Lichterfelde (Berlin)
Encyclopedia
Lichterfelde is a locality in the borough of Steglitz-Zehlendorf
in Berlin
, Germany
. Until 2001 it was part, with Steglitz
and Lankwitz
of the former Steglitz borough.
n village Lichtervelde was founded in the 13th century by Flemish settlers. It saw considerable growth in the 19th century when the two Villenkolonien of Lichterfelde West
and Lichterfelde-Ost were founded: two elegant settlements for wealthy Berliners made up completely of villa
s or mansion
houses. The settlements and the historical villages of Lichterfelde and Giesensdorf were united in 1880 under the name of Groß-Lichterfelde (Greater-Lichterfelde).
Lichterfelde was chosen as the seat of the Prussian Main Military academy
(Hauptkadettenanstalt) in 1882, and the district became home to many famous German noble families that were linked to the Prussian Army. The world's first electrified streetcar line operated between Lichterfelde-Ost Railway
Station and the Hauptkadettenanstalt in 1881.
In 1920 Lichterfelde became part of Greater Berlin
. Between 1920 and 1933, the former military academy in Lichterfelde was used by the Berlin Police. From 1933 to 1945, the grounds of the military academy were the home of the SS Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler
. During this same period, the Kreisauer Kreis resistance group around Count Peter Yorck von Wartenburg
and Helmuth James Graf von Moltke
held its secret meetings in Wartenburg's apartment on Hortensienstraße 50, Lichterfelde-West, during the Third Reich. Generaloberst Ludwig Beck
had his house on Goethestraße 24 in Lichterfelde-Ost.
From 1945 to 1994 the Hauptkadettenanstalt was used as "Andrews Barracks" by the United States Army Berlin Brigade
. Today it belongs to the German Federal Archives
(Bundesarchiv), headquartered in Koblenz
. Two other kaserne
s "Roosevelt Barracks" in Gardeschützen-Kaserne (former seat of the Prussian, later German Royal Guard) and "McNair Barracks", a former Telefunken
manufacturing plant on Goerzallee were nearby.
While Lichterfelde-Ost was badly hit in parts by World War II
, Lichterfelde-West is still largely intact and today one of the prime residential areas of Berlin. The Lichterfelde locality also houses the Berlin Botanical Garden and the Campus Benjamin Franklin
, built in 1968 and today part of the Charité
university hospital
.
Steglitz-Zehlendorf
Steglitz-Zehlendorf is the sixth borough of Berlin, formed in Berlin's 2001 administrative reform by merging the former boroughs of Steglitz and Zehlendorf.-Demographics:...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Until 2001 it was part, with Steglitz
Steglitz
Steglitz is a locality of the Steglitz-Zehlendorf borough in the south-west of Berlin, the capital of Germany. The locality also includes the neighbourhood of Südende.-History:...
and Lankwitz
Lankwitz
Lankwitz is a German locality within the borough of Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Berlin. Until 2001 it was part of the former borough of Steglitz.-History:The locality was first mentioned in 1239 with the name of Lankowice...
of the former Steglitz borough.
History
The PrussiaPrussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n village Lichtervelde was founded in the 13th century by Flemish settlers. It saw considerable growth in the 19th century when the two Villenkolonien of Lichterfelde West
Lichterfelde West
Lichterfelde West is part of Lichterfelde in the Steglitz-Zehlendorf borough of Berlin. It was developed from 1860 through 1900 by a wealthy businessman Carstenn from Hamburg and is a remarkable example of 19th-century Villenkolonie, a German concept of settlements completely made up of mansion...
and Lichterfelde-Ost were founded: two elegant settlements for wealthy Berliners made up completely of villa
Villa
A villa was originally an ancient Roman upper-class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became small farming compounds, which were increasingly fortified in Late Antiquity,...
s or mansion
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
houses. The settlements and the historical villages of Lichterfelde and Giesensdorf were united in 1880 under the name of Groß-Lichterfelde (Greater-Lichterfelde).
Lichterfelde was chosen as the seat of the Prussian Main Military academy
Military academy
A military academy or service academy is an educational institution which prepares candidates for service in the officer corps of the army, the navy, air force or coast guard, which normally provides education in a service environment, the exact definition depending on the country concerned.Three...
(Hauptkadettenanstalt) in 1882, and the district became home to many famous German noble families that were linked to the Prussian Army. The world's first electrified streetcar line operated between Lichterfelde-Ost Railway
Gross-Lichterfelde Tramway
The Gross Lichterfelde Tramway was the world's first electric tramway. It was built by the Siemens & Halske company in Lichterfelde, a suburb of Berlin, and went in service on 16 May 1881....
