Weberwiese (Berlin U-Bahn)
Encyclopedia
Weberwiese is a Berlin
U-Bahn
station located on the line, which currently runs from Alexanderplatz to Hönow
. The station is located under Karl-Marx-Allee
directly east of Straße der Pariser Kommune. Although the next station on the line is called Frankfurter Tor
, the historical city gate Frankfurter Tor actually stood at the location of the Weberwiese station. Several of the stations on this line have been recently redeveloped and are now colour-coded. In 2003, Weberwiese station was renovated and now has a very different appearance, with yellow tiles in contrast to its former white ones.
). Its architect was Alfred Grenander
, who also designed the other stations of former line E, from Alexanderplatz to Friedrichsfelde, around the same time. Weberwiese is an underground station. Each end has two exits, all opening to Karl-Marx-Allee. The platform itself includes a simple central row of supporting columns. Aside from some variation in the length of the exits, the station is nearly symmetrical, with a form similar to the other stations.
During World War II, on February 26, 1945, the station was seriously damaged in a bombing raid and 200 people, mostly women and children, were killed.
In 1950, following the founding of the German Democratic Republic the station was renamed Marchlewskistraße, after a nearby street named after politician Julian Balthasar Marchlewski (1866–1925), co-founder of the Polish Social Democratic Party. In 1992, after the reunification of Germany
, the Berlin Senate decided in 1992 to rename the station again with the current name Weberwiese (weaver's meadow), after a small park near the station. In the mid-1990's, the tiles gradually began to fall from the walls, and the original name Memeler Straße became visible again. With the renovation, these last traces of the past were removed.
A thorough renovation of the section of the U5 between Alexanderplatz and Frankfurter Allee
took place in 2003. In addition to work on the line itself, most of the stations were extensively renovated and the old tiles replaced with enamelled metal plates. The asphalt surface of the platforms was also replaced with granite slabs. Two years later, the entrances were also renovated. When it was opened, Weberwiese was the standardbearer for all the stations on the 7km-long line. After the renovations, it has lost this status. In contrast, Samariterstraße
, the only station that retains its original appearance, is now a protected landmark.
Due to the lack of bus lines in the area, which could provide barrier-free transportation, the U-Bahn stations on Karl-Marx-Allee and Frankfurter Allee were prioritized in plans to add elevators to subway stations. A plan from 2007 included an elevator at Weberwiese to be built by 2010. Renovations of the waterproofing above the station have been underway since August 2009, resulting in the temporary closure of both north entrances to the station and the rerouting of westbound traffic on Karl-Marx-Allee onto the greenspaces to the north side of the street. Because the harsh winter of 2009/2010 interrupted construction, it will be completed later than scheduled, tentatively in 2012.
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...
U-Bahn
Berlin U-Bahn
The Berlin is a rapid transit railway in Berlin, the capital city of Germany, and is a major part of the public transport system of that city. Opened in 1902, the serves 173 stations spread across ten lines, with a total track length of , about 80% of which is underground...
station located on the line, which currently runs from Alexanderplatz to Hönow
Hönow (Berlin U-Bahn)
Hönow is a Berlin U-Bahn station and the eastern terminus of the line. It borders Hönow, a village of the Hoppegarten municipality in the state of Brandenburg....
. The station is located under Karl-Marx-Allee
Karl-Marx-Allee
The Karl-Marx-Allee is a monumental socialist boulevard built by the GDR between 1952 and 1960 in Berlin Friedrichshain and Mitte. Today the boulevard is named after Karl Marx....
directly east of Straße der Pariser Kommune. Although the next station on the line is called Frankfurter Tor
Frankfurter Tor (Berlin U-Bahn)
The Frankfurter Tor is a large square in the inner city Friedrichshain locality of Berlin, the capital city of Germany. It is situated in the centre of the district, at the intersection of Karl-Marx-Allee and Frankfurter Allee with the Warschauer Straße and Petersburger Straße ring road The...
, the historical city gate Frankfurter Tor actually stood at the location of the Weberwiese station. Several of the stations on this line have been recently redeveloped and are now colour-coded. In 2003, Weberwiese station was renovated and now has a very different appearance, with yellow tiles in contrast to its former white ones.
Overview
The station was opened in 1930 as Memeler Straße station, named after a nearby street, itself named after the town of Memel (today KlaipėdaKlaipeda
Klaipėda is a city in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Nemunas River where it flows into the Baltic Sea. It is the third largest city in Lithuania and the capital of Klaipėda County....
). Its architect was Alfred Grenander
Alfred Grenander
Alfred Frederik Elias Grenander, , was one of the most prominent architects during the first building period of the Berlin U-Bahn in the first half of the twentieth century....
, who also designed the other stations of former line E, from Alexanderplatz to Friedrichsfelde, around the same time. Weberwiese is an underground station. Each end has two exits, all opening to Karl-Marx-Allee. The platform itself includes a simple central row of supporting columns. Aside from some variation in the length of the exits, the station is nearly symmetrical, with a form similar to the other stations.
During World War II, on February 26, 1945, the station was seriously damaged in a bombing raid and 200 people, mostly women and children, were killed.
In 1950, following the founding of the German Democratic Republic the station was renamed Marchlewskistraße, after a nearby street named after politician Julian Balthasar Marchlewski (1866–1925), co-founder of the Polish Social Democratic Party. In 1992, after the reunification of Germany
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
, the Berlin Senate decided in 1992 to rename the station again with the current name Weberwiese (weaver's meadow), after a small park near the station. In the mid-1990's, the tiles gradually began to fall from the walls, and the original name Memeler Straße became visible again. With the renovation, these last traces of the past were removed.
A thorough renovation of the section of the U5 between Alexanderplatz and Frankfurter Allee
Frankfurter Allee (Berlin U-Bahn)
Berlin Frankfurter Allee is a railway station situated on Frankfurter Allee in the Friedrichshain district of Berlin, close to the district's border with Lichtenberg. It is served by the S-Bahn lines , , , S85, and the U-Bahn line ....
took place in 2003. In addition to work on the line itself, most of the stations were extensively renovated and the old tiles replaced with enamelled metal plates. The asphalt surface of the platforms was also replaced with granite slabs. Two years later, the entrances were also renovated. When it was opened, Weberwiese was the standardbearer for all the stations on the 7km-long line. After the renovations, it has lost this status. In contrast, Samariterstraße
Samariterstraße (Berlin U-Bahn)
Samariterstraße is a Berlin U-Bahn station located on the .As of 2011, construction of an elevator has commenced in order to make the station grade-free accessible....
, the only station that retains its original appearance, is now a protected landmark.
Due to the lack of bus lines in the area, which could provide barrier-free transportation, the U-Bahn stations on Karl-Marx-Allee and Frankfurter Allee were prioritized in plans to add elevators to subway stations. A plan from 2007 included an elevator at Weberwiese to be built by 2010. Renovations of the waterproofing above the station have been underway since August 2009, resulting in the temporary closure of both north entrances to the station and the rerouting of westbound traffic on Karl-Marx-Allee onto the greenspaces to the north side of the street. Because the harsh winter of 2009/2010 interrupted construction, it will be completed later than scheduled, tentatively in 2012.