Berlin, a village? Even though there are many tranquil corners and parks in the capital, the metropolis can hardly be described as a small town. Nevertheless, in the middle of the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf district lies a settlement that philosopher Ludwig Marcuse describes as a “light Berlin village with childishly simple streets and houses.” He is referring to the Eichkamp settlement. It is considered one of the most important examples of reform-oriented housing construction in the 1920s.
A village in the middle of the metropolis
Grunewald. Photo: Shutterstock
The concept behind the Eichkamp housing estate was based on the garden city idea. The aim was to create affordable housing for the middle class and small civil servants – a dream that many Berliners still have today. Each house had its own garden for self-sufficiency.
The architects could hardly have chosen a better location. The settlement was built on the edge of the Grunewald forest and in the immediate vicinity of the exhibition grounds. It is hidden away, yet still in the middle of the city.
Between 1918 and 1929, renowned architects such as Max and Bruno Taut and Martin Wagner designed the Eichkamp settlement, which is now a real gem in Berlin. Architecturally, the settlement attracts attention with its functional modernism, clean lines, and functional floor plans, which were considered revolutionary at the time.
Club life with an eventful history
Photo: Unsplash
The settlement looks back on an eventful history. Eichkamp is historically known as a place of residence for the “intelligentsia”: numerous writers, artists, and scientists such as Arnold Zweig and Ludwig Meidner lived here. In the 1930s, more than seventy houses in Eichkamp were home to citizens who were persecuted as Jews. Many of them were able to flee in time. Today, numerous stumbling stones in front of the houses still commemorate the intellectual resistance.
Today, the Eichkamp Residents’ Association offers various events. Almost half of all residents are members! Together, the neighbors organize courses, concerts, and café afternoons. Everyone is welcome, whether they are newcomers or long-time residents. So there is still a bit of a village feeling —even in a metropolis like Berlin.