Günther Fries Gedenkstein Stele

Who was Günther Fries, and why does a memorial stand here in Berlin? The Günther Fries Gedenkstein Stele, a poignant marker of a life cut short, remembers a young man with a passion for the sky. Günther Fries, a stunt pilot born in 1913, called Malchow home. This stele stands near the site of his tragic death during flight practice in 1934. He was just 20 years old. He was attempting a loop over Malchower See when his plane crashed. He died from his injuries, and the community mourned the loss of this promising young man. The Günther Fries Gedenkstein Stele, composed of fieldstones on a three-zoned base, bears witness to this event. Originally erected shortly after the accident, the memorial has endured a turbulent history, much like the pilot it commemorates. The metal plaque bearing the inscription, “Here died the stunt pilot Günther Fries 30.5.1913 – 16.4.1934,” has been removed and replaced multiple times. It was removed in the 1960s, replaced by his family, removed again after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and finally reinstated in 1995. The stele is now a recognized part of the Volkspark Malchower See. The park itself is a relatively recent addition to the landscape. It was designed in 1985 and completed between 1990 and 2002. It serves as a recreational area for the nearby housing development of Neu-Hohenschönhausen. So, as you stand before the Günther Fries Gedenkstein Stele, remember the young man who reached for the sky, his life tragically cut short. This unassuming monument speaks volumes about a local tragedy, the resilience of memory, and the transformation of this area of Berlin.