Wannsee
Encyclopedia
Wannsee is a locality in the southwestern Berlin
borough of Steglitz-Zehlendorf
, Germany
. It is the westernmost locality of Berlin. In the quarter there are two lakes, the larger Großer Wannsee
(Greater Wannsee) and the Kleiner Wannsee (Little Wannsee), are located on the river Havel
and are separated only by the Wannsee bridge. The larger of the two lakes covers an area of 2.7 square kilometre and has a maximum depth of 9 m (29.5 ft).
connects it with the City of Potsdam
. The late neoclassical
Glienicke Palace
as well as the Pfaueninsel
are nearby. Since 1990 these palaces and parks are part of the Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin
UNESCO World Heritage Site
.
The locality is centred on the ancient village of Stolpe
, known to exist in 1299. The locality also includes the neighborhoods of Kohlhasenbrück, named after the 1811 novella Michael Kohlhaas
by Heinrich von Kleist
, and Steinstücken
, which in the Cold War
days became famous as a tiny exclave of West Berlin
within the GDR.
hit by teen idol
Cornelia Froboess
. The Strandbad Wannsee
, an open-air lido with one of the longest inland beaches in Europe and a popular nudist
area, was built in 1929-1930 after a concept by architect Richard Ermisch
. Situated on the eastern shore of the lake it is officially part of the Nikolassee
locality.
On 21 November 1811, German writer Heinrich von Kleist
shot himself on the shore of the Kleiner Wannsee and – at her bidding – his lover, Henriette Vogel. A memorial marks the site.
The Verein Seglerhaus am Wannsee
, the second oldest yacht club
in Germany, was established in October 1867 on a small wooden shack by river Havel
. In 1877 it moved to its present location at the edge of the lake.
In 1909 Max Liebermann
, head of the Berlin Secession
, had a villa built at the western shore of the Wannsee. His widow was forced to sell it to the Deutsche Reichspost
in 1940.
In 1928 a large shooting range
was established in the Düppel
woods near the Berlin city limits. It was the site of the shooting part of the shooting events
of the 1936 Summer Olympics
. A golf course hosted the running part of the modern pentathlon
at those same games. After World War II
it was used by the US army as the "Rose Range" firing compound.
On 20 January 1942, senior Nazi officials met at the Wannsee Villa (built 1914-1915) to plan the Final Solution
to the "Jewish Question" – the extermination of the Jews of Europe. This event, presided over by Reinhard Heydrich
and conducted by Adolf Eichmann
, has since become known as the Wannsee Conference
. Today, the building serves as a memorial and education centre.
lines S1
- as terminus - and S7
at the Berlin-Wannsee railway station
. It is also a stop of some long-distance trains as well as of RegionalExpress
and RegionalBahn
trains of the Deutsche Bahn AG and the Veolia Transportation company. Wannsee is also linked to Kladow
by Berlin ferry line
F10.
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...
borough of Steglitz-Zehlendorf
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:...
, 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...
. It is the westernmost locality of Berlin. In the quarter there are two lakes, the larger Großer Wannsee
Großer Wannsee
The Großer Wannsee is a bight of the Havel river near the locality of Wannsee and Nikolassee , a south-western suburb of the German capital Berlin not far from Potsdam...
(Greater Wannsee) and the Kleiner Wannsee (Little Wannsee), are located on the river Havel
Havel
The Havel is a river in north-eastern Germany, flowing through the German states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg, Berlin and Saxony-Anhalt. It is a right tributary of the Elbe river and in length...
and are separated only by the Wannsee bridge. The larger of the two lakes covers an area of 2.7 square kilometre and has a maximum depth of 9 m (29.5 ft).
Overview
At the western rim of the Wannsee locality the Glienicke BridgeGlienicke bridge
The Glienicke bridge is a bridge on the edge of Berlin that spans the Havel River to connect the cities of Potsdam and Berlin near Klein Glienicke...
connects it with the City of Potsdam
Potsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
. The late neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
Glienicke Palace
Glienicke Palace
Glienicke Palace is located on the Island of Berlin-Wannsee, near the Glienicke Bridge, on the B1 across from the Glienicke Hunting Lodge. It was designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel for Prince Carl of Prussia in 1826, The building, originally merely a cottage, was turned into a summer palace in...
as well as the Pfaueninsel
Pfaueninsel
Pfaueninsel is an island in the River Havel situated in Berlin-Wannsee, in southwestern Berlin, near the borders with Potsdam and Brandenburg. The island is part of the Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin World Heritage Site and a popular destination for day-trippers...
are nearby. Since 1990 these palaces and parks are part of the Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin
Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin
Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin refers to a group of palace complexes and landscaped gardens found in Potsdam, and the German capital of Berlin. The term was used upon the designation of the cultural ensemble as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1990...
UNESCO World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
.
The locality is centred on the ancient village of Stolpe
Stolpe (Berlin)
Stolpe is a historic village in the western suburbs of Berlin, the capital city of Germany. It is situated in the locality of Wannsee, in the borough of Steglitz-Zehlendorf...
