TIME TRAVEL through Prenzlauer Berg with Photos by Harald Hauswald

Station 1: Zion Church: Center of Culture and Resistance - VIDEO 

The Zion Church on the edge of Prenzlauer Berg played an important role in the resistance against the GDR regime. In the fall of 1986, the Environmental Library was established here, a center for opposition literature and an important meeting place for dissidents. The church also opened its doors to rock music and alternative events. 
Hauswald recalls: “This photo shows a concert by the band Tacheles in the Zion Church on the edge of Prenzlauer Berg. The church was an important place for us. People dared to do things there, to oppose the official GDR image. The pastor at the time, Simon, made it possible for the Environmental Library to be there - a real counterpoint to the propaganda of the GDR.”

Station 2: Kastanienallee 11/12: Backyards in transition - VIDEO

Kastanienallee, a vibrant street in the heart of Prenzlauer Berg, still retains the charm of bygone times. It is the largest contiguous area of old buildings from the Wilhelminian era in Germany. The backyards of this street in particular reflected everyday life in the GDR: dilapidated houses and improvised art events, squatters, community projects, and a strong sense of neighborly solidarity. In the GDR, open front doors were not uncommon, a sign of the low crime rate and the lack of elaborate security measures. Oderberger Strasse begins at the next street corner. Today, it is a prominent nightlife and shopping mile. At that time, however, the street ended abruptly at the Berlin Wall, marking a physical and ideological border. 
Hauswald recalls: "In this photo, you can see a typical backyard on Kastanienallee. I lived at number 11. The building was demolished, though. Number 12 still looks almost exactly the same today! Back then, the courtyard was home to the Hirschhof, a well-known scene and neighborhood hangout. There was always something going on there, with art events, theater, and even punk bands playing. It was a bit like another world, far removed from everyday life in the GDR."

Station 3: Prater Garden: A meeting place with tradition - VIDEO

The Prater Garten on Kastanienallee is one of Berlin's oldest and most traditional beer gardens. Once a venue for large events, concerts, and even boxing matches, the Prater saw quieter days during the GDR era, but remained a popular meeting place for dancing and partying. Occasionally, alternative events and art performances took place here, offering a counterpoint to the cultural monotony of the state. 
Hauswald recalls: “In this photo, you can see the Prater Garden, not exactly full, as it often was during the GDR era. I remember a children's circus weekend, which was great. The children made costumes and put on a show. Things like that happened too.”

Station 4: Eberswalder Straße subway station: Reflection of society - VIDEO

The Eberswalder Straße subway station, formerly Dimitroffstraße, is still an important transportation hub in Prenzlauer Berg and also reflects the changing political conditions. 
Hauswald recalls: “In one of the photos from the area around the station here, you can see a man sleeping in front of a lottery shop. In the shop window was a lottery poster with the title ‘Hauptgewinn’ (main prize) – for me, that was the best thing about the photo. I think it was such a typical image of the GDR. Back then, alcohol was definitely also a means of keeping people quiet.”

Station 5: Pappelallee / Corner of Schönhauser Allee: Between tradition and modernity - VIDEO

Pappelallee, located in the northern part of Prenzlauer Berg, was a place of change and coexistence between tradition and modernity. Traditional coal merchants still existed here, supplying apartments with fuel. However, there were also alternative housing projects and artists' studios.
Hauswald's memory (related to the photo): “In this photo, you can see a coal merchant on Pappelallee. These old coal merchants still existed back then. And on the same side of the street lived the painter Diller, who had converted his attic and always threw parties there. It was an important place for lively celebrations and get-togethers, because in GDR times there was a curfew and many bars closed at midnight.”

Station 6: Senefelderplatz / Pfefferberg: From wasteland to culture - VIDEO

Pfefferberg, once a sprawling wasteland and neglected brewery site, has developed into a vibrant cultural center over the years. This transformation symbolizes the reclaiming of public space, the emergence of new urban lifestyles, and the creative energy that characterizes Prenzlauer Berg. 
Hauswald's memory (related to the photo): “In this photo, you can see Pfefferberg as it used to be, a complete void. Today, it is an important cultural and lively meeting place. This shows how life can return to a city.”

