Christmas markets in Berlin

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Franz Skarbina : Christmas market in Berlin , 1892

The Christmas markets in Berlin include over 80 markets with handicraft demonstrations , sales offers and rides at Christmas time , which take place in all districts of Berlin and whose predecessors can be traced back to old Berlin for the first time in 1530 .

history

In the Köllnisches Stadtbuch there are first references to Christmas market-like sales events around 1530, first held in the streets Petriplatz - Gertraudenstrasse - Köllnischer Fischmarkt - Mühlendamm - Molkenmarkt - Poststrasse and Heiligegeiststrasse. For example, "real shopkeepers are expressly permitted to trade honey cakes and other syrup dough pastries for a local fee of two Mariengroschen per day at Christmas time on Petriplatz and the Köllnischer Fischmarkt."

From 1750, the city administration moved the trade to Breite Strasse, which initially lasted from December 11th to January 6th of the following year ( High New Year ) . The Christmas market remained in the city center - later expanded towards Schlossplatz  - until 1873, after the end of the sales period had been brought forward to December 27th from 1872. However, there have been repeated attempts to forbid the market from being held because it severely impaired traffic in the city center and the businessmen in the Breite Strasse saw their sales endangered by the Christmas market; it was "an in fact completely out of date, the circumstances and the dignity of the imperial capital no longer in any way appropriate to the shopkeeping."

Sale of Christmas tree decorations at the Christmas market on Alexanderplatz (1923)

In 1873 the Lustgarten became the location, because of the cathedral building and police concerns, the market was held on Arkonastraße from 1891, interrupted by the First World War . In 1937 the market came back to the Lustgarten until shortly before the end of the Second World War and had up to 2,000 dealers at its wedding.

In the first winter of peace in 1945, another Christmas market was held at the Lustgarten, but in the midst of ruins and with the purchase of luxury items restricted by food stamps.

As a result of the division of Berlin into two currency areas, Christmas markets established themselves after 1948 in the western sectors with locations at the Gedächtniskirche , in Spandau and at Wedding Town Hall .

In the eastern part of Berlin , the organizers essentially stuck to the old location until 1974. In the years 1952 and 1953 there were at the Christmas market on the Marx-Engels-Platz combined areas of the Lustgarten, the demolished Berlin City Palace and the Palace Square a "Liliputbahn" ( track width 381 mm), by the Association Young railwayman , a precursor the pioneer railway Wuhlheide, was operated. Around 1960, the small alleys of the Christmas market on Marx-Engels-Platz were heated using infrared long-field radiators. From 1974 the entire Marx-Engels-Platz served as an event location, even after the Palace of the Republic was completed . In addition, a large parking lot was chosen at Alexanderplatz , between 1962 and 1968 an area next to the sports hall on Karl-Marx-Allee . With the exception of the Mitte district , there were soon short-term Christmas markets in each of the former districts, mostly around the town hall.

In the western part of Berlin , a Christmas market was held on the exhibition grounds until 1983 , which occupied half of the exhibition halls. This Christmas market under the radio tower took place exclusively in the halls and had more of the character of a Christmas and toy exhibition. Regardless of the weather, a children's theater and a hall each with nativity scenes from all over the world and with model trains could be seen. The market was given up in favor of the Memorial Church.

Current Christmas markets

Christmas market at Breitscheidplatz

Of the around 80 Christmas markets in Berlin's districts , the following is a small overview of selected Christmas markets (as of November 2019).

Permanent Christmas markets in the districts

Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf

  • Since 1983 Christmas market at the Memorial Church : artisans, traders, showmen. For the year 2004 2.3 million guests were determined. Location: Breitscheidplatz .
A terrorist attack was carried out on the Christmas market on the evening of December 19, 2016 , in which twelve people died and many were injured.
  • Vegan Christmas market on Fehrbelliner Platz on all Advent weekends. With purely vegetable specialties, ecological gifts, a stage and information about climate protection and animal rights.
  • At Charlottenburg Palace : International offers such as South Tyrolean and Russian specialties, plus husky sleigh rides, puppet shows. Location: Luisenplatz
  • Winter dream Christmas market Wilmersdorfer Straße : Since 2004, handicrafts, drinks, almonds and other sweets have been offered in 30 decorated wooden huts.
  • Grunewald Christmas Market : Since 1976 on the first Sunday of Advent around the Grunewald Church with over 60 stalls.
  • Christmas market at St.-Michaels-Heim : Every year on the first weekend of Advent from Friday to Sunday, in and around the Palais Mendelssohn in the villa colony of Grunewald , today's St. Michaels-Heim, with stalls, flea market, film screenings in the salon and an Advent service on Sunday.
  • Swedish Christmas Bazaar : Christmas market of the Swedish Victoria parish in Wilmersdorf , every year on an Advent weekend, every Saturday and Sunday.
  • Danish Christmas market : Christmas market of the Danish community in Wilmersdorfer Christianskirche , also taking place every Saturday and Sunday on a selected Advent weekend.
  • Anglican Christmas Market : Christmas market of the St. Georges Episcopal Church in Westend.

Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg

  • Christmas market at United Nations Square : since around 1995, mulled wine, Christmas baked goods and roasted almonds as well as products from artisans have been offered in wooden huts, and children's rides have been set up. A piece of the eastern road area will be completely closed to through traffic. On November 27, 1995, there was an accident with the Top of the World mobile ride : its ring gondola, which was occupied by 100 visitors, slipped down the last few meters without braking. There were 60 injured.
  • Kiez Christmas at the Samariterkirche in Friedrichshain, since 2006
  • Hanukkah market : Jewish -influenced offers with accompanying programs such as puppet shows, concerts. Location: Jewish Museum , Glashof, Lindenstrasse 9

Lichtenberg

  • Light market at the town hall in front of the town hall Lichtenberg , on the first weekend in Advent, since 1992; musically framed
  • Medieval Christmas market in the Karlshorst district on Theaterplatz, on the second weekend in Advent
  • Christmas market in the Malchow nature conservation station , on the second weekend in Advent
  • Wartenberger Star Market in and around the Wartenberger Hof , in the first week of December

Marzahn-Hellersdorf

  • Alt-Kaulsdorf Christmas market around the historic village green on Dorfstrasse , since 1996, on the second weekend in Advent
  • Advent market Alt-Marzahn around the historic village center Alt-Marzahn , on the first weekend in Advent

center

Christmas market in front of the Rotes Rathaus 2008
Christmas market in front of the Red Town Hall 2011
Background noise at the Christmas market at the Neptune Fountain
  • At the Brandenburg Gate there is no Christmas market though, but the stood there since the construction of the Berlin Wall on the West Berlin side yearly Christmas trees . When the Wall came down in 1989 to 2013, these came as a donation from the Norwegian municipality of Frogn . Private individuals from Berlin and the surrounding area have been donating the traditional tree since 2014.
  • Alexanderplatz : artisans, dealers, showmen, in front of the Alexa Center
  • Christmas time in Berlin at the Rotes Rathaus : Rathausstrasse , Marienplatz, Neptunbrunnen , realized since 2008, under the direction of Hans-Dieter Laubinger. Old Berlin market lanes are recreated with six meter high printed tarpaulins and a basic framework. The market stalls are below and the windows on the first floor are illuminated. In addition to the sales houses, there are small historic children's carousels as well as a Ferris wheel on Spandauer Straße and an ice rink around the Neptune Fountain. This market was reduced in size in 2014 because of the excavation for the U5 underground line in front of the town hall and the reconstruction of the churchyard around St. Mary's Church , so there is no chain carousel at all.
  • Christmas magic on the Gendarmenmarkt : artisans, traders, showmen in the form of a small tent city, additional cultural program with changing offers. Location: Gendarmenmarkt around the theater. An entrance fee has to be paid to visit the market from 2 p.m., some of which is donated to charity.
  • Nostalgic Christmas Market : Artisans such as broom-maker , candle makers , and wood carvers. a. demonstrate their work in small wooden houses in front of interested parties and sell the products. A surprise bazaar and cabaret performances frame the market. Until about 2009 the location was between the State Opera , the former Prinzessinnenpalais and the boulevard Unter den Linden . Because of extensive construction work, the operator then had to move to the open space in front of the Friedrichswerder Church , then to Schinkelplatz . Because there is also construction going on, the nostalgic Christmas market will take place in December 2014 on an area of ​​the Schloßplatz in front of the former State Council building . The number of craftsmen and traders' stands has been reduced to 87, and a few historical carousels are being set up for this.
  • Environmental Christmas market : handicrafts and ecological products are offered. Location: Sophienstrasse, near the Hackesche Höfe
  • Winter world at Potsdamer Platz and traditional Christmas market: an artificial snow-covered mountain and an ice rink have been inviting visitors to tobogganing, tubing and ice skating for several years ; Austrian dishes are offered; Dealer offers. Location: around Potsdamer Platz
  • In 2014 there was the first Christmas market on Washingtonplatz in front of the main train station . The operator puts her market under the motto design and enjoyment , for which 30 retailers present their products to visitors in a larger tent. Further offers are available in wooden houses around the tent. In addition, various Berlin choirs will perform in the evening.

