Perhaps you’ve heard whispers of a green escape. That escape is called Grunewald. It is Berlin’s largest green area. Grunewald sits on the city’s western side. The Havel River separates it from Spandau.
Grunewald’s history is rich. Its name comes from the Grunewald hunting lodge. The lodge dates back to 1543. Elector Joachim II Hector of Brandenburg ordered its construction. He named it Zum Gruenen Wald.
Imagine Berlin families seeking refuge. They wanted to escape the city. Grunewald became their haven. Mansions and villas sprung up. This was at the end of the 19th century. In 1920, Grunewald became part of Berlin. Even today, its social structure reflects these origins.
The Rot-Weiss Tennis Club calls Grunewald home. It has been here since 1897. The WTA Tour German Open takes place here.
Tragedy struck in 1922. Ultra-nationalist radicals assassinated Walther Rathenau. He was the Foreign Minister of Germany. The assassination happened on Koenigsallee. A memorial stone marks this dark event.
Since 1981, the Institute for Advanced Study has been in Grunewald. Embassies also found a home here. You’ll find embassies from Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Qatar and more.
Within the Grunewald forest, there is an artificial hill. It is called Teufelsberg. The US National Security Agency once used it as a listening station. On the Havel shore stands the Grunewaldturm. Franz Heinrich Schwechten built it in 1898. It offers views over the Havelland region.
A dark chapter marks Grunewald’s past. Between 1941 and 1945, the German Nazis deported over 50,000 Jews. They were sent to extermination camps. This deportation happened from the Grunewald freight railway station. Memorials commemorate this tragic history. You can access the area via the Berlin-Grunewald station.
The AVUS Autobahn cuts through Grunewald. It is one of Germany’s busiest freeways. During the 1936 Summer Olympics, it served as a marathon and bike path.
Many notable people have lived in Grunewald. Fritz Ascher and Ingeborg Bachmann resided here. Walter Benjamin and Dietrich Bonhoeffer also called it home.
The Grunewald forest is vast. It covers 3,000 hectares. It stretches into Nikolassee, Zehlendorf, Dahlem and Westend. It truly is Berlin’s green heart.