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Tour:
Siemensstadt 1.0
How and why it began. Here.

„Actually, everything spoke against this location“

Georg von Siemens

And yet:
On November 3, 1897, the first plot of land was registered.
Two years later, the heart of the new industrial plants began to beat.

Duration:2.5 hours
Distance:Approx. 2,5 Km
Further information & registration:See info box below
This tour deals with the development of the Siemensstadt, the industrial heritage as well as living and leisure.
The so-called Siemensbahn, as well as the local traffic situation and development between 1897 and 1930 I illuminate intensively on the tour “The Siemensbahn in Spandau”.
I also offer a special tour to the sacral buildings of Siemensstadt in Spandau.

How did it start and what was life like here?

Back then, in Siemensstadt 1.0.
Back then, when Siemensstadt was not yet called Siemensstadt.
Back then, when only a small part belonged to Spandau at all.

Two architects shape the appearance. One developed the master plan and yet is almost forgotten.
The other one created the typical, architectural “Siemens style”. Or rather: two styles. One for industrial buildings, today often referred to as industrial heritage, and another for living and leisure, completely different.

An exciting journey through the history of the origins of an artificial city in today’s district of Spandau, against all (unexpected) odds.

Industrial heritage meets residential construction.
Architectural monument next to traffic monument next to garden monument next to industrial monument.

As a privately built “industrial city” on the outskirts of Berlin, Siemensstadt in Spandau represents an interesting phenomenon not only in terms of Siemens’ company history, its socio-political activities and urban development, but also in terms of the relationship between municipal and private companies and its effects on the urban space. Until today.


First of all:
The Siemensstadt in Spandau by no means marks the beginning of the Siemens group. This step was already taken in 1847 with the founding of Siemens & Halske.
In the following almost exactly 50 years, the company grew from a small backyard business to a global corporation.
This exciting part, i.e. the complete history of its origins, with examples of industrial heritage in Berlin, can be arranged for groups as a lecture or a day tour.


Swamp here, sand there. Difficult building ground.
No roads, only dirt roads.
No electricity or gas.
Laborious purchase of countless, scattered plots of land from a multitude of farmers.
Negotiations with two counties and the two cities of Spandau and Charlottenburg had to be constantly conducted regarding land purchase, taxes and development.
And there was even an alternative location with a lower wage level.
Why did Siemens opt for this remote nothing?

Moreover, not everyone wanted the group to settle here. Years of dispute even led to a halt in housing construction. And almost to emigration.
The name Siemensstadt had not even been born yet, when the company would have already stopped its involvement in this place.
Then a groundbreaking decision was made which ensured that it would remain.
Traces of this second birthday can still be seen today.

Karl Janisch and Hans Hertlein. The architects of Siemensstadt in Spandau.
Change in 1914: Janisch leaves and Hertlein takes over. These two men shape the appearance of Siemens industrial culture throughout the world.
Here, however, they designed an entire city at once: not only factory buildings, but also residential and leisure buildings including a master plan for traffic and transport development.
Completely different architectural views and possibilities can still be admired today. Often directly next to each other.
A model city for the interaction work – living – leisure.

And:
Who was actually the founder of the (later) Siemensstadt here in Spandau?



Important information about the city tour / architectural tour:

Please be aware that public guided tours will be held in German !

Meeting point:Siemensstadt
Address:Will be communicated to you by e-mail.
Date:May 24th, 2021
Time:Start is at 2 pm.
Please be at the meeting point a little earlier so that we can start on time.
The tour lasts about 2.5 hours.
Cost:€ 15,- per person, unfortunately no reductions are possible.
Payment in cash or by card (more details HERE).
Registration:A registration is currently required.
Click HERE, for a pre-filled email form or go to my information page.
You can register up to one hour before the start. For spontaneous enquiries, please consider the required hygiene measures, especially for the necessary free quick test or paid self-test.
End of tour:It is a one-way tour.
From the end point you return to the starting point by bus or short walk (about 10-15 min).
CarSharing:Journeys with WeShare & ShareNow can be terminated along the Nonnendammallee close to the underground station “Rohrdamm”.
Bicycles:In front of the Siemens administration building/Memorial, at the entrance to the underground station “Rohrdamm”, there are bicycle stands.
ImportantParticipation in the guided tours is at your own risk.
Photographs or video recordings may be taken, which may be used for publications relating to “Man with Hat Tours”. By participating, you agree to this (legal notice HERE).
Of course I am always happy to receive photos/videos sent to me by participants. Please tell me the name that should appear next to the photo in case of use:
info@mannmithuttouren.de or Hashtag #MmhtBln
Many thanks

Text and all photographs: © Christian Fessel


Was Teilnehmer sagen:

Nach einem Rundgang mit enormem Wissen nach Hause gegangen! Toll.

Leonie Spitzer (auf Google)

(…) Bei den Teilnehmern der Gruppe kommt Fessels Führung sehr gut an. “Ich bin ganz begeistert und kannte die Siedlung ehrlicherweise vorher nicht”, sagt Christoph Ronner, selbst Architekt. (…)

Zitat aus einem ganzseitigen Artikel über die “Welterbe”-Führung in der Berliner Morgenpost. 6. Juli 2019

Discovered Siemensstadt with infostation! I learned so much, was a great guide and super interesting. Wonderful.

Leon L. (on TripAdvisor)

Die Ringsiedling ist ein sehr spannendes Zeitzeugnis für sozialen Wohnungsbau der 30er Jahre. Man bekommt einen tollen Überblick über die progressiven Ideen der Architekten. Die Führung durch die Siedlung war richtig spannend. Viele Hintergrundiformationen.

Georg Charmbalis (auf Google)

Glückwunsch all denen die per Losverfahren an dieser exclusiven Führung teilnehmen dürfen.
Inspiriert durch das Interesse am Thema Bauhaus meines Wochenend-Besuches hatte ich mich vorab an Christian Fessel gewand .
Er hat uns in seiner Infostation an der Goebelstrasse in Siemensstadt mit viel Wissen und seiner unglaublichen Begeisterung auf die kurze aber interessante Führung der Infostelen durch das UNESCO Weltkulturerbe Siemensstadt bestens vorbereitet.
Wir waren total begeistert (danke nochmal an C.F.,( er weiss schon warum 🙂
Euch allen viel Spass.

Angelika V. (auf nebenan.de) – “Welterbe”-Führung

Siemensstadt 1.0 Work - Living - Leisure | Man With Hat Tours
Tour:<br>Siemensstadt 1.0<br> How <i>and why</i> it began. Here. 4

"You can't get more historic than Siemensstadt". The statement of one participant. In addition to "Why here?", questions about industrial culture, building culture and architecture are answered. And all sorts of things about life and work in the first 30 years. A guided tour of the city and architecture. Conceived, as well as well-founded and loosely presented by Christian Fessel | Man with hat tours, the long-time head of the "Infostation Siemensstadt" for the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Event Type: Event

Event Attendance Mode: OfflineEventAttendanceMode

Event Status: EventScheduled

Performer: Organization

Performer Name: Man with hat tours

Performer URL: https://manwithhattours.com

Start Date: 2021-05-29 14:00

End Date: 2021-05-29 16:30

Ticket URL: https://www.manwithhattours.com/siemensstadt-work-living-leisure/

Entry Price: € 15,-

Currency: EUR

Availability: InStock

Availability Starts: 2021-05-29T14:00:00