Located in a community about 25 kilometers east of Berlin, the abandoned Rüdersdorf chemical plant is now considered a fascinating Lost Place, carrying over 100 years of German industrial history as well as having played a significant role for Hollywood. It was founded in 1899 by C.O. Wegener. In the 1950s, it was converted to the production of phosphate fertilizer. After reunification, production was gradually reduced until the plant was finally closed in 1999. It thus survived the Second World War, the GDR era and the reunification period. Today, the chemical plant has taken on an appearance that makes it stand out among Berlin’s lost places, such as the “zombie hospital”, a ghost consulate and a high-security laboratory.
Rüdersdorf chemical plant: Hollywood backdrop among the ruins
Not far from Berlin, we have already introduced you to an abandoned sanatorium where scenes from the Hollywood film “The Pianist” were filmed. But the lost places around the capital have even more to offer: The Rüdersdorf chemical plant also served as a backdrop for “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2”, particularly for the scenes in District 8 in which Katniss and Gale carry out an attack on a Capitol airship. The post-apocalyptic industrial backdrop perfectly matched the dystopian atmosphere of the “Capitol” scenes.
Lots of collapsed roofs, missing windows, floors overgrown with moss, plants and rust. Conveyor belts, rotary kilns, tanks and pipe systems are slowly disintegrating, while numerous walls are covered in graffiti. This is how the Rüdersdorf chemical plant presents itself today – and it is precisely this backdrop that has also proved useful for other Hollywood productions. In “The Monuments Men” (2014), the destroyed industrial plants and warehouses were shown, whose monumental halls and endless corridors perfectly matched the aesthetics of the Second World War. In the action film “Enemy at the Gates” (2001), parts of the chemical plant also served as a representation of cities in the Second World War.
Access to the site is officially prohibited – visitors should be aware of the dangers when entering. Unstable buildings, toxic substances and possible safety precautions are to be expected. Access is therefore only recommended with the appropriate equipment and sufficient experience.