, known to exist in 1299. The locality also includes the neighborhoods of Kohlhasenbrück, named after the 1811 novella Michael Kohlhaas
Michael Kohlhaas
Michael Kohlhaas is an 1811 novella by Heinrich von Kleist, based on a 16th-century story of Hans Kohlhase.Both the theme and the style are surprisingly modern...
by Heinrich von Kleist
Heinrich von Kleist
Bernd Heinrich Wilhelm von Kleist was a poet, dramatist, novelist and short story writer. The Kleist Prize, a prestigious prize for German literature, is named after him.- Life :...
, and Steinstücken
Steinstücken
Steinstücken, a small settlement with approximately 200 inhabitants, is the southernmost territory of the Berlin borough of Steglitz-Zehlendorf, belonging to Wannsee...
, which in the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
days became famous as a tiny exclave of West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
within the GDR.
Großer and Kleiner Wannsee
Wannsee lake is well known as the number-one bathing and recreation spot for western Berlin, especially from a 1951 SchlagerSchlager
Schlager music is a style of popular music prevalent in Central and Northern Europe and the Balkans and also in France and Poland. In Portugal, it was adapted and became pimba music...
hit by teen idol
Teen idol
A teen idol is a celebrity who is widely idolized by teenagers; he or she is often young but not necessarily teenaged. Often teen idols are actors or pop singers, but some sports figures have an appeal to teenagers. Some teen idols began their careers as child actors...
Cornelia Froboess
Cornelia Froboess
Cornelia Froboess is a German actress and a teen idol of the 1950s and early 1960s. During that time, Froboess appeared in many musical films, especially after the rock and roll wave had hit Germany...
. The Strandbad Wannsee
Strandbad Wannsee
The Strandbad Wannsee is an open-air lido on the eastern shore of the Wannsee in Berlin, Germany, the largest inland lido in Europe, with a beach that is 1,275 metres long and 80 metres wide, widened with sand from the German shore of the Baltic Sea. The entire ensemble is listed as Cultural...
, an open-air lido with one of the longest inland beaches in Europe and a popular nudist
Naturism
Naturism or nudism is a cultural and political movement practising, advocating and defending social nudity in private and in public. It may also refer to a lifestyle based on personal, family and/or social nudism....
area, was built in 1929-1930 after a concept by architect Richard Ermisch
Richard Ermisch
Richard Ermisch was a German architect, painter and graphic designer. From 1903 to 1906, he attended the 'Königliche Preußische Baugewerkschule' at Erfurt...
. Situated on the eastern shore of the lake it is officially part of the Nikolassee
Nikolassee
Nikolassee is a locality of Berlin in the borough of Steglitz-Zehlendorf. Until the latter was created in 2001, Nikolassee was part of the borough of Zehlendorf.-History:...
locality.
Subdivision
Wannsee is divided into 5 zones (Ortslagen):- Am Sandwerder
- Heckeshorn
- Kohlhasenbrück
- SteinstückenSteinstückenSteinstücken, a small settlement with approximately 200 inhabitants, is the southernmost territory of the Berlin borough of Steglitz-Zehlendorf, belonging to Wannsee...
- StolpeStolpe (Berlin)Stolpe is a historic village in the western suburbs of Berlin, the capital city of Germany. It is situated in the locality of Wannsee, in the borough of Steglitz-Zehlendorf...
History
Heinrich von Kleist
Bernd Heinrich Wilhelm von Kleist was a poet, dramatist, novelist and short story writer. The Kleist Prize, a prestigious prize for German literature, is named after him.- Life :...
shot himself on the shore of the Kleiner Wannsee and – at her bidding – his lover, Henriette Vogel. A memorial marks the site.
The Verein Seglerhaus am Wannsee
Verein Seglerhaus am Wannsee
The Verein Seglerhaus am Wannsee is the second oldest yacht club in Germany after Segelclub RHE. It is located on the shores of the Greater Wannsee lake, southwest of Berlin....
, the second oldest yacht club
Yacht club
A yacht club is a sports club specifically related to sailing and yachting.-Description:Yacht Clubs are mostly located by the sea, although there are some that have been established at a lake or riverside locations...
in Germany, was established in October 1867 on a small wooden shack by river Havel
Havel
The Havel is a river in north-eastern Germany, flowing through the German states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg, Berlin and Saxony-Anhalt. It is a right tributary of the Elbe river and in length...
. In 1877 it moved to its present location at the edge of the lake.
In 1909 Max Liebermann
Max Liebermann
Max Liebermann was a German-Jewish painter and printmaker best known for his etching and lithography.-Biography:...
, head of the Berlin Secession
Berlin Secession
The Berlin Secession was an art association founded by Berlin artists in 1898 as an alternative to the conservative state-run Association of Berlin Artists. That year the official salon jury rejected a landscape by Walter Leistikow, who was a key figure amongst a group of young artists interested...
, had a villa built at the western shore of the Wannsee. His widow was forced to sell it to the Deutsche Reichspost
Reichspost
- Imperial Reichspost :* The Imperial Reichspost was the name of the postal service of the Holy Roman Empire, founded by Franz von Taxis in 1495...
in 1940.
