How about a story of resilience? The Red Block Colony stands as a testament to a community’s unwavering spirit amidst historical upheaval. This area, near Schöneberg, became known as the Rote Insel or Red Island. The Gasometer marks the entrance to this unique neighborhood.
Why “Red”? Some say it began in 1878. A beer distributor hung a red flag defying anti-socialist laws after an assassination attempt on Kaiser Wilhelm I. This act established the area’s “redness”. The Red Block Colony became known as a socialist stronghold.
Another theory links the name to red-bricked barracks nearby. These barracks housed Prussian Railway Regiments. They built tracks for troop and weapon transport.
The Red Block Colony was physically isolated. Train tracks enclosed it creating an island. The Berlin-Potsdam rail line started this isolation in 1838. Bridges and tunnels were the only ways in or out. This isolation fostered a strong community.
The late 19th century saw Schöneberg explode in population. Cheap farmland became cheap housing. By 1905, 30000 people crammed into the Island.
In the early 1930s, the Red Block Colony faced rising tensions. Nazis and communists clashed violently. Sedanstraße, now Leberstraße, was a flashpoint. Nazis attacked a communist bar injuring many. The community fought back.
Even after the Nazis seized power in 1933, resistance persisted. The train tracks served as a natural defense. A Nazi SA member was killed on Torgauer Straße.
Marlene Dietrich, the Red Island’s most famous daughter, renounced her German citizenship. She became an American citizen in 1939. She famously said she would never return to Germany after 1945.
The Nazis established a concentration camp near the Red Block Colony. It was located in the Papestraße barracks. Hundreds were imprisoned and tortured there.
Poet Paul Zech documented the Island’s resistance in his novel. He fled to Argentina where he finished his work. It was finally published in East Germany in 1981.
Julius Leber, a Social Democratic leader, ran a coal depot on Torgauer Straße. He held secret meetings with resistance groups. He was executed in 1945 for his role in the July 20 plot to assassinate Hitler.
The Red Block Colony faced potential destruction twice. Albert Speer planned a massive road through the area. After the war, city planners proposed a six-lane highway. Fortunately, both plans were abandoned.
Today, a graffiti-covered apartment building near Yorckstraße marks the Red Island. Squatted in 1981, it remains a leftist symbol. It stands as a reminder of the Red Block Colony’s unique history. It is a testament to its difference from its surroundings.