Seen these hills? The Murellenschlucht is more than just a pretty landscape. It holds secrets from the Ice Age to the horrors of Nazi Germany.
Welcome to the Murellenschlucht. This hilly landscape formed during the Weichselian Ice Age. It is located in Berlin’s Ruhleben district. The Murellenschlucht is a nature reserve with diverse flora and fauna.
These mountains reach up to 62 meters high. The basin dips down 30 meters. Dry grassland areas host endangered plants and animals. For over 150 years, this area served military and police functions. The Schanzenwald forest developed almost undisturbed.
The Waldbühne an open-air stage was built in 1936. Werner March was the architect. The National Socialists established an execution site here. It was for deserters and so-called “Wehrkraftzersetzer”.
The name “Murellen” comes from the Morelle cherry. These cherries once grew wild here. They gave the Murellenberge their name. The Murellenschlucht is part of the Teltow plateau. It forms the northernmost spur toward the Berliner Urstromtal. Urban development largely disconnected the original natural area.
The Murellenschlucht itself is a former dead ice channel. It cuts 30 meters deep into the landscape. It is up to 100 meters wide. The channel separated the Murellenberge from the Pichelsberg.
Look around. Numerous erratic boulders bear witness to the Ice Age. Two are protected as natural monuments. One lies within the Murellenschlucht. The other now sits near the Ruhleben subway station.
The Murellenschlucht experiences a temperate climate. It is a transition zone between Atlantic and continental climates. Parts of the gorge are inner-city “cold islands”.
Increasing development disconnected the Murellenschlucht from the surrounding landscape. The mountains, ravine, and Schanzenwald once belonged to the Grunewald forest. The construction of the Grunewald Racecourse in 1907 began the separation. Later construction for the 1936 Summer Games further narrowed the forest connection.
Between 1948 and 1950, rubble filled parts of the ravine. Today, the ice rink and natural gas storage facility stand on this embankment. The Elsgraben once formed the northern boundary of the Murellenschlucht. It was intended to protect Spandau from floods.
Around 1840, military installations appeared at the Murellenberge. Barracks and shooting ranges were built. The Royal Infantry Shooting School emerged from this. The Schanzenwald became a military training ground. After World War II, British forces used the area. In 1994, they handed it over to the Berlin police.
In the final phase of World War II, over 230 death sentences were carried out here. The victims were mainly German “Wehrkraftzersetzer” and deserters. A memorial by Patricia Pisani commemorates the victims. It consists of 104 traffic mirrors along the forest path. The mirrors lead to the likely shooting site.
The Murellenschlucht and Schanzenwald became a nature reserve in 1993. The goal is to protect the rare habitats. It also aims to secure the existence of threatened animal species.
Dry grasslands dominate the south-facing slopes. The sand immortelle a protected flower grows here. Pine and oak forests characterize the area. Studies have found 97 flying insect species here. 57 are rare or endangered. 65 bird species are native to the area.
Maintenance measures help preserve the natural area. These include mowing and removing wood growth. The robinia is being pushed back to protect biodiversity.
So, as you wander through the Murellenschlucht, remember its layered past. From its glacial origins to its dark history and present-day conservation. The Murellenschlucht is a place of both beauty and reflection.