Postamtle Landesamt
Achtung! This building has been knocked down and destroyed, sacrificed like many others for the greater good of somebody’s pocket. Dit is Berlin. The post below from 2011 shall stand as an homage to this wonderful Landesamt.
Abandoned local government
Every window sealed, every door locked, until we went around again. Back to the first door. I* noticed just one bolt and the handle missing. I gave a gentle pull, a more persistent one, followed by a convincing tug. The doors swung open, we were in!
We didn’t know what it was, but we were about to find out. Quickly closing the doors behind us, we hurried away from the exposed entrance to the corridor to the left. Darkness awaited, but we made our way along, systematically opening doors left and right as we went, stumbling into a world of discarded office junk and neglected shit no longer wanted.
Jackets, chairs, desks, drawers, phones, files, tires, a Bon Jovi poster(!), spanners, other tools, a huge discarded German flag, a wheelbarrow, even a bicycle! What the fuck was this place?!
Turns out it was the Landesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten Kraftfahrzeugzulassungsbehörde Berlin Lichtenberg – to give it its full title, which no doubt its workers used to take sadistic pleasure in doing every time they picked up the phone.
From a limited amount of research, enthusiasm dwindled by a lack of Stasi or Nazi involvement, I ascertained this was up to quite recently Lichtenberg’s regional government authority, where vehicles were registered, foreigners tracked (there were a lot of offices dedicated to Ausländers), and from where the local population was generally annoyed and controlled accordingly with great mountains of bullshit letters and pointless correspondence. They now operate in Friedrichstraße, from where they terrorize the Lichtenbergers with less likelihood of them calling in.
The electricity was still running – lights worked when switched on – but the water was switched off. Offices above the ground were either locked or bare, suggesting they may come back to gut the bottom rooms, or they simply got bored and gave up before they were finished.
We were trying to get into the Stasi Prison when we found this place today. (Yes I know there are tours and you don’t have to sneak in. We wanted to see the bits they don’t want to show tourists.)
On our way, we also stumbled across a GDR (or shortly thereafter) industrial park where they used to wash and spray cars, make road signs for motorways, and where the buildings were made of absolute shite.
They were smashed to smithereens, outside walls too, with the vandals betraying the prefabricated buildings’ utterly lamentable lack of brick.
An oul fart walking his dog stopped and came back for a closer look when he saw us poking around outside the fence. He was probably an old Stasi guard – habits die hard – with nothing better to do with his time than be pedantic. At least I hope he was. I’d hate to think he was normal. Even his dog was tugging at his leash in embarrassment. “Come on for feck’s sake,” he was probably barking to himself. An Irish dog, apparently.
LOCATION AND ACCESS (HOW TO FIND GUIDE)
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What: Former Lichtenberg local government offices, responsible for making sure all its citizens’ cars were properly registered, all the pesky foreigners kept in line, everybody appropriately bothered with enough inane paperwork to justify its own existence. It was so successful, all its officials were duly moved to a more fashionable address in the centre of Berlin.
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Where: Ferdinand-Schultze-Straße 55, 13055 Berlin, Germany.
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How to get there: Get the tram to Freienwalderstraße, walk down towards the Stasi prison and go around to the right of that. The industrial park will be in front of you, and the Landesamt is behind that. You’ll see the top of it poking above the trees.
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Getting in: Hop the fence. Watch out for nosy codgers with nothing better to do with their time. Having said that, we just ignored your man in the end.
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When to go: Whenever is fine. Although the electricity is running, I don’t think there’s active security – although I may be wrong!
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Difficulty rating: 2/10. Quite easy actually, once you get there, and once you find the door with the dodgy lock.
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Who to bring: Whoever. Go on your own if you like being spooked out.
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What to bring: Camera as always. A torch for the dark corners. Quiet soles – just in case!
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Dangers: No major dangers as far as I* can see, but as always, be careful, keep your eyes peeled and watch out for nosy neighbors.
*I does not neccessarily refer to me or anyone who goes by that name or any other. It’s about as reliable as I before E except after C and its many exceptions that disprove the rule. There are no rules. I can be or mean anything.
