7

… he who digs in the after-work hours and spends his holidays … (Erich Weinert)

When the allotments at the Bornholmer Strasse were founded, it was plain hunger that forced the citizens of Berlin into self-supply. Without prior consultation they took over the area on top of a landfill in 1896 and set up the first small gardens for potatoes, vegetables and chicken. When the Paul Gerhardt Church was built in 1908 the spoil was brought here and scattered unevenly over the terrain; until today differences of up to one meter can be noticed.
In 1919 the garden colony was finally registered at the district court under the name “Hungriger Wolf” (Hungry Wolf) and a garden café completed the activities in the Golden Twenties.
After the bombing of World War II, the well of the colony became the water supply for the entire, severely destroyed quarter. Due to the erection of the Berlin Wall the gardens fell into oblivion. The possession of ladders was no longer permitted so close to the border due to the flight risk – imaging the challenge this posed for the fruit harvest!
Fortunately, this is history. Today the cherries blossom not only in “Bornholm” but also along the Kirschbaumallee (Cherry tree alley). Out of joy about the fall of the wall and the reunification Japanese citizens after a generous donation campaign provided Japanese Lowering Cherries that were planted along the course of the wall.