Chapter 5
The National Socialists used the historic ambience of Wilhelmsaue as a setting for their political propaganda in public spaces. The former village center of Wilmersdorf was closer to them than the modern and cosmopolitan districts on Kurfürstendamm.
Even before 1933, the party gathered at the garden restaurant Viktoriagarten on Wilhelmsaue. In 1933, the so-called „Schlageter Stein“ was unveiled on Wilhelmsaue, glorifying the National Socialist Leo Albert Schlageter, who was executed in 1923.
During the National Socialist era, the district office housed cultural and youth facilities within the Schoeler Schlösschen. In December 1935, the boys from the „Hitlerjugend Bann 37” moved into the newly extended second floor. The „Hitlerjugend“ wore uniforms and was organized along military lines. After 1933, it became the only legally existing youth organization and was of central importance for state-organized education in National Socialism.
When Berlin celebrated its 700th anniversary in the summer of 1937, the Wilmersdorf festivities took place at the Wilhelmsaue and the Schoeler Schlösschen. The SA’s music corps performed in the park, playing marching music for an enthusiastic audience.
At the same time, the district’s local history exhibition „Heimatschau“ opened on the ground floor, which was expanded once again in the summer of 1937. Its contents were easily compatible with National Socialist ideology.
In marching step, after 1935
The picture shows uniformed children from the Wilmersdorf “Hitlerjugend” marching in step in Hindenburgpark (now Volkspark Wilmersdorf) behind Schoeler Schlösschen.
Museum Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf
View of the garden after the addition of another story, after 1935
While the „Bund Deutscher Mädel“ held their “afternoon gatherings” at Wilhelmsaue 122/123, the boys were assigned the Schoeler Schlösschen as their „home“.
Museum Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf
Room view of the „Heimatschau“, 1937
The volunteer initiator and curator of the local history exhibition was Erich Jänichen, a teacher from Schmargendorf, who was appointed archivist of Wilmersdorf in 1937. The „Heimatschau“ displayed archaeological finds from Wilmersdorf, works by Wilmersdorf artists, and historical objects.
Museum Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf
Fragment of the handrail from the 1930s
The baroque staircase from the 18th century did not lead up to the attic. It ended halfway up in a kind of gallery. When the second floor was added to the Schoeler Schlösschen in 1934, a new staircase was installed in the right side of the house.
Stairwell with the sign pointing to the “public library,” around 1940
After the Schoeler Schlösschen was transferred to municipal ownership, the youth welfare office took over its use. A public library was set up on the first floor, and several rooms in the basement were made available for the „Heimatschau“.
Photo: Berlin State Monuments Office
Silva overview map with the new district boundaries of 1920
Wilmersdorf was hardly suitable as a summer destination anymore. Those who wanted to visit the countryside now had to travel to Halensee or Grunewald. Between 1926 and 1930, the so-called Schrammblock, a residential complex with an underground car park, was built on the former site of Schramm’s restaurant.
Site plan and building line plan from 1934
From 1930 onwards, the non-profit housing association Heimstätten-Siedlung Berlin-Wilmersdorf built apartment blocks with 290 small apartments, in order to ease the housing shortage. The garden design was carried out by Wilmersdorf’s director of landscaping, Richard Thieme. The aim of his design was to preserve the old tree population.
Museum Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf
Plan to add a second floor, after 1930
There was a shortage of suitable „homes“ for the „Hitlerjugend“ in Berlin. By adding a second floor to the Schoeler Schlösschen in 1934/35, space was created for this purpose.
Bauaktenarchiv
Baroque house with additional floor
Local politicians argued that the baroque building was barely visible due to the surrounding new buildings. Only the addition of a second floor would allow the house to be fully appreciated again. All outbuildings were demolished and the entrances were redesigned in a baroque style.