The wave pools, which once provided Berliners with unforgettable leisure experiences, have been through a lot over the years. While the wave pool at Spreewaldplatz has been closed since 2023 and is not expected to reopen until 2028 following extensive renovation work, the future of another legendary aquatic paradise looks even bleaker. The former Sports and Recreation Center (SEZ) in Berlin-Friedrichshain was once one of the most famous recreational venues in the GDR and attracted numerous visitors. Today, this former crowd-pleaser stands largely empty and is even threatened with complete demolition.
When it opened on March 20, 1981, it was considered one of the most modern and extraordinary sports and recreation centers in East Germany. Millions of people came here to swim, ice skate, bowl, or relax in the sauna. Today, 45 years later, the former prestige project at Landsberger Allee 77 stands largely empty. Instead of a wave pool, ice rink, and well-attended sports facilities, construction fences, decay, and a long-standing dispute over the building’s future now dominate the scene.
The history of the SEZ took a particularly unusual turn in 2003. At that time, the State of Berlin sold the building complex to private investor Rainer Löhnitz for the symbolic price of one euro. The sale was accompanied by the expectation that the facility would be revitalized and made operational as a swimming pool. However, a full reopening of the original water park never materialized. Instead, individual areas were used intermittently for bowling, badminton, table tennis, and other sports activities. Later, smaller swimming and sauna areas as well as events were added. However, the facility was never able to match the size and popularity of the original SEZ.
In 2026, the debate over the SEZ’s future intensified further. Protected animal species or their habitats were suspected or confirmed to be present on the site, which could be endangered by demolition. In August 2026, it briefly seemed that a different outcome might be possible. The state-owned housing authority WBM revised its previous demolition plans and withdrew an earlier call for bids. This temporarily raised hopes that at least parts of the historic building complex might be preserved. On September 21, 2026, however, a new bidding process for the complete demolition was announced. The new call for bids covers both the remediation of hazardous materials and the demolition of the entire building complex, including the outdoor facilities.
According to the published schedule, work is set to begin on March 15, 2027, and be completed by October 31, 2028. The application deadline for the bidding process was October 22, 2026, at 10 a.m. However, the call for bids does not yet mean that the demolition has been definitively commissioned. The future of the former GDR amusement park therefore remains controversial.
