West Berlin Streamlines Its Appearance

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27999, 20 June 1956, Page 10

West Berlin Streamlines Its Appearance

(From a Reuter Correspondent)

•BERLIN. West Berlin, slowly recovering from war-time devastation, is steadily streamlining its appearance. The latest transformation is taking place in the Hansa quarter, home of the former capital’s diplomatic colony. Under a big new housing project now under way, many well-known squares and street corners are changing then appearance almost beyond recognition Preservation of the few architectural beauties spared by the bombs has not been the responsibility of West Berlin town planners, because such buildings are mainly situated in the centre of the old city and the imperial suburb of Potsdam, both now under Communist East German administration.

Modern architects have, therefore, been free to give rein to their imagination without fear of spoiling traditional perspectives. The result is a not unpleasing variety in the many rebuilt streets, where flat-roofed “living machines’’ hold their own between stuccoed memorials to the Wilhelmine style of 50 years ago. Some people, however, who prefer uniformity of style, would prefer to see whole streets completely rebuilt. In the political division of Berlin, its best-known avenue, Unter den Linden, together with the centre of the city, went to the Communists, so that West Berlin’s social and business life had to find a new centre. The natural choice was the Kurfuerstendamm, a two-mile long avenue of fashionable shops, restaurants, hotels, cinemas and theatres.

Its noisy, cumbersome trams have been banished, as from many other West Berlin streets, and the tramlines replaced by car parks and flower beds down the centre strip. Attractive modern lighting, installed during the last year, completes the transformation of this avenue into West Berlin’s smartest thoroughfare. It is agreeably lined with full-grown trees, and has broad pavements on which the cafe proprietors place their

tables in all but the coldest winter weather—since they mitigate chilliness with awnings and infra-red heaters.

Several of West Berlin’s new build ings have the proportions of small skyscrapers compared with former building practice in this city of sandy foundations. But none yet exceeds 18 storeys. One such semi-skyscraper, being built for an insurance company, showed signs of leaning during construction. The architect, however, was insured against such a mishap—with the company which had commissioned the building. The impression of West Berlin’s growing modernity given by these buildings is increased when the visitor looks at the Eastern sector. Here the Communist Government has opposed modern Western styles on principle, and apart from Stalin Allee and the large Soviet Embassy on Unter den Linden, there is little to catch the eye. The State Opera House has been faithfully restored after almost total destruction during the war. and repairs to the red-brick neo-Gothic City Hall and the Catholic cathedral are still being made. The Protestant cathedral remains a burned-out shell. East Germans argue that West Berlin’s extravagant neon lighting, modern trams and buses, and sleek limousine taxis are not true signs of economic prosperity any more than the erection of big bank buildings necessarily indicates the well-being of the masses.

Nonetheless. West Berliners of all classes are proud that their part of the city no longer resembles a battlefield, and are generally saddened by the drab state of East Berlin.