“Army Street”. Does that name spark your curiosity about Heerstraße? Heerstraße is more than just a road. It’s a journey through Berlin’s history. We are standing at the beginning of one of Berlin’s longest streets. Heerstraße stretches for approximately 10 kilometers.
Construction began in 1874. The initial stretch connected Charlottenburg and Pichelsberg. By 1911, Kaiser Wilhelm II himself inaugurated the full length of Döberitzer Heerstraße. This grand opening was part of a larger scheme. The plan was to create a wide, impressive street. It would run from the Berlin Castle to Ernst-Reuter-Platz. The route included Unter den Linden, Bismarckstraße and Kaiserdamm. In 1920, the name was shortened to the Heerstraße that we know today.
Up until 1950, the eastern part of Heerstraße was known as Kaiserdamm. This section runs until the S-Bahnhof Heerstraße. Heerstraße was once a tram route until 1964. The green strip between Theodor-Heuss-Platz and Stößenseebrücke marks the former tramway.
As Heerstraße continues, it passes south of the Olympic Stadium. Nearby stood a former housing area for British Forces. Locals nicknamed it “Little Britain.” The British Military Hospital was also close to Scholzplatz from 1967 to 1994. Today, it’s the Paulinen Hospital. To the south begins the Grunewald forest, extending down to Wannsee.
At Scholzplatz, the road takes a slight turn. On the southern side are the Commonwealth War Cemetery, also known as Berlin War Cemetery. The Jewish cemetery is also located here. Behind the cemetery rises the Radiomast Scholzplatz. This 230-meter high radio mast belongs to the public broadcaster RBB. Further west, Heerstraße crosses the Stößensee bridge. This bridge spans Havelchaussee and lake Stößensee. Here, the road also enters the district of Spandau.
800 meters beyond Freybrücke, which crosses the Havel river, stands the Jordanian Embassy. Pichelsdorf is situated south of Heerstraße. Lake Grimnitzsee lies to the north. Pichelsdorfer Straße branches off Heerstraße. It connects to Spandau’s Oldtown. Near Gatower Straße, many bus routes converge. Here is the location for the BVG bus depot Spandau.
Bundesstraße 2 veers south into Wilhelmstraße, connecting with Potsdam. Bundesstraße 5 remains on Heerstraße until its end. On Wilhelmstraße, you’ll find the former Smuts Barracks. The former Britannia Centre Spandau is also there, the site of the old Spandau Prison.
Sandstraße was cut in the early 1970s. It once led to another British Forces housing area. The severed part is now Leubnitzer Weg. Sandstraße marks the beginning of Staaken. Until around 1973, Seeburger Weg and Magistratsweg crossed Heerstraße. New houses led to the creation of Semmelländer Weg. This road merged with Magistratsweg.
Reimerweg is the next major intersection. Here, the remaining half of Tauentzienbrücke crosses Heerstraße. After Reimerweg, Gärtnereiring runs parallel to Heerstraße. It extends to Bergstraße. The Heerstraße customs checkpoint once began there. An observatory club now occupies the customs buildings.
At Bergstraße, we reached the border of East Germany. The Berlin Wall stood just a few meters west. The Heerstraße Checkpoint stretched to Weidenweg. Close to its end, Heerstraße meets Nennhauser Damm. The northern end of Nennhauser Damm also marked the border between the SOZ/GDR. One half belonged to the GDR. The other half belonged to West Berlin.
Heerstraße and Nennhauser Damm once connected to Staaken Airfield. The airfield closed in the early 1950s. Later, the airport buildings became a hospital. Continuing west as Bundesstraße 5, Heerstraße becomes Hamburger Chaussee. It runs through Havelland, crosses the Berlin Ring, and goes via Hamburg to the Danish border.
So, as we stand here, remember Heerstraße. It is more than just a road. It’s a vital artery connecting Berlin to its past and beyond.