Fennpfuhl – 50th anniversary of the East Berlin housing estate

The Lichtenberg district of Fennpfuhl is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Find out what developments are planned for the large East Berlin housing estate here

Fennpfuhl: the first large housing estate in the GDR

The district of Fennpfuhl is located in the east of Berlin as part of the Lichtenberg district. This district is known for its large housing estates and prefabricated buildings, which were once considered pioneers. Some of the prefabricated buildings around the central Anton-Saefkow-Platz are more than 20 storeys high. Due to the tall buildings, Fennpfuhl has a high population density and is the second largest neighborhood in Berlin. Around 33,000 people live here.

Fennpfuhl has been celebrating its 50th anniversary since January 2022. The estate began as a pioneering project in the GDR on December 1, 1972. It was the first major addition to the housing construction program that was decided at the party congress in 1971. Within a year, the GDR’s first large, contiguous prefabricated housing estate was built, which was to be a self-sufficient settlement for around 50,000 people. Schools, daycare centers, utilities, an indoor swimming pool, a sports hall and a lake were built here. The lake was created from two smaller ponds and gave the estate its name.

Not all of the ambitious plans for the complex could be realized, partly due to a lack of funds and construction capacity. For example, pedestrian bridges over Landsberger Allee and a cultural center are still missing today. Furthermore, from the beginning of the 1980s, the focus of construction activities was on Berlin-Marzahn. Fennpfuhl was actually supposed to be completed in 1985, but the park was still not finished in 1989.

The anniversary of Fennpfuhl in 2022

The Fennpfuhl Citizens’ Association was in charge of organizing the anniversary celebrations in 2022, including neighbourhood walks, reading cafés, joint cleaning activities and a quiz. The big Fennpfuhl festival is planned for September 16. Lichtenberg’s district mayor Michael Grunst from the Left Party has also registered to attend. According to Grunst, Fennpfuhl has the advantage that a streetcar was first built here to bring construction workers and residents to the district. “When I look at today’s projects, the entire infrastructure is lagging behind housing construction,” he told nd-aktuell. According to the district mayor, this experience can be passed on to the other large housing estates in Lichtenberg.

Two new school buildings are planned in Fennpfuhl. The park is also to be tidied up further. It was recently very popular because it was possible to barbecue here. The citizens’ association is also experimenting with so-called park runners, who are supposed to mediate in conflicts in the green space.

Other events in the anniversary year included the storytelling café series “In love with Fennpfuhl”, cleaning campaigns under the title “The cleaning angels of Fennpfuhl”, the installation of panel paintings on the history and development of Fennpfuhl, concerts by the Shostakovich Music School and photo exhibitions.

A multicultural district

Lichtenberg is one of the most multicultural districts in Berlin today. Many people move here from other parts of the city, attracted by the cheaper rents. Lichtenberg can look back on a very varied history. Before reunification, the district took in many refugees from Chile. Newcomers from the former Soviet Union and Vietnam still live here today.

Now a generational change is imminent. Many older people in Lichtenberg, and especially in the Fennpfuhl district, have lived in large apartments since GDR times. When they pass away, they are usually followed by young families. This has already resulted in a shortage of school places and daycare centers. It is also difficult here to deal with the many green spaces, such as Fennpfuhl Park, which are becoming increasingly polluted.

The structural quality of the prefabricated buildings in Fennpfuhl, as in many similar large housing estates in Berlin, is also in question. Although the buildings have a robust, durable façade, they are not always optimally insulated. The small rooms and the identical layout of all apartments are further points of criticism with regard to the marketing of vacant apartments, among other things.

The future structural development of Lichtenberg

According to Lichtenberg’s district mayor, the anniversary of Fennpfuhl provides an opportunity to reflect on the way Berlin’s large housing estates are handled. Many residential areas in the district are at a crossroads and have to decide how they can create mixed, liveable neighborhoods. The aim should be to achieve a social balance. The Left Party is calling for a commitment to the large housing estates.

As part of the festival on September 16, the Museum Lichtenberg is planning a project for September and October 2022 entitled “How do we want to live? Living yesterday – today – tomorrow”. In addition, a specialist conference on the urban and social development of large housing estates is planned for December 1. The citizens’ association is planning a citizens’ survey to find out how the residents of Fennpfuhl rate life in the area.

Also interesting: Read here how the large housing estates in Berlin outside the S-Bahn ring are to develop in the future.