Station 7: Water Tower / Rykestraße: A landmark tells its story - VIDEO

The water tower in Prenzlauer Berg is a landmark of the district and a striking building that dominates the skyline. During the GDR era, there was not only a popular pub in the immediate vicinity, but also one of two synagogues in East Berlin at the time. Built in 1903, this synagogue was re-consecrated in 1953 and has been the largest synagogue in Germany ever since.
Hauswald's memory (related to the photo): “In this photo, you can see the water tower, which everyone knows. There was a pub at the water tower where we often met. There, you could get beer poured into milk jugs. And behind the tower, the GDR stored its state reserves of canned fish! You could smell it when the door was open.”

Station 8: Kollwitzplatz Playground: Focus on everyday life - VIDEO

Kollwitzplatz, a green lung in the heart of Prenzlauer Berg, was and remains a popular meeting place for families, children, and residents. Today, it hosts the popular weekly eco-market. The photographs taken there capture the carefree life and community spirit of everyday life in the GDR.
Hauswald's memory (related to the photo): “In this photo, you can see a small group of children on Kollwitzplatz. The funny thing is that I once showed the photo in a workshop and two participants recognized themselves! One said that the photo had destroyed her childhood memories because she thought her sister had always oppressed her, but in the photo she herself is holding a club in her hand!”

Station 9: Schönhauser Allee S-Bahn station / Donkey bridge: Architecture and everyday life - VIDEO

Schönhauser Allee is a transport hub and lifeline of Prenzlauer Berg. The Eselsbrücke (Donkey Bridge) at the rear exit, a historic railway bridge, is a reminder of the district's industrial past and connects the different levels of the urban space. 
Hauswald's memory (related to the photo): “In this photo, you can see Schönhauser Allee with the Eselsbrücke. It's a beautiful, historic bridge that I really like. The photo of the child was taken when I was a telegram delivery boy and spent a lot of time in the district.”

Station 10: Gethsemane Church (Stargarder Straße): A place of culture and protest - VIDEO

The Gethsemane Church played a central role in the political changes of the late GDR. Protests against the arrest of opposition figures took place here. Even back then, the church provided space for exhibitions and alternative forms of expression. 
Hauswald recalls: “In this photo, you can see the square in front of Gethsemane Church. I took the photo from the building opposite. I also organized an exhibition in the church once, illegally of course. The pastor supported us. Eight hundred people came, the church was full!”

Station 11: Schönhauser Allee / corner of Milastraße: Retail and nightlife (Kaufhaus Fix department store and Cafe Nord) - VIDEO

At the corner of Schönhauser Allee and Milastraße, there was already a supermarket during the GDR era the “Fix” department store. The department store was an important destination for daily shopping. A short distance down the street was the “Cafe Nord,” a popular dance hall that attracted a diverse crowd.
Hauswald's memory (related to the photo): “In this photo, you can see the ‘Fix’ department store. It was remarkable that people left their strollers unattended in front of it back then; no one was afraid. A little further down the street was Café Nord, a dance hall - strange, but popular.”

Station 12: Pankow Dorfanger: View beyond the district - VIDEO

Schönhauser Allee continues north to Pankow, a district with its own history and a very special flair. The annual “Fest an der Panke” festival still takes place here today, a lively and well-attended event that reflects the diversity of the district and celebrates the cohesion of its people. Where the fashion show used to take place, there is now the Rathaus-Center, a modern shopping center with over 70 stores that symbolizes the transformation of the district.
Hauswald's memory (related to the photo): "The best thing in Pankow back then was the Fest an der Panke – a great experience with all kinds of things: fashion shows, activities, a fair, a market, events. It was one of the most beautiful festivals in Berlin, lively and well attended. And the old village church in Pankow also joined the general resistance in the GDR, using the church's freedom to organize exhibitions." 
“A friend of mine, Roland Jahn, once said, ‘We didn't live with the government, we lived despite the government.’ That was the spirit of Pankow.”