Pankow

  • Advent market on Kollwitzplatz : Organic Christmas market, co-organized by the Green League Berlin
  • Lucia Christmas Market : The basis of the extensive cultural offer is the Swedish Lucia Festival , location: Kulturbrauerei
  • The Blankenburg Christmas Festival is an annual Christmas market in the Pankow district of Blankenburg . Its motto is: A village gives itself a Christmas party .
    Since 2009, the Blankenburg Christmas party has been held on the second Advent on the grounds of the Protestant parish, Street Alt-Blankenburg  17. The non-commercial festival is organized on a voluntary basis by the citizens and with the support of regional associations, institutions and traders and is under the patronage of the Blankenburg Round Table . Mainly self-made objects of art and handicrafts are offered. The annual Advent song singing takes place in the village church at the same time. In 2014 and 2016 around 2000 visitors came and in 2015 there were around 2500 visitors.

Reinickendorf

  • The highlight of the Christmas market : jewelry, handicrafts, Christmas cookies. Location: Kurt-Schumacher-Platz
  • Nordic Christmas market in Tegel : Since 1973, location: Brunnenplatz (canceled in 2008)

Spandau

  • With 1.8 million visitors (as of 2004), the Christmas market in the Spandau district is one of the largest Christmas markets in Germany, and according to information from Berlin city advertising visitberlin.de, the largest in Berlin. It has been held annually in the old town of Spandau since the 1st of  Advent 1974 . In 1977 parts of the cultural program were televised, which contributed to the increased popularity of the market. The market has opened its stalls on all Advent weekends since 1983, with over 400 stalls that occupy a large part of the old town. On weekdays there are around 200 stalls of market vendors, artisans and showmen in the larger streets of the old town. A cultural program with daily performances takes place on a stage on the market square, including the Friday concerts and WinterZauberBerlin . Also noteworthy are a Christmas crib with live animals in front of the Nikolaikirche on the Reformationsplatz and the bazaar of the Spandau schools in the old post office on Carl-Schurz-Straße. As part of the Advent market, a sales show by artisans from Berlin and Brandenburg will take place at the Gothic House in Breite Straße under the slogan “Living Crafts in Advent” . Above all basket weavers , candle pullers, glass blowers and porcelain painters show their craft on site.
  • There is also a children's Christmas market Am Juliusturm on the citadel , which is modeled on a city decorated for Christmas and offers a range of activities for children.

In art and literature

Berlin boy from the Christmas market
by Franz Skarbina, around 1890

The following artists drew u. a. Motifs of the Berlin Christmas Market:

  • Ludwig Burger , Dreierschäfken, seller of forest dowels and pyramids at the Berlin Christmas market , woodcut, around 1865
  • Carl Rechlin , Christmas market in Berlin , drawing, 1865
  • Theodor Hosemann , children sell pyramids, sheep and forest devils (note: the large humming tops were called “forest devils”), wood engraving, 1869
  • H. Lüders, drawing of Christmas life in the streets of Berlin , 1871
  • H. Henseler, Berlin Christmas Market , drawing, around 1890
  • D. Nitschke, Christmas market in the pleasure garden in front of the cathedral , drawing around 1900
  • Hans Baluschek , Christmas market on Arkonaplatz , drawing, 1910
  • Heinrich Zille , Christmas market on Arkonaplatz , chalk drawing around 1912
  • Paul Adolf Hauptmann , Christmas market in front of the cathedral in the Lustgarten , oil painting, around 1930

The historic Berlin Christmas market was also reflected in numerous poems, reports and stories by writers such as:

literature

  • Christa Lorenz: Berlin Christmas Market. Pictures and stories from 5 centuries . Berlin-Information, Berlin 1987, ISBN 3-7442-0011-6 .
  • Kurt Pomplun : Christmas and New Years in old Berlin. A contribution to the folklore of the big city (= Berliner Forum. Volume 14/69). Press and Information Office of the State of Berlin, Berlin 1969.
  • Renate Steinchen (Ed.): Old Berlin Christmas. The house book for the Advent and Christmas season with stories, customs, songs, cooking and baking recipes from Berlin. Argon, Berlin 1994, ISBN 3-87024-283-3 .
  • Jutta Schneider: December 11, 1750: Christmas market in the Breite Strasse . In: Berlin monthly magazine ( Luisenstädtischer Bildungsverein ) . Issue 12, 1999, ISSN  0944-5560 , p. 75-77 ( luise-berlin.de ).

