Whispers of the Havel River and the Spree tell tales of Tiefwerder, a place where nature and history intertwine. This area encompasses both a village and a Werder along the Havel River in Spandau. Tiefwerder began as a field name. The earliest documented reference dates back to 1674/1675, noted as aufm Tiefwerder. The addition of Tief to the field name Werder served to distinguish it from the neighboring Pichelswerder. This field name eventually became associated with the village founded in 1816.
Tiefwerder’s story begins long before its official founding. An early Slavic settlement existed near Faulen See until the 13th century. Archaeological finds suggest this settlement dated back to the 6th to 8th centuries. In 1815, the village of Tiefwerder was established as a colonist village. Descendants of the Spandau Kietz fishermen were resettled on the Werder.
Today a significant portion of the historic houses lining the village street has been preserved. It is recognized as the entire ensemble of the colonist settlement Tiefwerder. The building at Dorfstraße 5 from 1895 is also a listed building. It has been home to the Ballhaus Spandau since the 1920s. The Tiefwerder waterworks played a crucial role. Built in 1914, it supplied drinking water to six Berlin districts.
To the south and east, Tiefwerder is bordered by the Tiefwerder Wiesen landscape conservation area. This area is intersected by ancient arms of the Havel River. It stands as Berlin’s last preserved natural floodplain. It is a crucial spawning ground for pike. This contributes significantly to species protection efforts.
The Tiefwerder Wiesen boasts a diverse landscape. It features wet meadows, remnants of floodplain forests, and reed beds with natural land-water transitions. Due to the numerous watercourses and settlements along the ditches, Tiefwerder is also known as the Little Venice of Spandau.
The biotope and landscape function of the Tiefwerder Wiesen depends crucially on their flood dynamics. Changes have caused a decline in the Havel water level since 1990. This has resulted in a significant deterioration of these dynamics. Since 2007, the state of Berlin has been exploring the possibility of extending the protected status to that of a nature reserve.
After the founding of the Mark Brandenburg in 1157, the Slavic population was largely assimilated. However, a service settlement near the Spandau castle remained occupied by Slavic Kietzers. In 1813, the French division general had the suburbs cleared and burned down. This included the dwellings of the descendants of the Kietzers on the Burgwall. The former Kietzers had to be resettled again and came to Tiefwerder as colonists.
Fifteen colonist houses on Dorfstraße have been preserved. They are listed as part of the entire ensemble known as Kolonistensiedlung Tiefwerder. A pedunculate oak located at the end of Dorfstraße has been designated as a natural monument. Also of historical significance is the house at Dorfstraße 5. It soon gained popularity as a dance club and attracted visitors from various parts of Berlin, becoming known as the Ballhaus Spandau. During the Nazi period, the NSDAP used the venue for conferences and events.
In 1908, the city of Spandau expanded the southern harbor at Tiefwerder. They also straightened the course of the Havel River. The inland port gradually lost its significance. Today, the Berliner Hafen- und Lagerhausgesellschaft manages the 17-hectare port area.
The Tiefwerder waterworks went into operation in 1914. Today, the plant supplies six of Berlin’s twelve districts with drinking water.
Starting in 1914, the extraction of drinking water from the waterworks caused a drop in the groundwater level. This allowed for the construction of allotment garden colonies and weekend houses.
The region to the south and east of the old village center is often called Little Venice. Access for residents and visitors to this area is sometimes only possible by boat.
In the Reichstag elections in July 1932, November 1932 and March 1933, the NSDAP’s share of the vote in Tiefwerder remained well below the Spandau average in each case. In contrast, the SPD and KPD both had above-average support in Tiefwerder.
Tiefwerder remains a testament to Berlin’s layered past. It is a place where Slavic settlements, fishing villages, and vital waterworks have shaped its identity. As we leave, remember Tiefwerder as a reminder of the enduring connection between history and nature.