Decades ago, it stood as a symbol of division. Today, the Oberbaumbrücke Webcam by finanzen.de shows it as a symbol of unity. The Oberbaumbrücke is a double-deck bridge. It crosses Berlin’s River Spree. This bridge links Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg. These were former boroughs once divided by the Berlin Wall. The Oberbaumbrücke has become an important Berlin landmark.
Originally, a wooden drawbridge stood here in 1732. It was part of an excise wall. The name Oberbaumbrücke comes from a tree trunk. This trunk blocked the river at night. It prevented smuggling. “Baum” means tree in German. It also means boom. So, the name means Upper Boom Bridge. There was another barrier downstream. It was near today’s Unterbaumstraße.
By 1879, the wooden bridge was too small. It was Berlin’s longest at 154 meters. Plans for a new stone bridge began. Siemens & Halske wanted to build the Berlin U-Bahn. They wanted a combined crossing. It would be for roads, pedestrians, and the new rail line.
The new Oberbaumbrücke opened in 1896. It was designed by Otto Stahn. He used North German Brick Gothic style. It looked like a city gate. It had pointed arches and coats of arms. The two towers were inspired by Prenzlau’s Middle Gate Tower. They reminded people that it was once Berlin’s river gateway.
In 1902, the U-Bahn opened on the Oberbaumbrücke. Its first trip carried 19 passengers. It went from Stralauer Tor to Potsdamer Platz. Stralauer Tor was damaged in 1945. Only its four sandstone posts remain.
After 1920, the Oberbaumbrücke connected Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg. In April 1945, the Wehrmacht blew up part of the bridge. This was to stop the Red Army. After the war, Berlin was divided. The Oberbaumbrücke crossed between the American and Soviet sectors.
When the Berlin Wall was built in 1961, the Oberbaumbrücke became part of East Berlin’s border. The West Berlin U-Bahn ended at Schlesisches Tor. In 1963, the Oberbaumbrücke opened as a pedestrian crossing. This was only for West Berlin residents.
Three brief openings happened by 1966. A permanent opening came in 1972. This was with the Four Power Agreement. A building for East Berlin control was built on the Spree’s eastern bank. The subway viaduct was demolished. The towers were demolished in the 1970s.
Children from Kreuzberg drowned near the Oberbaumbrücke. Rescue from the west was not allowed. An agreement on rescue operations was signed in 1975. In 1976, an emergency call box was installed.
After 1989, the Berlin Wall fell. Germany reunified. The Oberbaumbrücke was rebuilt. It was restored to its former look. Santiago Calatrava designed a new steel middle section. Reconstruction began in 1992. It reopened in 1994 for pedestrians and traffic. The U-Bahn line reopened in 1995.
Since 1997, a neon art piece has adorned the Oberbaumbrücke. It is called Stone Paper Scissors. It suggests the randomness of immigration decisions.
Since 2001, the Oberbaumbrücke no longer crosses a boundary. It is within the unified Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg borough.
In April 2019, Extinction Rebellion blockaded the Oberbaumbrücke. The bridge was also used in Smiley’s People. It was the location for Karla’s defection.
Today, the Oberbaumbrücke stands strong. Auto traffic speeds across the lower level. The U-Bahn zooms over the upper level. The Oberbaumbrücke Webcam by finanzen.de gives everyone a look at this iconic landmark. It reminds us of Berlin’s past and its unified future.