Historic site on the outskirts of Berlin
The island of Schwanenwerder
Between past and present
There is no doubt that Schwanenwerder – first mentioned in documents as “Sandwerder” in 1704 and only gradually developed as a villa colony in modern times – is caught between past and present. Several steles with memorial plaques at the entrance to the village are a vivid reminder of the sometimes ambivalent history of the last century and are well worth a visit. Prominent National Socialists such as Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels and Adolf Hitler’s personal physician had made Schwanenwerder their private residence, while Jewish owners of villas and properties were expropriated and expelled. Schwanenwerder was spared substantial destruction during the Second World War. After 1945, the ownership structure was reorganized and the modern infrastructural and architectural development of the island made long-term progress.
The fact that today – precisely at this location – our Protestant Educational Center is a conference center for togetherness and dialogue does not make the historical ambivalence unforgettable, but it does give the present important social accents. Because this is where people come together in a religious, social, scientific or cultural context, united by a mission statement characterized by openness to the world, humanity and diversity.
The island of Schwanenwerder
Publications
For conference guests who are interested in the history of Schwanenwerder Island in greater depth, we recommend the following publications:
- Georg Schertz, Schwanenwerder. An island in the reflection of history. In: Berlin in past and present. Ed. v. Klaus Dettmer. Yearbook of the State Archives, Berlin 2005.
The Protestant educational center
From wasteland to parkland
The lamp manufacturer Friedrich Wilhelm Wessel, like many of his peers at the time, seized on the spectacular trend of founding a villa colony and acquired the “Cladower Sandwerder” from the manor owner Hugo von Platen zu Sophienwalde in 1882. At that time, it was a wasteland densely overgrown with billets. He developed the island in the hope of financial gain, but this was only granted to his heirs, the “Wessel-Erben-Gemeinschaft”, a generation later, after decades of development work.
This former country house of the Wessel-Erben-Gemeinschaft (Inselstraße 27/28 – until 1913) was completely renovated in 1914 by the new owner, Dr. Ewald Mosler, and largely rebuilt as a new building. At the same time, a boat harbor and jetty were built.
The garden park was created in the 1920s by the architect Ludwig Lesser. Mrs. Mosler had the property extensively renovated and “winterized” once again in 1947. She sold the entire property to the Provinzial-Ausschuss für Innere Mission in the Province of Brandenburg. The property was then transferred to the Wichernwerk e.V. association in 1948 and to the Theodor Wenzel Werk in 1955.
Picture impressions
Impressions of the surroundings
Here you will find impressions of the beautiful surroundings of our Protestant Educational Center on Schwanenwerder. Please click to continue.
The protestant educational center on schwanenwerder: HISTORY.
From pastoral college to educational institution
In 1962, the Berlin Synodal Association acquired the property and used it as a pastoral college. The Evangelical Church in Berlin-West and later Berlin-Brandenburg has been the owner since 1980. In 1989, the old farm building (Inselstraße 27) and the new church training building was erected on this site. At the same time, a partial modernization and conversion of the country house (Inselstrasse 28) as a church conference and accommodation facility. As such, it was operated until July 2003 in the style of a predominantly ecclesiastical conference and accommodation house.
After a comprehensive 16-month generalization and modernization, the property has been run since January 2005 as a Protestant education and conference centre in the style of a Christian house by a specially founded company – HOSPES Evangelisch-Tagen GmbH.
Current vacancies
International exchange
Quote
“Slow down, pause, clear your thoughts and rethink”
Mira Weihmann, Leibniz Academy for Executives