Tränenpalast

Palace of Tears is the colloquial name in Berlin slang for the former departure hall of the border crossing station Friedrichstrasse in the divided city of Berlin between 1961 and 1989. It is located within the former eastern part of Berlin in the historic quarter Dorotheenstadt of the district center. From here you could leave the S-, U - or long-distance train from East Germany to West Berlin.

The term Tränenpalast derives from the fact that most East German citizens during the period had no freedom to travel to West Berlin and had to say goodbye with tears their Western visitors here.

In the Palace of Tears were the control and check-in counter of the border troops of the GDR.

History

The building planned by the architect Horst Lüderitz; the border crossing point separated the station area with its entry and exit flows about a year after the Wall was built. The client was DR ( Design and Survey Office, group building the DR). Architecturally should be linked with a cantilevered steel and glass construction and ceramic tiles to the standards of contemporary international architecture and the actual function to be obfuscated. The access was only permitted for passengers of S-, U - or long-distance train; Tickets could be purchased at the Palace of Tears on the platforms (in DM West), according to information board. A sale of tickets for destinations in West Berlin or West Germany ( italics original GDR ) was, however, at the counters of urban transport capital Berlin and the DR ( in Mark East).

Border clearance

After the persons departing had been placed in a queue in front of the Palace of Tears, they were " preflighting " at the entrance of the building, usually by two people police inspected visually on presentation of their identity card or passport and the visa. At this door control so-called Unauthorized were rejected ( members of the emigrants, for example ). There was a storage area before the actual checkpoint.

In building a stairway led down to the customs check. Here was placed on the left and right of the main path, an open check-in counter at the front of the hall. The export of GDR currency in the West was forbidden, so had possibly leftover money (often amounts under ten marks ) to be deposited before the customs control in a special account at a branch of the State Bank ( this money could be raised when re- entering again ). Furthermore, the export regulations for goods had to be considered, the goods carried (often purchased by the mandatory exchange books) previously had to be entered in a customs export declaration. Here travel bags and suitcases were often searched.

After the customs check was the actual control of travel documents. For this purpose, were in the back of the hall about ten juxtaposed check-in counter. They were built of square steel tube and covered with Sprelacart plates. Next to each passage to light fields were for the separation of persons departing in "citizen of Berlin ( West) ", " citizens of the Federal Republic of Germany ", " GDR citizens " and " citizens of other States." Here then was the detailed inspection of passports or identity cards and visas. After the " handling" a door was opened shortly by buzzer and the reserved for the western traffic part of the station Friedrichstrasse could be entered.

Here were driving opportunities in the western part of Berlin with the metro in the direction of Wedding, Tegel and Kreuzberg, Tempelhof, Marie village as well as the S -Bahn to Zoologischer Garten, Wannsee ( west ), fresh spring, Frohnau, Heiligensee ( north ) and Anhalt Station, Schoeneberg, Zehlendorf, lights, Lichtenrade ( south ). In addition, the remote platform could be achieved. The timetables of the U- and S-Bahn were adapted to the regular opening times of the border crossing point, the last trains ran at night against two clock. Belated those leaving had to stay in special rooms to first train the next morning in the Friedrichstrasse station.

The entry to East Berlin took place on the station premises of the station Friedrichstrasse, not on the Palace of Tears. Unlike other border crossing points of this border crossing was open to all nationalities, not just for West Berlin ( which were not considered in the GDR as a citizen of the Federal Republic of Germany ), but at the same time for FRG citizens and foreigners ( both socialist and non- socialist abroad). For foreigners there were alternatively only the transition Checkpoint Charlie also in the Friedrichstrasse. For these " citizens of other states ," the transition was always open day and night; so they could as opposed to " citizens of West Berlin " and " citizens of the Federal Republic of Germany " after departure - which was to be at least 24 clock - after 0 clock to enter in again. For all other citizens were limitations, the transition point was not opened permanently. For West Berlin was about in the 1980s, an extension to 2 clock early. Such was the palace of tears for many " citizens of other states " a permanent transit site which had to be passed at midnight. The departure had to be done at the same border crossing such as the entry. West Berlin had the desired transition point already when applying for entry into the offices for visit and travel needs indicate.

Since this border crossing point was in the middle of East Berlin territory and could only be reached by U-, S- or long-distance train, the possibilities for continuous checks on the West Berlin side were severely limited. The nearest S- and U -Bahn stations on the West Berlin area were randomly bestreift, especially by Western customs officers were searching the duty-free and tax-free liquor and cigarettes acquired by larger amounts of Intershop. For the GDR here showed the ability to easily deport foreigners in the West (eg asylum seekers).

Use after reunification

An existing connection was originally going to the Friedrichstrasse station was removed after the opening of the border in 1990. After the reunification in 1991 from the former Palace of Tears an eponymous club with different cultural events ( disco, cabaret and other live events). In 1993 the building was declared a National Monument. The club had to be closed in July 2006, as the Berlin Senate has sold the property. For the future, a cultural use was prescribed.

On the surrounding land - bounded by the Friedrichstrasse, Reichstag shore and the Friedrichstrasse station - was an office complex, called " Spreedreieck ". The circumstances of the land sale to the investor should be clarified by a parliamentary committee of the Berlin House of Representatives.

Use since September 2011

In November 2008, it has been written with the " continuation of the memorial concept of the Federation ", the use of the building as a memorial and exhibition space. After extensive remodeling and renovation work, the Foundation House provides the history of the Federal Republic of Germany since the 15th September 2011 at the listed Tränenpalast the permanent exhibition " peak experiences. Everyday to the division of Germany ". Admission is free. With biographical examples, original artifacts and interviews with witnesses it illustrates to 550 square meters of exhibition life in the face of division and border. It also shows the most important stages in the merging process. As an exhibition objects are used, for example, original and reconstructed clearance cabins as they were in the Palace of Tears in use, as well as a 1:87 scale model that the entry and exit movements throughout the facility - consisting of Palace of Tears and the Friedrichstrasse station - illustrated. The exhibition was opened by German Chancellor Angela Merkel on 14 September 2011. In the first two weeks after its opening it has already been visited by more than 30,000 visitors.

A lease with the Bonner Foundation Museum of the History of the Federal Republic of Germany was completed in January 2010, over 20 years.

• Original signs and signposts in the Palace of Tears