Berlin's Rote Insel uncovered: Homicides, socialism advocacy, and secret hideaways of scheming fanatics
In the heart of Berlin, the Red Island (Rote Insel) in Schöneberg stands as a testament to resilience, resistance, and socialist spirit. This distinct neighborhood, geographically defined by railway lines, was once a working-class area with a strong socialist community, making it a hotbed of socialist and left-wing politics in the early 20th century.
The Red Island's historical significance lies in its role during the Nazi era, when the regime actively persecuted socialists, communists, and other political opponents. Despite the danger, the community's socialist roots contributed to its role as a center of anti-Nazi resistance.
Originally farmland, the Red Island was enclosed by the train tracks during the construction of the Ringbahn in 1871. In the late 19th century, it was developed into cheap housing due to its location on the wrong side of the train tracks, catering to the working class. The red-bricked barracks of General-Pape-Straße, built during this period, housed the Prussian Railway Regiments.
During the Grunderzeit era, the area was a site of political violence, with frequent attacks on Communists by Nazis. However, the spirit of resistance was not extinguished. Julius Leber, a former Social Democratic leader, took up the antifascist struggle after many of the old Communists had been imprisoned or killed. He operated a coal depot on Torgauer Straße and held secret meetings with resistance groups.
Perhaps the most famous monument to the Red Island today is a graffiti-coloured apartment building outside the neighborhood, known as Rote Insel, which was occupied in early 1981 and has been used by leftists ever since. The area is also home to the Old St. Matthew Cemetery at the north end, the resting place of the Brothers Grimm, the punk rocker Rio Reiser, and the Afro-German poet May Ayim.
The Gasometer, located in Schöneberg, is a 78-meter-tall steel structure that was once used to hold coal gas. It marks the entrance to the neighborhood known as the Rote Insel. Despite urban growth since the early 1900s, the area retains its quiet, authentic character, reflecting its working-class and socialist traditions.
However, the Red Island has faced threats to its integrity. Albert Speer, Hitler's general building inspector, envisioned a massive road, the 'North-South Axis', for military parades, which would have destroyed the Red Island. After the war, post-fascist city planners continued with some of Speer's ideas, hoping to build a six-lane highway from Schöneberg to Moabit, which would have cut right through the Red Island.
Today, the Gasometer is being converted into an office building. Despite these changes, the Red Island continues to stand as a symbol of resistance and socialist spirit, a beacon of Berlin's rich and complex history.
For those interested in learning more about the Red Island's history, Nathaniel Flakin, author of "Revolutionary Berlin", is offering a walking tour of the area on Jun 30. Tickets can be purchased via Eventbrite.
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