In 1928 a large shooting range
Shooting range
A shooting range or firing range is a specialized facility designed for firearms practice. Each facility is typically overseen by one or more supervisory personnel, called variously a range master or "RSO – Range Safety Officer" in the United States or a range conducting officer or "RCO" in the UK...
was established in the Düppel
Berlin-Düppel
Düppel is the name of a neighbourhood as well as of an adjacent forest in the borough of Steglitz-Zehlendorf in southwestern Berlin, Germany. The neighbourhood itself is a part of the Zehlendorf locality.-History:...
woods near the Berlin city limits. It was the site of the shooting part of the shooting events
Shooting at the 1936 Summer Olympics
Shooting at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin saw the reintroduction of 50 metre pistol but still only had three events. The competitions were held from August 6, 1936 to August 8, 1936 at the shooting ranges at Wannsee...
of the 1936 Summer Olympics
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
. A golf course hosted the running part of the modern pentathlon
Modern pentathlon at the 1936 Summer Olympics
At the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, a single modern pentathlon event was contested.-Medalists:-Results:The method of scoring was point-for-place. First place received one point, second place received two, and so on. The athlete with the fewest points won the event.-Riding:-Fencing:Each athlete...
at those same games. After 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...
it was used by the US army as the "Rose Range" firing compound.
On 20 January 1942, senior Nazi officials met at the Wannsee Villa (built 1914-1915) to plan the Final Solution
Final Solution
The Final Solution was Nazi Germany's plan and execution of the systematic genocide of European Jews during World War II, resulting in the most deadly phase of the Holocaust...
to the "Jewish Question" – the extermination of the Jews of Europe. This event, presided over by Reinhard Heydrich
Reinhard Heydrich
Reinhard Tristan Eugen Heydrich , also known as The Hangman, was a high-ranking German Nazi official.He was SS-Obergruppenführer and General der Polizei, chief of the Reich Main Security Office and Stellvertretender Reichsprotektor of Bohemia and Moravia...
and conducted by Adolf Eichmann
Adolf Eichmann
Adolf Otto Eichmann was a German Nazi and SS-Obersturmbannführer and one of the major organizers of the Holocaust...
, has since become known as the Wannsee Conference
Wannsee Conference
The Wannsee Conference was a meeting of senior officials of the Nazi German regime, held in the Berlin suburb of Wannsee on 20 January 1942. The purpose of the conference was to inform administrative leaders of Departments responsible for various policies relating to Jews, that Reinhard Heydrich...
. Today, the building serves as a memorial and education centre.
Transportation
Wannsee is served by the Berlin S-BahnBerlin S-Bahn
The Berlin S-Bahn is a rapid transit system in and around Berlin, the capital city of Germany. It consists of 15 lines and is integrated with the mostly underground U-Bahn to form the backbone of Berlin's rapid transport system...
lines S1
S1 (Berlin)
The S1 is a line on the Berlin S-Bahn. It operates over:*the Prussian Northern Railway, opened on 10 July 1877 and electrified in 1925,*a short section of the Berlin-Szczecin railway, opened on 1 August 1842 and electrified in 1924,...
- as terminus - and S7
S7 (Berlin)
S7 is a line on the Berlin S-Bahn. It operates from Ahrensfelde to Potsdam over:*the Wriezen Railway, completed on 1 May 1898 and electrified to Marzahn in 1976, to Mehrower Allee in 1980 and to Ahrensfelde in 1982,...
at the Berlin-Wannsee railway station
Berlin-Wannsee railway station
Berlin-Wannsee station is a railway station opened in 1874 which lies in the Wannsee district of Berlin, the capital city of Germany...
. It is also a stop of some long-distance trains as well as of RegionalExpress
RegionalExpress
The term Regional-Express denotes a type of regional train in Germany and Austria .It is best compared to a semi-fast train, as it calls at fewer stations than Regionalbahn or S-Bahn trains, but stops more often than InterCity services...
and RegionalBahn
RegionalBahn
The Regionalbahn is a type of local passenger train in Germany.-Service:Regionalbahn trains usually call at all stations on a given line, with the exception of RB trains within S-Bahn networks, these may only call at selected stations...
trains of the Deutsche Bahn AG and the Veolia Transportation company. Wannsee is also linked to Kladow
Kladow
-Geography:The district of Kladow is bordered by the District of Gatow to the north, by the Havel to the east and southeast and by the State of Brandenburg to the west and south west. The neighbouring village of Sacrow and main part of Groß Glienicke are located in Brandenburg...
by Berlin ferry line
Ferry transport in Berlin
Berlin, the capital city of Germany, has an extensive network of rivers, lakes and canals. As a consequence ferry transport forms a part of the transport network of Berlin.-History:...
F10.
See also
- Liebermann-VillaLiebermann-VillaThe Liebermann Villa is the former summer residence of the German painter Max Liebermann. It is located directly at the shores of Lake Wannsee in Berlin...
- Isted Lion of Berlin
External links
- 1936 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. pp. 817–36.
- Special Exhibit - The Residential Villa Areas in Wannsee, 1870 - 1945