision that may affect its protected status. The Gerickesteg stands as a silent witness to Berlin’s past. A reminder of the city’s resilience and its evolution. It also shows the collaborative spirit of its creation.