Murellenberge, Murellenschlucht and Schanzenwald near the Olympic Stadium

Berlin is not only known for its historical sites and lively districts, but also for its green oases that are off the beaten track. One such insider tip is the Murellenberge, the Murellenschlucht and the Schanzenwald in the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf district.

Even for Berliners, the Murellenberge with the Murellenschlucht and the Schanzenwald forest are a relatively unknown area. Wrongly so, because you can go for a wonderful hike in a nature reserve near the Olympic Stadium.

Murellenberge and Murellenschlucht

The Murellenberge and Murellenschlucht areas are located in the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf district, not far from the famous Olympic Stadium. It is easily accessible by public transport as well as by car. The nearest S-Bahn station is Pichelsberg, from where you can reach the Murellenberge on foot in just a few minutes. There are plenty of parking spaces for car drivers near the Olympic Stadium.

The Murellenberge extend over a length of around four kilometers and offer a varied landscape characterized by dense forests, open clearings and rolling hills. This range of hills was formed during the last ice age, when glaciers pushed over the area, shaping the topography we see today.

The hilly landscape is ideal for hikes and walks. Well-maintained hiking trails lead through the area and offer breathtaking views of the surrounding nature. Hikers can discover a variety of plant and animal species here. The Murellenberge are also home to various species of birds, insects and small mammals. Especially in spring and summer, you can hear the chirping of birds and the buzzing of insects everywhere.

Use of the area

The Murellenberge and Murellenschlucht were not always a quiet area where walkers could relax. For over 150 years, the area was used by the military and the police and was not accessible to the public.

The Murellenberge as an execution site during the Nazi era

The Murellenberge were the scene of horrific crimes during the Nazi regime. In the final years of the Second World War, the National Socialists set up an execution site here for deserters and so-called “Wehrkraftzersetzer”. These people were sentenced by the Nazi military justice system because they had allegedly undermined the fighting morale of the troops or evaded compulsory military service.

Numerous executions took place in the Murellenberge between 1944 and 1945. The exact number of people executed is estimated at around 232.

To commemorate the victims of these executions, a memorial installation was erected in 2002 by the artist Patricia Pisani. The installation, entitled “Memorial to the murdered victims of Nazi military justice on the Murellenberg”, is a memorial against forgetting. It consists of a series of mirrors that are used in road traffic to improve visibility. These are located along a path in the Murellenberge. Some of the mirrors bear an inscription commemorating the victims and the circumstances of their execution. The memorial installation is deliberately kept simple to encourage visitors to reflect and give them space for their own thoughts and feelings.

Waldbühne (Forest stag)

The architect Werner March, who also designed the nearby Olympic Stadium, designed the Waldbühne, which is located in the eastern part of the Murellenberge.

The Waldbühne was originally named “Dietrich-Eckart-Freilichtbühne” after the anti-Semitic writer and early companion of Adolf Hitler. It served as a venue for cultural performances and propaganda events during the 1936 Olympic Games.

The architecture of the Waldbühne is impressive: it was embedded in a natural depression and offers space for around 22,000 spectators. The site is surrounded by dense woodland, which gives it unique acoustics and atmosphere.

After the Second World War, the stage was given its current name, Waldbühne, and was initially only used sporadically. In the 1950s, occasional film screenings and smaller concerts were held here. It was not until 1978 that regular concert programs began again and the Waldbühne slowly developed into a popular venue. A turning point in the history of the Waldbühne was the legendary concert by Bob Marley in 1980, which made the stage internationally famous. Since then, it has developed into one of the most renowned open-air stages in the world and attracts numerous international artists and visitors every year.

Training ground for the military and police

The first military use of the Murellenberge was in 1840, when barracks and shooting ranges were built and in 1855 the rifle testing commission began its work there. At this time, a defense system was built around Spandau with the citadel, ramparts and entrenchments in front of it. Parts of the Murellenberge and the Murellenschlucht were also integrated into the defense system.

After the Second World War, the Allies used the area, known as Schanzenwald, as a training ground. Open areas that were once used as a firing range can still be found today.

After the withdrawal of the Allies, the facilities continued to be used by the Berlin police for some time. Today, only a small part in the north is still in use. A so-called Fighting City is located here, where the Allies once practiced house-to-house combat. Today, police officers and special forces are trained here. Large parts of the original site have now been renaturalized.

Walk through the Murellenberge and Murellenschlucht area

Our short hike starts and ends at Pichelsberg S-Bahn station. You can follow the exact route on the map.

The paths in the Murellenberge and in the Murellenschlucht gorge are very well developed. There are some sections of our route that lead over steep steps in the forest or along a beaten track. But if you don’t want to use these paths, you can easily avoid them.

Initially, the path led us through the forest. The ramparts of the Schanzenwald forest were able to develop relatively undisturbed during the 150 years of isolation due to their use. Some of the pine and oak trees have been there for around 300 years. However, there are also common oaks, birches and black locust trees that have been able to grow there almost undisturbed for many years. I also discover a high proportion of deadwood. This is particularly important for biotic communities in the bark, wood and tree hollows. Many insect species, such as ants, hymenoptera and butterflies, find a home here.

In the gorge, on the former large shooting meadow, you walk through an area of dry sandy grassland. Flowers bloom sporadically among the grasses. If you know your way around, you will discover light blue mountain sandbells and yellow sand immortelle, for example. I have read that 97 different species of flying insects are said to live in this biotope. Many of them are quite rare and some are even highly endangered. Birdlife is also well represented in the region. Around 65 bird species live here, although I only recognized the great spotted woodpecker by its knocks, and animals that don’t really belong in a big city roam the area, from wild boar to red foxes.

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