Schwanenwerder
Encyclopedia
Schwanenwerder is an island in the Havel
river in Berlin
, Germany. It is in the locality of Nikolassee
in the borough of Steglitz-Zehlendorf
, and is located in a wider stretch of the river, close to the eastern shore. On the opposite side, on the western bank, lies Kladow
, to the south, the Wannsee
.
Schwanenwerder is an expensive residential area, despite a summer camp for children being located on the island.
In 1896, a charter was drafted that banned inhabitants from setting up disturbing venues like factories and shops. Even a pier for river steamers was inhibited. In 1901, Emperor Wilhelm II. granted the official use of "Schwanenwerder", a more illustrious name than the old "sand ait". The colony on Schwanenwerder was favoured by the wealthiest Jewish elite, the Israels, Karstadts, Schlitters, Goldschmidts, Salomonsohns, Sobernheims and Monheims. Schwanenwerder was the most expensive street in the interwar German version of Monopoly
. After the elections of March 1933, SA officers from nearby Zehlendorf swarmed over the island, and a Nazi flag was hoisted prominently over the water tower.
In the years after 1933, many of the Jewish property owners were driven off or forced to sell their real estate because of the racial policy of Nazi Germany
. Among those who profited from these events were Joseph Goebbels
, who bought the villa owned by the banker Schlitter for a very modest sum, Hitler's personal physician Theodor Morell
, Reich's Women's Leader
Gertrud Scholtz-Klink
, and Albert Speer
, who bought the property of one of the baronesses Goldschmidt-Rothschild
for only 150,000 marks, only to sell it in 1943 at a hefty premium to the Reichsbahn. After WWII, properties were returned to their rightful owners, if those could be found, but due to loss of wealth, buildings stood empty and derelict. Property was sold, mostly to the community of Berlin, which at times owned up to 40% of the land. As early as the late 1940s, it was used for summer camps for children.
In the second half of the 20th century, old houses were torn down to be replaced with new private buildings. A ringroad circles the island, and near the bridge is a station of the Wasserschutzpolizei
of Berlin. A column of the Tuileries
in Paris was bought by Wessel and placed on Schwanenwerder as part of a mock ruin
, typical of the spirit of Romanticism
in late 19th-century Germany. It is still on the island and protected as a historic monument.
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...
river 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. It is in the locality of 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:...
in the 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:...
, and is located in a wider stretch of the river, close to the eastern shore. On the opposite side, on the western bank, lies 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...
, to the south, the 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...
.
Schwanenwerder is an expensive residential area, despite a summer camp for children being located on the island.
History
Schwanenwerder was originally known as Sandwerder ("sand ait") or Cladower Sandwerder. In the 19th century, it was a deserted place, overgrown with shrubs and a few trees. In 1882, the island was bought by Wilhelm Wessel, a wealthy industrialist. He ordered extensive landscaping, subdivided the area and offered the lots for sale. The intention was for wealthy buyers like himself to build cottages with access to the river. He himself had a mansion, called Swan Court, erected in the center of the isle. Its continued existence makes it the oldest building on the island. For convenient access, a small bridge was built. It remains the only way onto the island.In 1896, a charter was drafted that banned inhabitants from setting up disturbing venues like factories and shops. Even a pier for river steamers was inhibited. In 1901, Emperor Wilhelm II. granted the official use of "Schwanenwerder", a more illustrious name than the old "sand ait". The colony on Schwanenwerder was favoured by the wealthiest Jewish elite, the Israels, Karstadts, Schlitters, Goldschmidts, Salomonsohns, Sobernheims and Monheims. Schwanenwerder was the most expensive street in the interwar German version of Monopoly
Monopoly
A monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...
. After the elections of March 1933, SA officers from nearby Zehlendorf swarmed over the island, and a Nazi flag was hoisted prominently over the water tower.
In the years after 1933, many of the Jewish property owners were driven off or forced to sell their real estate because of the racial policy of Nazi Germany
Racial policy of Nazi Germany
The racial policy of Nazi Germany was a set of policies and laws implemented by Nazi Germany, asserting the superiority of the "Aryan race", and based on a specific racist doctrine which claimed scientific legitimacy...
. Among those who profited from these events were Joseph Goebbels
Joseph Goebbels
Paul Joseph Goebbels was a German politician and Reich Minister of Propaganda in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. As one of Adolf Hitler's closest associates and most devout followers, he was known for his zealous oratory and anti-Semitism...
, who bought the villa owned by the banker Schlitter for a very modest sum, Hitler's personal physician Theodor Morell
Theodor Morell
Theodor Gilbert Morell was German Führer Adolf Hitler's personal physician. Morell was well known in Germany for his unconventional treatments....
, Reich's Women's Leader
Frauenschaft
The NS-Frauenschaft was the women's wing of the Nazi party. It was founded in October 1931 as a fusion of several nationalist and national-socialist women's associations....
Gertrud Scholtz-Klink
Gertrud Scholtz-Klink
Gertrud Scholtz-Klink née Treusch was a fervent Nazi Party member and leader of the National Socialist Women's League in Nazi Germany.- Nazi activities :...
, and Albert Speer
Albert Speer
Albert Speer, born Berthold Konrad Hermann Albert Speer, was a German architect who was, for a part of World War II, Minister of Armaments and War Production for the Third Reich. Speer was Adolf Hitler's chief architect before assuming ministerial office...
, who bought the property of one of the baronesses Goldschmidt-Rothschild
Rothschild
Rothschild is a common German surname. It is a habitational name from a house distinguished with a red shield , the earliest recorded example dating from the 13th century...
for only 150,000 marks, only to sell it in 1943 at a hefty premium to the Reichsbahn. After WWII, properties were returned to their rightful owners, if those could be found, but due to loss of wealth, buildings stood empty and derelict. Property was sold, mostly to the community of Berlin, which at times owned up to 40% of the land. As early as the late 1940s, it was used for summer camps for children.
In the second half of the 20th century, old houses were torn down to be replaced with new private buildings. A ringroad circles the island, and near the bridge is a station of the Wasserschutzpolizei
Wasserschutzpolizei
The Wasserschutzpolizei is the water police that patrols the waterways, lakes and harbours of Germany around the clock. The WSP are part of the Landespolizei ....
of Berlin. A column of the Tuileries
Tuileries Palace
The Tuileries Palace was a royal palace in Paris which stood on the right bank of the River Seine until 1871, when it was destroyed in the upheaval during the suppression of the Paris Commune...
in Paris was bought by Wessel and placed on Schwanenwerder as part of a mock ruin
Folly
In architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but either suggesting by its appearance some other purpose, or merely so extravagant that it transcends the normal range of garden ornaments or other class of building to which it belongs...
, typical of the spirit of Romanticism
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
in late 19th-century Germany. It is still on the island and protected as a historic monument.