Photos (2011)
Filed 18/5/2011
Dreaded officialdom
Zambian Embassy
Berlin’s “lion on the loose” has holed up at the abandoned Zambian embassy. She’s seeking asylum from the CDU. AB got an exclusive interview.
Buzludzha!
A strange UFO perches on a mountaintop in deepest darkest Bulgaria. Buzludzha, the country’s former communist party HQ, has to be seen to be believed.
Iraqi embassy
They must have just left the Iraqi Embassy to the DDR with no notice. “We’re leaving. Pack your bags and get out!” The party at Saddam’s house was over.
Is this still open? I’m going back to Berlin in 2 weeks?
You’re not sure if you’re coming back to Berlin? 😉 I don’t know if this is still accessible or not. To be honest, there are more interesting places to go to.
Haha I am, I’m there 19/23 december. Yes I know we went to Colossus and Spree Park already this year. I was thinking of the Panzer Kaserne. First ’bout Krampnitz but that please is getting sealed up. What do u recommened?
Go to Krampnitz before it’s gone. Vogelsang too. Wünsdorf-Waldstadt is huge. You’re here four days – pick two and go with them. You’ll be too hungover to do much more…
still there?
Update as of June 2014:
the building is a bit difficult to find. At the address above there are other buildings still in use. To find the place you need to take the Schleizer Strasse and from there find a way to enter. Use the door at the back of the building.
Once in the building it is impressive how many things are left in the basement; It seems people left from one minute to the other or will come back as usual on Monday to work! The other floors are all empty. As mentioned by the Irish Berliner, there are definitely more interesting places to see.
There seems to be some security on the site, a man walking around.
Checked the enclosed side of the buildings L shape (pulled reasonably hard, perhaps not hard enough) on the stasi museum side, the outside of the L, it had chains… imgur.com/1zLfcQU
I guess that building is an office again? Google says “Kfz Zulassungsstelle”. Confused.
Maximilian. You went there I guess just now. What is the real situation now? Thanks
Ooops. Yes, it was a Zulassungsstelle. Overread it somehow. Thanks. All fine 🙂
We went today. No Scurity in sight around hour 16. Like Maximilian Keatinge said, main entrances are closed but there are two emergency stairways outside the building. The one located south, had an open door at the fourth(if remembered correctly) floor. To get on the stairway, some climbing is required. Nothing difficult.
someone was there last time and can say me if it is worth a visit?
This place is absolutely amazing, I’m surprised more people aren’t commenting about it on here.
Getting in for me was a bit confusing and tricky. At first I came from the wrong side and could see no possible way of hopping fences. (I came from the side with the new government buildings and car inspection place-east side) Instead, you need to come from the west side. You need to walk down Lichtenauer Str. until you come to the apartment complex, keep walking down, and then there is a really short brick fence to hop over. Very easy.
Once in, just try the different doors. I don’t want to spoil it, but I promise at least one will be open. Probably the front door. But if not, you can get into one of the fire escapes and try a door in there. Trust me, you will find a way. ��
Once in this place is incredible! A lot to explore. The top floors are pretty much empty of objects but the bottom ones actually still have a lot of stuff there, like the people just left! Found calendars hanging up from 2001. Surreal.
I highly recommend seeing this place!
Its still accesible. I dont know the street but if youre at the T-road to the Stasi prison you can go left to the prison and right to what it seems to be a dead end road next to some houses. If you walk to the end of this road there is a small brick wall barricaded by 2 wooden planks (to the left) which u can easily move because theyre not stuck. Hop over the wall and then u have to climb over a larger wall. Once in there is a door which is still open. You have to figure out for yourself which one that is, doesnt look like the place has been touched. Recommend this place!
Was there a couple of weeks ago with the help of Kwamer’s comment. Neighbors are very nosy so watch out. Climbing over the 2nd larger wall requires some effort. Tried all doors but none were open (including fire exit) so was unable to enter. Curiously one door opened slightly but was being held close by some kind of bicycle lock contraption. On 2nd attempt at this door, the door didn’t nudge open at all. Mysterious…