Liepnitzsee

The part belonging to Wandlitzer Lake District Liepnitzsee located eight kilometers north of Berlin city limits in the field of city Bernau near Berlin and is one of the cleanest lakes in Brandenburg. The lake fills a bifurcated glacial trough, which runs on the Grundmoränenplateau the Barnim. His greatest extent reached the lake in east-west direction.

The lake

Origin, location and name origin

The lake is a legacy of the Weichsel ice age and is in a trough, which is surrounded by up to 30 meters high end moraines. Even in the 18th century, it was in the northeast area bigger and wider and in this bulge also was an island. In the 19th century established a silting here, whereby the smaller island disappeared and today represents a land connection with the shore areas. The lake area is partitioned off today Seechen west of the hamlet Ützdorf. Liepnitz is from the Slavic word Lipna ( German: Linde ) have been derived by earlier settlers. It can be concluded that at least should have been in the riparian areas on the northern and eastern edge predominantly Linden.

Nature of the lake and its surroundings

The clear waters with visibility up to 5 meters is home for various species of fish such as eels, pike, roach, whitefish, even for crabs and waterfowl such as grebes, ducks, swans, coots and herons. To maintain the diverse animal and plant life no motor boats are allowed on the lake up to a diesel-powered ferry.

The main source of the lake is located in the north-west, but also from marshy meadows in the south and east of the lake receives little inlet. The water enters through a small drain in Ützdorf by the upper lake and the Hellsee at Lanke on the Hellmühler flow at Biesenthal in the Finow flow. This establishes a connection over the Old Finow in the Finowkanal at Finowfurt. Between the Liepnitz and the Wandlitzer See the North Sea and Baltic Sea watershed runs. Unlike the Wandlitzer See the water of Liepnitzsees thus does not flow over the Havel and Elbe into the North Sea, but over the Oder into the Baltic Sea.

The pre- human colonization of natural mixed forests with beech, sessile oak and pine and alder trees on the banks were partly the medieval grubbing victim, partially was decimated by overexploitation. Afforestation was then mostly pine, so that a silting occurred and instead of alder swamps to grasslands could spread. Some larch, birch and oak trees were also planted in the Middle Ages. The oldest oak tree was placed in the 20th century under protection (photo). This was the extent undermined, however, in 2010 that forest people they had to make in the spring of 2011, as they posed a threat.

On the hills of glacial moraines around the lake a paved forest road was built in the 1960s, which is also often used by cyclists. Here you can walk around the lake at about 8 km in length once fully, with Ützdorf must be passed through. Situated on the shores A marked hiking trail around the lake, which is interrupted at a renatured around 1995 bank area on the north side. A mixed forest of pine, beech, oak, alder and some spruce trees surrounding the lake today. On a scale around 1980 nature trail is still so much left to discover about the flora and fauna. The path has not been maintained, and has so little yet to be discovered (status 2010).

The land use plan of the city Bernau bei Berlin, the forest area falls to the lake in their responsibility, has the EU under number DE 3246-303 FFH areas beech forests on Liepnitzsee with typical beech trees, peat forests, eutrophic lakes and transitional and quaking bogs.

The island

The 34 -acre island of Great Werder, which can be achieved ( east and west of Ützdorf landing ) on a seasonal ferry, is under the management of Wandlitz, property rights since October 19, 1914 There are, however, in the city of Berlin, which they at that time to a purchase price of approximately 20,000 gold marks by Count Rederns acquired. On the island became established in the 1920s, a campground, has continued to expand and in 1990 had 250 pitches, most of which were used by permanent campers. To supply the campers with the essentials of the owners approved in addition to the already existing since the 18th century farmstead of the Nicholas family to build a small fixed property on the northern tip of the island. A bungalow was the islanders -Klause, another building used as a warehouse and boat house for a ferry and in another house lives in the summer months, the ferryman family. After the reunification of Germany in 1990, there was the continued use of the campsite significant problems, since in many ways not now applicable Federal German regulations were adhered to: it lacked, among other common sanitary facilities, laundry, night lighting on the trails, access for emergency vehicles, etc. The campers affected formed the community of interests campers Liepnitzsee eV ( ICL), registered under the number VR 03 /90 at the District Court Bernau. They were from the year 2000, due to the promised improvements, achieve a set of ten years Reusing than natural campsite for a maximum of 99 places. It seems that the use has already been extended, because the ICL operates the seasonal campground continue. She cares beyond during the season to be kept clean, garbage disposal and more. For visitors to the island, the sandy south beach of the island enjoys a popular swimming ( without supervision ), where nudist and textile use are simply mixed.

The highest elevation on the island is 73 m above sea level. NN. By finds of stone chisels, a stone ax, urn sherds and fire earth the prehistoric archaeological use is secured.

Use of the shore region of the lake

First, there was a remote forest house in the 19th century between the Bernauer forest and the lake. Then the private man Wilhelm Schmidt was under an authorization granted liquor license in a bay directly on the southwestern shore build an inn until 1910 ( Liepnitz - Schmidt). The trippers and hikers were rentable fishing huts on webs, boat rentals and a bowling alley, a small game reserve and a sun terrace were the attractions. The hotel was abandoned by its operators at the occupation by the Soviet Army in 1945, after two years it took destructive and 1947 finally put on fire. After the brick building was razed to the ground, and settlers had carried away some useful building material, the remains were filled in the early 1960s. The nature won now large areas back, a small piece of paved road are attentive walkers still a hint.

In this bay is located on the north bank opposite a swimming area with a thatched building, in particular, but served their children to recover the inhabitants of the nearby forest settlement, including the important politicians of the GDR. As of 1992, it was converted into a public forest pool, which is designed for a capacity of 1500 guests visitors. The building is used by the lifeguards and at the same boathouse for the borrowed canoes, rowboats or pedal boats.

A little known fact is the use of Liepnitzsees for drinking water supply of forest settlement. For the residential buildings of the East German politician was pumped down to about 5 feet of water in the southern sea area water and passed through a pipe with filters and sliders ( pumping station on the slope ) up to the settlement. After the fall of the line was probably shut down, but the buildings are still preserved and also closed in 2010.

The above -mentioned forest, cycling and hiking in the hills around the lake was east, about one kilometer from Ützdorf, in 2009, a protective and party hut. The protected with a log cabin -like roof bar tables, benches and a fire pit allow picnics larger migrant groups. A special eye-catcher is a long tree trunk from which the top half is a whole wild boar group was carved out.

In the eastern bay extends along two roads, the settlement area Ützdorf that belongs to Lanke, which in turn is a district of the greater community Wandlitz. A hotel hunter home and a youth hostel offer recreation and rest stops for hikers. Northwest of Ützdorf lies between the forest and the shore Liepnitzsee a small garden area, on the edge hides the Seechen.

Above the ferry pier located on the northeastern shore has since the 1990s At the campsite Liepnitzsee developed, operated and privately holds also pitches for caravans and two holiday room. It covers an area of 6 hectares and is open between March and October. ADAC has tested the state, the service and the beach campsite in 2010 and included it in his camping guide.

Others

In the bay before Ützdorf a Focke- Wulf Fw 190 is located at the bottom of Liepnitzsees. The fighter crashed at the end of 1944 from the said location.