Remnants of Consumerism Emporiums: Primarily Disappeared Shrines of Shopping in Berlin
In the bustling city of Berlin, department stores have played a significant role in shaping its urban landscape and fashion culture. Here's a glimpse into the history of some of Berlin's most iconic department stores.
Warenhaus Maaßen, which opened its doors in 1904, was once one of Germany's most important department stores for women's fashion. After various changes, it now houses the chic Hotel Orania. During the Nazi era, the store was "Aryanised" and continued under the name "Sera". Post-war, Georg Karg, who ran the ailing Hertie group, partially compensated the Tietz family.
Another significant store was Hertie on Leipziger Straße, built around 1900 by Hermann Tietz, a pioneer in the department store business in Germany. It was a competitor of the Wertheim family. The Hertie department store on Alexanderplatz was opened in 1904 and was part of Hermann Tietz's expanding empire. However, it was "Aryanised" and redistributed by the Nazis, and later destroyed during the war.
Wertheim on Leipziger Straße, considered the most modern and beautiful department store in Germany before World War II, opened its doors before the war. With 70,000 square metres of sales space, it surpassed even Harrods in London, making it the largest department store in Europe. After the war, it was partly demolished and later housed the techno club Tresor from 1991 to 2005.
Kaufhaus Tempelhof, built by Edmund Elend, was a department store in Tempelhof. The building has seen various purposes throughout history, including housing the administration of the Reich Youth Leadership, the Central Committee of the SED, an Institute for Marxism-Leninism, and today, the luxurious Soho House.
Karstadt Hermannplatz, designed by Philipp Schaeffer at the end of the 1920s, was another significant department store. The Nazis blew up the building in 1945 to make it more difficult for the Soviets to move and store food. The restoration of the historic Karstadt building at Hermannplatz is ongoing, with partial renovations focusing on preserving the facade and upgrading the interior for mixed-use purposes, expected to complete within the next few years.
Warenhaus Jandorf, opened at the end of the 19th century, was an important fashion space in Berlin and survived the war undamaged. In the GDR, it was used as the Institute for Fashion Design and later as the House of Fashion.
The Kaisergalerie in Berlin opened in 1873 and housed more than 50 shops and cafes. It was rebuilt in the New Objectivity style in the early 1930s but was severely damaged in air raids during World War II and was completely demolished in the 1950s.
One of the most iconic department stores, Kaufhaus des Westens, or KaDeWe for short, was opened by Adolf Jandorf in 1907. Despite being sold to Hermann Tietz a few years later, it has been a symbol of luxury and elegance for over 100 years. KaDeWe ranks among Harrods in London, Bloomingdale's in New York, and Galeries Lafayette in Paris. Its future is uncertain following news of its bankruptcy.
The HO Centrum department store was built on Alexanderplatz in the late 1960s. However, restoration, which was scheduled to start at the end of 2023, has been thrown into question following the bankruptcy of the SIGNA real estate company.
The Friedrichstraßenpassage, opened in 1909, was the second-largest shopping arcade in Berlin after the Kaisergalerie. However, the concept did not work out, and the owners filed for bankruptcy within 6 months.
Jonaß department store was one of the first to use the concept of credit. Impressed by department stores in Mitte and Charlottenburg, Elend invested in further projects beyond the city centre.
Lastly, Warenhaus Wertheim in Steglitz, built in the early 1950s, was a modern department store during the GDR era. It is now a department store by the name of GALERIA.
These department stores have played a significant role in Berlin's history, reflecting the city's evolution from the Golden Twenties to the GDR era, and now into the modern age. Each store holds a unique story, adding to the rich tapestry of Berlin's urban history.
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