Quail tower
The Wachtel Tower is a 28 meter high observation tower on the Wachtelberg in Hennickendorf , a district of the municipality of Rüdersdorf near Berlin in the Märkisch-Oderland district ( Brandenburg ). He is the landmark of the district and shown in the former municipal coat of arms. Its name is derived from its historical function as a watchtower.
Origin of the Wachtelberg
The Barnim was designed in the last two phases of the Vistula Ice Age . Both the Große Stienitzsee and the Kleine Stienitzsee emerged as a natural sink in a former meltwater channel . In between, elevations such as the Wachtelberg or the gravel mountains on the Großer Stienitzsee formed. At a time when the Wends began their migration, the water level of this lake was around three to five meters higher than it is today. The Wachtelberg was an island at that time.
Around 1900 a separation took place in the area . The farmer Schrock received the 55.4 meter high quail mountain as compensation for giving up his right to fish . He planted pine , oak and some birch and poplar trees on the mountain in order to generate income from forestry . A few years later, however, the mountain passed into the possession of CO Wegener for 500 thalers .
History of the tower
In the 1930s, the then still independent community wanted to build a watchtower for the early detection of forest fires. They also looked for a way to dry the fire hoses . Last but not least, the new tower was supposed to replace a dilapidated exercise tower of the fire department in the village. The Berlin architect H. Groß presented plans for the construction of such a tower in October 1937. However, the building inspectorate raised concerns as the planned height of the tower violated the applicable regulation. Only an intervention at the regional council in Potsdam made it possible for the fire brigade to provide a hose drying system with a height of 16 meters. A water pipe and a septic tank were also planned . The foundation stone was laid on July 24, 1938 on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Hennickendorf volunteer fire department . Under the direction of master bricklayer Friedrich Henze and master carpenter Reinhold Neumann, the building was built on the hill of the community between 1938 and 1940. During the National Socialist era , three amendments were made in August 1939 . Among other things, they provided for a railing at the top of the tower, neon lighting and a swastika on the tower. The shell construction was accepted on April 12, 1940. In the following months, the expansion took place, which proceeded only slowly. A building inspection planned for May 1941 had to be postponed several times and was apparently forgotten by 1942. In addition, the tower was slightly damaged by an incendiary bomb during World War II in 1944 . After the war the tower was initially empty. It is believed in the community that the security organs of the GDR prevented its use as a lookout tower. However, this did not prevent the Hennickendorfer from mining clay below the tower on the south side of the Wachtelberg . This happened on such a large scale that the tower threatened to collapse and dismantling was forbidden if there was threat of punishment. In 1987 and 1988 a couple planned to set up a café in the tower. The mayor of the municipality approved the project. 75 trucks brought overburden to the tower, which was dumped by an after-work brigade . The parking lot below the tower, which was still available in 2014, was also created at this time. However, the plans for the café were never realized.
After the fall of the Wall , the Heimatverein began to reconstruct the building. In 1989 the roof was renovated. In 1994 the timber framework, the masonry and the electrical installation were repaired. The tower received a new coat of paint and a lightning protection system. Mostly local companies were used. After the repair work, 96 steps lead to a viewing platform. The community celebrated the completion of the work on July 25, 1994 on the occasion of the 3rd Wachtelberg Festival in the presence of Mayor Wolfgang Paschke. The costs for the repair amounted to around 135,000 DM .
Since then it has been used as a lookout tower, for the annual Wachtelberg Festival and in Advent for pre-Christmas singing. The view extends beyond the lakes into the nature reserve Lange Dammwiesen and Unteres Annatal over the Marienberg in Strausberg to the Müggelturm . The tower has been part of the 66 Lakes Regional Park Route since 2012 .
literature
- Regina Wolter: quail tower , display in the tower head, no date
Web links
- Entry in the monument database of the State of Brandenburg
- History of the Wachtelturm , Hennickendorf website, accessed on July 22, 2014.
Coordinates: 52 ° 30 ′ 35.3 " N , 13 ° 50 ′ 43.7" E