Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedaechtniskirche (Church)

image author: Gisela Pape

The Gedächtniskirche (church) is one of Berlin's landmarks and war memorial. In 1987, a memorial hall was set up as a warning against war and destruction, combined with the will to reconciliation. In the centre stands a Christ figure from the altar of the old Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche, a Cross of Nails from the Coventry cathedral, which was destroyed by German bombs in the 2nd World War and the icon cross of the Russian Orthodox church.

image author: Gisela Pape

Next to the 63m high ruin of the old neo-Romanesque Kaiser-Wilhelm-Church, which was built in 1891-1895 after designs by Franz Schwechten, stands today, a modern church building, built under the guidance of the Karlsruhe architect Prof. Egon Eiermann from 1959 to 1961. The church was built in honour of the emperor Wilhelm I and its design reminds one of an imperial palace and was heavily damaged on the 23.11.1943. during an air-raid.

The old tower stump, the "Hollow Tooth', was to be pulled down after the war. But the Berliner wanted to keep their church, or rather its remains and protested. So the design by Eiermann incorporated the tower relicts into the new building. A blue-glass octagon, a six-sided tower was created. The tower shines blue inside and out due to sources of light between the double walls.

The old tower's state of repair of the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche is alarming and it has to be redeveloped urgently. That is the reason, the church community and the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche-Foundation with the support of Berlin companies, started the fundraising campaign 'Tower Rescue', to be able to cover the redevelopment costs of probably around 3.3 million Euros.


image author: Gisela Pape

The Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtnis-Church forms the picture of the City-West of Berlin and that of the Breitscheid-Platz (formerly Auguste-Victoria-Platz) with the Europa-Center and the characteristically globe fountain. This lovely central square is teeming with tourists at the street cafés, local shopper, street musicians, skateboarder and pick-pockets.

image author: Gisela Pape

In wintertime, one finds here, around the Gedächtnis-Church at the Breitscheidplatz, the Christmas market with its lovely stalls and the delicious smell that attracts countless Berliner and Berlin visitors.