Station and the Hauptkadettenanstalt in 1881.
In 1920 Lichterfelde became part of Greater Berlin
Greater Berlin Act
The Greater Berlin Act , in full the Law Regarding the Reconstruction of the New Local Authority of Berlin , was a law passed by the Prussian government in 1920 that greatly expanded the size of the German capital of Berlin.-History:...
. Between 1920 and 1933, the former military academy in Lichterfelde was used by the Berlin Police. From 1933 to 1945, the grounds of the military academy were the home of the SS Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler
1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
The Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler was Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard. Initially the size of a regiment, the LSSAH eventually grew into a divisional-sized unit...
. During this same period, the Kreisauer Kreis resistance group around Count Peter Yorck von Wartenburg
Peter Yorck von Wartenburg
Peter Graf Yorck von Wartenburg was a German jurist and a member of the German Resistance against Nazism.-Biography:...
and Helmuth James Graf von Moltke
Helmuth James Graf von Moltke
Helmuth James Graf von Moltke was a German jurist who, as a draftee in the German Abwehr, acted to subvert German human-rights abuses of people in territories occupied by Germany during World War II and subsequently became a founding member of the Kreisau Circle resistance group, whose members...
held its secret meetings in Wartenburg's apartment on Hortensienstraße 50, Lichterfelde-West, during the Third Reich. Generaloberst Ludwig Beck
Ludwig Beck
Generaloberst Ludwig August Theodor Beck was a German general and Chief of the German General Staff during the early years of the Nazi regime in Germany before World War II....
had his house on Goethestraße 24 in Lichterfelde-Ost.
From 1945 to 1994 the Hauptkadettenanstalt was used as "Andrews Barracks" by the United States Army Berlin Brigade
United States Army Berlin
U.S. Army Berlin was a command of the United States Army created in December 1961 at the height of the Berlin Wall crisis. USAB was a combined command with the Headquarters, U.S. Command Berlin . This combined organization was sometimes called the "Berlin Command". USCOB/USAB was a separate...
. Today it belongs to the German Federal Archives
German Federal Archives
The German Federal Archives or Bundesarchiv are the National Archives of Germany. They were established at the current location in Koblenz in 1952....
(Bundesarchiv), headquartered in Koblenz
Koblenz
Koblenz is a German city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the Moselle, where the Deutsches Eck and its monument are situated.As Koblenz was one of the military posts established by Drusus about 8 BC, the...
. Two other kaserne
Kaserne
Kaserne is a loanword taken from the German word Kaserne , which translates as "barracks". It is the typical term used when naming the garrison location for NATO forces stationed in Germany...
s "Roosevelt Barracks" in Gardeschützen-Kaserne (former seat of the Prussian, later German Royal Guard) and "McNair Barracks", a former Telefunken
Telefunken
Telefunken is a German radio and television apparatus company, founded in Berlin in 1903, as a joint venture of Siemens & Halske and the Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft...
manufacturing plant on Goerzallee were nearby.
While Lichterfelde-Ost was badly hit in parts by World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Lichterfelde-West is still largely intact and today one of the prime residential areas of Berlin. The Lichterfelde locality also houses the Berlin Botanical Garden and the Campus Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
, built in 1968 and today part of the Charité
Charité
The Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin is the medical school for both the Humboldt University and the Free University of Berlin. After the merger with their fourth campus in 2003, the Charité is one of the largest university hospitals in Europe....
university hospital
University hospital
A university hospital is an institution which combines the services of a hospital with the education of medical students and with medical research. These hospitals are typically affiliated with a medical school or university...
.
See also
- Berlin-Lichterfelde Ost railway station
- Lichterfelde WestLichterfelde WestLichterfelde West is part of Lichterfelde in the Steglitz-Zehlendorf borough of Berlin. It was developed from 1860 through 1900 by a wealthy businessman Carstenn from Hamburg and is a remarkable example of 19th-century Villenkolonie, a German concept of settlements completely made up of mansion...
- McNair BarracksMcnair BarracksThe McNair Barracks was a US Army installation in Lichterfelde, a locality in southwest Berlin, Germany. The barracks were named after Lieutenant General Lesley J. McNair, an American Army officer who served in World War I and World War II and was killed in an infamous friendly fire incident on...
External links
- Picture of the ancient Coat of Arms of Lichterfelde
- Life in Andrews Barracks in 1969