Woltersdorf observation tower

You can plan a little more time for the walk to the top and back. The permanent exhibition “When Woltersdorf was still Hollywood” invites you to linger with many interesting articles, posters and collages and provides information about the history of film production in the silent film era in Woltersdorf and the surrounding area. Here you can gain an impressive insight into the dedication and attention to detail with which the sculptors and craftsmen went about their work back then.

The construction of the first observation tower is decided by the association in November 1885 and the inauguration takes place on May 13, 1886. The tower is given the name “Kron-Prinz-Friedrich-Wilhelm-Turm”. The association covers the costs of 4,500 marks with drawable share certificates of 20 marks each, and the construction sum is already paid for in 1893.

“The observation tower at the top of the Kranichsberge shines as a landmark and signpost for miles around. ...”, as written in the commemorative publication for the fiftieth anniversary of the ‘Kranichsberg’ Beautification Association in 1934.

Until 1945, the tower remained the pride of all Woltersdorf residents and a popular excursion destination for Berliners. On April 20, 1945, the lookout tower was set on fire by members of the Volkssturm and became a victim of the flames. Only the remains of the foundations give an idea of where the tower once stood.

In 1961, the Woltersdorf municipal council decided to build a new observation tower in the Kranichsberge. The magistrate of Greater Berlin supports the construction financially, as Woltersdorf is one of the “pearls of the outskirts of Berlin”. The people of Woltersdorf want another wooden tower. The municipality builds a combined “fire watch and observation tower” together with the Hangelsberg state forestry company.

The foundation stone for the new tower is laid on April 8, 1961. The project is created by the Woltersdorf civil engineer Rudolf Post in voluntary work, the parish pays nothing for it. Mr. Post, for many years a member of the parish church council and the voluntary building committee in the village, creates a lasting monument to himself with this tower. Likewise Willi Hildebrandt, master carpenter, who has been running his business since 1931, together with his son Reinhard. This timber construction of the tower represents a challenge for all the Woltersdorf businesses involved.

But the material also had to be procured. Gisela Schuldt, an employee of the municipality at the time, was responsible for this. Cement, reinforcing steel, wood and the bolts and nuts were all custom-made by the former Reichsbahnausbesserungswerk Finsterwalde - completely free of charge. Today we call this “sponsoring”.

But there was a rude awakening. The timber cut by the Hennickendorf sawmill also found other interested parties. At this time, a Soviet unit from the Rüdersdorf forest camp was building a radio relay station on Kranichsberg. Timber is “taken” to build bunkers and tables and benches.

G. Schuldt and W. Hildebrandt travel to Fürstenwalde to the Soviet commandant's office, directly into the “lion's den”. They are treated there as if they had stolen the timber themselves, but are nevertheless successful. Woltersdorf receives 21 cubic meters of timber from the Red Army's special contingent. The topping-out ceremony is held on October 7, 1961 and on July 14, 1962, the esteemed former mayor Charlotte Matzdorf is able to inaugurate the observation tower and hand it over to the public. It is also used by the forestry department as a fire watch tower.

Unfortunately, it was not only the public who showed great interest in the Woltersdorf observation tower. In 1976, the GDR State Security took over sole use of the tower.

It was not until 1990 - when the Woltersdorf Beautification Association was re-established on January 22 - that it took over the keys to the tower from the municipal administration and received a contract of use on April 30, 1992.

In the following years, the association initiated further renovations and extensions in and around the tower. Association member Gerald Ramm sets up a tower museum in the tower: “When Woltersdorf was still Hollywood”. Interesting photos from the silent movie era and remnants of sets from films that were shot in our area are on display.

The technical data of the tower:

• 102 meters above sea level
• 25 meters high
• 90 steps up to the viewing platform
• approx. 80 cubic meters of wood
• 3.6 tons of steel