Beneath these 35 hectares of woodland lies a story far more intricate than you might imagine. This is the Volkspark Schönholzer Heide. It is a green lung in Berlin’s Pankow district, specifically in Niederschönhausen. Imagine this park as a resilient survivor. It is a fragment of a vast forest that once stretched all the way to Jungfernheide.
Now, picture the 1750s. Queen Elisabeth Christine, wife of Frederick II, purchased land here. She longed for a mulberry plantation. Ironically, Frederick had banished her to Schönhausen Palace. Her plantation became known as the Königin-Plantage or Queen’s Plantation.
In 1763, the Queen invited twelve families of colonists to settle near her plantation. They were linen weavers and cloth makers from Saxony and Thuringia. Perhaps some even came from Swabia. The Tuchmacherweg, or Weaver’s Path, still commemorates their presence. By 1791, the settlement was officially named Schönholz. The Queen’s Plantation slowly transformed into a small estate by the mid-19th century.
Around 1800, a grand manor house arose. Later, it was called “Altes Schloss” or Old Palace. Henriette Jenrich’s Higher Girls’ School occupied it from 1872 to 1884. The Berlin Rifle Guild acquired the estate. They tore down much of it in the early 20th century.
Interestingly, the Friedhof Pankow V cemetery on Tuchmacherweg traces back to this early settlement. It closed in 2007 without rights for further burials. The area becomes available for other uses in 2037.
At the turn of the century, land speculation threatened the Heide’s forest. Developers planned to divide and sell the land. However, a citizens’ association stepped in. They were called “Rettet die Heide” or Save the Heath. With the support of Pankow’s mayor, Wilhelm Kuhr, they halted the deforestation. They preserved the Heide’s original character.
The Volkspark Schönholzer Heide became a popular destination at the end of the 19th century. The Berliner Nordbahn railway helped. In 1906, Pankow acquired forest land in the Schönholzer Heide. They intended to build a cemetery and housing for officials.
This led to a dispute. The head of neighboring Niederschönhausen refused Pankow’s building permit. He demanded Pankow pave roads or contribute to costs. Eventually, Pankow contributed 36,000 marks to road improvements.
In 1920, Niederschönhausen and Schönholz joined Berlin. The Schönholzer Heide was redesigned. Restaurants and shooting ranges were added. Also, tennis courts and a football field appeared. Around 1927/1928, excavation from a U-Bahn extension created a toboggan hill. The Schloss Schönholz restaurant opened. It incorporated remnants of the old manor house. A large hall was added.
After the Luna-Park in Halensee closed in 1936, a showmen’s association sought a new location. They leased land. They opened the Traumland amusement park. Its main attraction was an 18-meter-high Himalaya Railway. It also featured a Ferris wheel and a dance pavilion. There was also a “Liliput” city. It showcased little people in a miniature world, a practice common at the time.
During World War II, starting in 1940, the Luna-Park became the “Luna-Lager.” It was a forced labor camp for foreigners. The German Weapons and Munitions Factories AG initiated it. It became Berlin’s second-largest camp of its kind. Inmates were divided by nationality. They were forced to work in the Bergmann electricity plants. They also worked for NS armaments factories. Schloss Schönholz itself was converted into the “Polenlager Schönholz” or Polish Camp Schönholz.
By 1943, the city needed space for bomb victims. The Städtische Friedhof Pankow VI cemetery was created north of Hermann-Hesse-Straße. It was behind the shooting range. It closed partially in 1946. It closed completely in 1981. The area has been unused since 2006. It is now available for future use. From 1945 to 1947, the Red Army used the Schönholzer Heide as a storage area. They stored dismantled factory equipment.
Today, the Volkspark Schönholzer Heide offers walking paths. It offers recreational spaces and memorials. It stands as a testament to Berlin’s complex history. It is a place where nature and remembrance intertwine.