Hohenschönhausen refugee homes
A worn-out welcome
Hidden behind tall trees in a neglected part of Berlin are the refugee homes Germany has forgotten about. Locals pretend they don’t exist, passers-by look the other way, trams scoot past as quickly as possible, and even birds and squirrels stay away.
There are hundreds of them in nine massive blocks six stories high, reaching for the sky but getting nowhere, no escape. Empty rooms devoid of windows are home to nobody, with hollow corridors bringing no one there.
The “Wohnheime für Asylbewerber” were standing vacant in this part of Hohenschönhausen during the height of the refugee “crisis” in 2015 and 2016, when refugees arriving in Berlin from war and atrocity were being forced to wait without end for numbers to be called at the LaGeSo registration center. Many were then shunted out to places like Chemnitz and Heidenau to be greeted by Nazi-welcome committees.
Perhaps it’s apt that the Hohenschönhausen refugee homes are currently surrounded by AfD Nazi party posters for the local elections next month. It’s probably why the birds and squirrels stay away. But the AfD need not fear – these refugee homes have been abandoned since 2002.
They were built in the early 1980s to house construction workers, mostly from Vietnam and Cuba, who were invited as “guest workers” to build the DDR. Someone had to do it. These were among the workers that both Germanys – East and West – invited under the assumption they would simply head home again once the job was done, not realizing that the workers would feel at home by the time the job was done.
I guess there was no need to build the DDR once the country ceased to exist. The workers’ homes became refugee homes in the early 1990s, catering for those fleeing the Balkan conflicts, among others.
There were other nationalities, too. A report in the Berliner Zeitung from 1998 told of a Vietnamese man who was stabbed several times in the chest and back. The Polizei assumed it had been a row among cigarette dealers.Several homeless died here in recent years. It’s not a happy place.
On my first visit in 2015, I was roaming down a corridor when I stumbled upon a blood-splattered door with a long streak of congealed blood underneath a skylight on the top floor. Perhaps it was strawberry jam. I opened a door to one room and banged it against a bed-frame with a duvet. I didn’t wait to see if the occupant was in, but left straight away with a deep feeling of shame for the intrusion.
Homeless used to use the buildings for a bit of shelter until it was taken away from them. Developers who’ve had their beady eyes on the site for years cleared it of all the rubbish and removed all the already-smashed windows and door frames, leaving even less protection against the cold wind rushing through.
The developers aim to convert the homes into fancy apartments for occupants who’ll have more money than homeless or people escaping war and poverty. There was talk of 600 to 650 Wohnungen when Lakis GmbH owned the buildings. But bureaucratic hindrances from Bezirksamt Lichtenberg halted that project.
The site has changed hands between various developers who all want the same thing, with the number of apartments increasing with every change. The latest owners, municipal housing company Howoge and private developer Belle Epoque, plan on building over 2,000 apartments, along with a school, Kita and playing pitches. Who knows if they’ll ever be built.
As of now, there’s nothing but the great hulking shells of the old refugee homes, still standing silently, their progress halted by bureaucracy and other unforeseen hindrances. It really is a refugee’s welcome.
LOCATION AND ACCESS (HOW TO FIND GUIDE)
What: Former refugee homes in Hohenschönhausen, abandoned in 2002, used only by homeless people and practicing street artists since, though the developers are also lurking.
Where: Gehrenseestraße 1-2, Wartenberger Straße 4-10 and Wollenberger Straße 3-9, 13053 Berlin, Germany.How to get there: Take your bike. It’s not far and you might stumble across other curiosities on your way. Hohenschönhausen gets poor press but it’s an interesting part of Berlin. The Stasi prison is nearby, another reminder not to repeat mistakes of the past, and very much worth a visit. Here’s a map to show you where it is.
Getting in: The fence is surmountable in several places with varying degrees of difficulty. There’s a secluded area behind the Jet petrol station on Rhinstraße where you’ll be able to get past the trees and hop over the fence without worrying about nosy passers-by.
When to go: Daytime is recommended to avoid injury. It’s not the safest site to wander.
Difficulty rating: 2/10. Not too hard. Just squeeze in through a hole in fence and you’re in.
Who to bring: Bring a friend or two – just in case.
What to bring: Beer, wine, whiskey and other spirits. Make sure they’re good ones. Bring something to drink if you’re thirsty, a torch and camera.
Dangers: Heights. Be careful where you step so you don’t fall off the sixth floor to your death below. There are also holes in the ground in places, and not everything you touch is safe. Be careful! At least you don’t need to worry about security – it’s not the kind of place people normally want to go to.
Filed 15/12/2019 | Updated 11/3/2023