As changeable as a chameleon

The Hackesche Höfe emerged from the swamps of Berlin between 1906 and 1907 and are now home to restaurants, commercial and cultural spaces in a restored version. Although the courtyards were threatened with decay during the war years of the Second World War and the GDR, the iconic building managed to maintain its place in Berlin’s monumental landscape.

In the middle of the Spandauer Vorstadt district lies the largest contiguous courtyard area in Europe: the Hackesche Höfe. Located between Rosenthaler Strasse and Sophienstrasse, visitors can reach the 8,000 square meter courtyard complex from both streets. While the area is now a popular tourist attraction and cultural center, its history goes back a long way. Due to the growing population, the swampy area was drained in the 19th century and became Hackescher Markt, where commercial stores, textile factories and residential buildings dominated everyday life. The unusual layout of the eight courtyards still reveals the origins of Hackescher Markt with the former northern bastion and the ravelin of the Berlin fortifications.

In the course of the industrialization of the 19th century, the Spandauer Vorstadt attracted more and more Jewish immigrants from the East, who gave the district a new cultural diversity. In addition, the Lebensreform movement campaigned for the construction of Hackesche Höfe to improve the housing situation of Berlin’s 70,000 inhabitants and provide safe and modern living. Kurt Berndt was commissioned as architect and builder. Alongside Berndt, the architect and designer August Endell also had a significant influence on parts of the Hackesche Höfe.
Although Wilhelm II’s art policy prevailed at the time, Endell’s Art Nouveau design of the Hackesche Höfe was able to establish itself as one of the most influential buildings of this style in Berlin. Unlike the classic Art Nouveau buildings in Riga, Vienna or Prague, the design in Berlin, especially in the Hackesche Höfe, is functional and reduced.

Endell’s Art Nouveau design particularly characterizes the first courtyard. Dynamic and organic patterns in unusual color tones give it a unique character. The imaginative reinterpretation reflects Endell’s design principles of pleasure culture and transforms the courtyard into an elegant, sophisticated commercial courtyard. Filigree windows in a variety of shapes create a harmonious contrast between glazed, differently colored bricks. In addition to the first courtyard, visitors can also discover Endell’s design in the interior spaces – for example in the ballrooms and stairwells.
While guests danced through ballrooms and celebrated in restaurants in the first courtyard, the remaining apartments were home to interested tenants. In the 19th century, the centrally heated courtyard complexes with their own power supply were far ahead of their time – a vision that Kurt Berndt realized. Another special feature of the courtyard complexes was the modern furnishing of the apartments, which were equipped with bathrooms, indoor toilets and balconies. As a center of life, art and literature as well as the establishment of a Jewish student canteen and a girls’ club, the Hackesche Höfe became a central part of the neighborhood.

But the glorious years of the Hackesche Höfe were not to last. The beginning of the Second World War marked the start of the decline of the once so innovative building complex. In 1940, dark years followed for the residents of Berlin, especially for the Spandauer Vorstadt with its high Jewish population. Bombs fell – the first courtyard suffered significant damage. As a result, the building was forcibly auctioned off by the National Socialists and eleven years later became public property of the GDR. From this point onwards, the courtyard facilities were used for storage and workshops as well as rehearsals for the GDR television ballet.
In the GDR, the courtyard facilities were neglected and hardly maintained. When the street facades on Rosenthaler Straße were knocked down, it became clear that they were in great need of renovation. The de-stuccoed and simplified appearance of the buildings was now a shadow of its former splendor. The Hackesche Höfe were not listed until 1977. After reunification, however, the Hackesche Höfe experienced a revival in the 1990s: in order to preserve the historical personality of the courtyards, the entire complex was restored by the architectural firm Weiß & Partner with a budget of 80 million marks. The damaged façade was also partially reconstructed. With the restoration of their historical appearance, the Hackesche Höfe were given their former use: Culture, retail and gastronomy once again found their place in the courtyard area.

While residents of Hackesche Höfe used to be able to rent the ballrooms for celebrations, the ballroom is now home to the Chameleon variety show. In 2004, the ballrooms were renovated in accordance with the Berlin Monuments Office. The technology, including the ventilation systems and the bar area, was modernized while the venue remained fully operational. The most recent renovation measures were minor changes within the Chameleon Theater. In 2015, the renovation of the historic oak parquet flooring and the revitalization of the balconies brought the theater a step closer to its original appearance. “Since the extensive refurbishment 20 years ago, structural measures have been limited to the usual renovations and adjustments to rental spaces, for example when users change. No major interventions in the historic façades or commercial spaces have been made since the basic refurbishment,” says the Berlin State Monuments Office.
Today, the Hackesche Höfe are a listed building in the Spandauer Vorstadt district and are subject to strict conservation regulations. According to the Landesdenkmalamt Berlin, measures on the buildings or by tenants are therefore subject to approval under both planning law and monument law. Even though the traditional mixed use of the Hackesche Höfe poses a challenge to urban planning, it is being maintained in order to preserve the authenticity and versatility of the courtyards.
As an important part of Berlin’s monumental landscape, the Hackesche Höfe stand for history and modernity. They not only preserve architectural heritage, but also reflect the lively character of Endell’s culture of enjoyment.

Read more: You can also discover Art Nouveau in Wiesbaden.