Web links

Commons : Berlin Christmas Market  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Paul Clauswitz : The city book of the old Cologne on the Spree from the year 1442. With historical introduction and explanations. ed. from the Association for the History of Berlin , Berlin 1921 (digitized version) .
  2. ↑ a b Quoted from Jutta Schneider: December 11, 1750: Christmas market in the Breiten Straße . In: Berlin monthly magazine ( Luisenstädtischer Bildungsverein ) . Issue 12, 1999, ISSN  0944-5560 , p. 75–77, here p. 76 ( luise-berlin.de ).
  3. ↑ Jutta Schneider: December 11, 1750: Christmas market in the Breiten Straße . In: Berlin monthly magazine ( Luisenstädtischer Bildungsverein ) . Issue 12, 1999, ISSN  0944-5560 , p. 75-77 ( luise-berlin.de ).
  4. ↑ German Historical Museum with a passage of Christmas markets still existed ...
  5. ↑ Historical overview of the Wuhlheide Park Railway ( Memento from August 9, 2004 in the Internet Archive )
  6. ↑ Franziska Wüst: A look behind the scenes of the Berlin Christmas markets. In: Berliner Morgenpost , November 26, 2013.
  7. ↑ Uwe Aulich: Ice rink, ferris wheel and booth magic. In: Berliner Zeitung , November 20, 2014, p. 18.
  8. ↑ a b c d e market with 2.3 million guests . In: Berliner Zeitung , December 27, 2004.
  9. ↑ a b c d e f g h Berlin program - November 2008; Rimbach, Berlin.
  10. ↑ Vegan Christmas market on Fehrbellinplatz in Berlin - Veggie radio. Accessed December 4, 2019 (German).
  11. ↑ Vegan Christmas market on Fehrbelliner Platz. Retrieved December 4, 2019 .
  12. ↑ Information about the Christmas market in Wilmersdorfer Straße ( Memento from December 8, 2010 in the Internet Archive ).
  13. ↑ Grunewald Christmas Market. Retrieved November 28, 2019 .
  14. ^ Christmas market in St. Michaels-Heim Grunewald. Retrieved November 28, 2019 .
  15. ↑ Swedish Christmas Bazaar. Retrieved November 28, 2019 .
  16. ↑ Danish Christmas Market. Retrieved November 28, 2019 .
  17. ↑ Christmas Market of the Anglican Church. Retrieved November 28, 2019 .
  18. ^ District information Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg ( Memento from December 11, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
  19. ↑ Katrin Zimmermann, Fred Hasselmann: After the accident the "Green Hell" was still raging . In: Berliner Zeitung , November 27, 1995; Matthias Frankenstein: The audience wants world firsts . In: Berliner Zeitung , November 28, 1995.
  20. ↑ 21st Kaulsdorf Christmas market bigger than ever. In: Berlin Week . Kaulsdorf, November 30, 2017
  21. ↑ Alt-Marzahn Advent market on Weihnachtinberlin.de
  22. ↑ Uwe Aulich: The Christmas market has been taken . In: Berliner Zeitung , June 4, 2006
  23. ↑ Info from the organizer on the market at the Rotes Rathaus
  24. ↑ Christmas magic on the Gendarmenmarkt . visitberlin.de
  25. ↑ a b Blankenburg Christmas Festival. In: dorfanger-blankenburg.de. Retrieved November 27, 2017 .
  26. ↑ Blankenburg Christmas party. December 12, 2017. Retrieved December 12, 2017 .
  27. ↑ 6th Blankenburg Christmas Party 2014. In: dorfanger-blankenburg.de. Retrieved December 12, 2017 .
  28. ↑ 7th Blankenburg Christmas Festival 2016. In: dorfanger-blankenburg.de. Retrieved December 12, 2017 .
  29. ↑ Blankenburg Christmas Festival 2015. In: dorfanger-blankenburg.de. Retrieved December 12, 2017 .
  30. ↑ Information page on historic Christmas markets
  31. ↑ Christmas Markets Berlin. visitberlin.de
  32. ^ Anne Vorbringer: Wild mice and candied apples . In: Berliner Zeitung , November 22, 2004
  33. ^ Full text at the Center for Berlin Studies.