Imagine East German soldiers training here. This is Paschenfeld. It was once a training ground. It belonged to the East German armed forces. Today, it is a heath. It is a reminder of Berlin’s complex past. Berlin has seen glorious times. It has also experienced dark periods. These periods were especially close in the 20th century.
Berlin was founded in the 13th century. It is relatively young. This is when compared to other metropolises. The name “Berlin” comes from the Slavic language. It means “the place in the swamp”.
The Berlin area was first settled around 60,000 BC. Hunters and fishermen settled here around the 9th century BC. They lived at the Spree, Dahme, and Bäk rivers. Slavic tribes came to the Lusatian region from the 6th century. They also settled in the Spree-Havel region around 750.
In 1157, Albrecht the Bear defeated Jaxa of Köpenick. This led to the founding of Mark Brandenburg. In the late 12th century, merchants established a settlement on the Spree Island. Cölln was first mentioned in 1237. Berlin was first mentioned in 1244. Berlin and Cölln joined together in 1307. They secured their rights and pursued a common policy. In 1415, Frederick I started over 500 years of Hohenzollern rule.
Berlin and Cölln merged in 1432. Elector Frederick II dissolved this union again in 1442. In 1486, the palace became the residence of the Brandenburg electors. In 1539, Elector Joachim II took communion. He did this according to the Lutheran rite in St. Nikolai Church.
The Thirty Years’ War halved Berlin-Cölln’s population by 1648. In 1685, Frederick William invited French Huguenots to Brandenburg. Over 15,000 arrived. Around 6,000 settled in Berlin. In 1701, Elector Frederick III became King Frederick I in Prussia. Berlin became a royal residence city.
Berlin, Cölln, Friedrichswerder, Dorotheenstadt, and Friedrichstadt united in 1709. This formed the capital city of Berlin. Compulsory education was introduced in 1717. The Charité was founded in 1726. Frederick II made Berlin the center of the Enlightenment in 1740. The Brandenburg Gate was inaugurated in 1791.
French Emperor Napoleon entered Berlin in 1806. The first university opened in 1810. It is today’s Humboldt University. The city had 200,000 inhabitants by 1816. In 1830, the first museum in Prussia opened. In 1844, Germany’s first zoo opened.
In 1848, barricade fights took place. Freedom of the press and assembly were introduced. King Wilhelm I of Prussia became the first German Emperor in 1871. Berlin became the capital of the German Empire. It became a political, economic, and scientific center. By 1877, Berlin’s Ringbahn was commissioned.
Paschenfeld reminds us of Berlin’s journey. It has transformed from a training ground. Now, Paschenfeld stands as a part of Berlin. It shows the city’s strength. Paschenfeld holds stories of a divided past. It also shows the promise of a united future.