Wittenau

Originally named Dalldorf it was first mentioned in 1332. In 1869 the city of Berlin had acquired land in the Dalldorf in order to build the Städtische Irrenanstalt zu Dalldorf , today's Karl-Bonhoeffer-Nervenklinik , between 1877 and 1879. In the following years Dalldorf became the synonym for 'madhouse' in Berlin parlance. Therefore, in 1903 Dalldorf applied at the Niederbarnim district commissioner for a new toponym, Wittenau after its late mayor Peter Witte, granted by the Prussian government with effect of 23 August 1905. In 1920 Wittenau merged into Berlin by the Greater Berlin Act.

After the capture of the district by the Red Army was relatively quickly formed again a provisional local government. This was because small groups of anti-fascists found themselves ready to take over the administration in coordination with the occupiers. In Wittenau Anton Jadasch was appointed mayor. Immediately after the end of the fighting in Berlin, the Soviet occupying power began with the dismantling of undamaged industrial plants and their facilities. The temporary British occupying power did not continue this. However, with the arrival of the French Allies as final occupying power, the dismantling began again. These continue until the signing of the Petersberg Agreement on 22 November 1949. Nevertheless, some companies were able to produce different products again as early as November 1945, the former armaments factories in Wittenau mainly produced household goods and products needed for reconstruction . However, the industry in Wittenau, which had just regained momentum, was suddenly slowed down by the Berlin blockade in the years 1948/1949. Numerous companies temporarily stopped production, especially craft enterprises only resumed work several months after the blockade ended. The political reconstruction progressed faster: already in September 1950, the foundation stone was laid for the cultivation at the town hall Reinickendorf. Only for the period after 1953 is a noticeable growth of industrial production demonstrable. Many companies were able to expand their production at this time , others were just in this time in the district . Not only industrial enterprises settled in Wittenau, also the largest of the residential complexes for the members of the French armed forces – the Cité Foch – originated here since 1953. Several blocks of flats along the Cyclopstraße later followed numerous residential, administrative and supply buildings northeast of the demolished today Wittenau freight yard on the border with Waidmannslust. The location on the edge of the district and the fact that the French representatives resided in Waidmannslust , still today lead to the fact that the Cité Foch is falsely counted among Waidmannslust. Even the Federal Real Estate Agency, which manages the area today, makes that mistake.

Wikipedia