Wandering in Spandau

Statue of Joachim II outside St. Nicholas Church

Because Berlin was constructed of several small towns incorporated into a modern city in 1920, these former cities have become distinct neighborhoods within the German capital. My exploration, taking place on a Monday holiday, entered a city that is more familiar for the prison that housed the Nazi prisoners through most of the Cold War than for the buildings and events that took place there. Spandau prison was demolished in 1987 after its last prisoner, Rudolf Hess, died.

A leisurely walk from the train station is St. Nicholas Church, one of the oldest in Berlin. Dating from the first half of the 14^th century, the church is most famous as the site where, on 1 November 1539, Elector Joachim II took communion under the Lutheran rite, which is both bread and wine. He was a member of the house of Hohenzollern and Prince Elector of Brandenburg, one of the most important principalities of the Holy Roman Empire. Joachim did not officially convert to Lutheranism until 1555 for political reasons. The church, well off the tourist track, has an interesting history aside from its role in the Protestant Reformation and was a real treat for someone interested in Lutheran heritage.

The great thing about exploring on a holiday is that all the shops are closed and there is very little pedestrian traffic. This meant that I could wander Spandau without having a number of people rushing around completing their errands. Of course, the downside is that many places are closed and, therefore, food, drink and comfort options are limited.

Entrance to Zitadelle

A walk around the Zitadelle, a medieval fort built to protect Spandau, provided a little interaction with nature. The water that surrounds the fort is an excellent location for birds and small animals. As I walked the perimeter the dead leaves and underbrush was alive with rustlings of small birds or animals, it was difficult to tell which.

I found a small park at Stresowplatz, where a sign indicated that the square had once been a bustling business district. Now it is comprised mainly of apartment blocks. Unfortunately, the sign was too badly damaged, with stickers and graffiti, to be able to decipher.

An unidentified bird in the undergrowth at the Zitadelle

Coming back to the center of the Spandau, I noticed a Woolworth Store. The chain has long since disappeared in the United States; however, it continues in Germany, Austria and Mexico. I have fond memories of the Woolworth in Southland Terrace while growing up. When I was very young I was bitten by a gerbil in that store. I remember being taken to the back (behind the curtain if you will) and I was impressed that there was something beyond the store – a secret world. Later, Woolworth was a place that I frequently bought records. Most of the time there was nothing new, but good bargains on interesting albums and 45s. I distinctly remember the lunch counter nearby where you could order a quick burger or grilled cheese. The pickles served on the side were always better than the ones you could get at home. 

The Woolworth chain began with its first store in Utica, New York in 1878, but did not last long. Frank Whitfield Woolworth then moved his store to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where it thrived. Soon it became the most successful five and dime store in the United States and the world. It was so successful that it figured in the popular songs, such as, “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love.” The corporate headquarters, The Woolworth Building, at Broadway and Park Place, is still one of the most iconic buildings in lower Manhattan.

The Woolworth in Spandau Berlin

Although the Woolworth in Spandau was not open, I could not resist the temptation to have a peek inside the windows. Looking at the goods that are served in the modern successor to the classic five and dime, there is very little to remind me of the old store. There are no longer wax bottles with liquid sugar or candy cigarettes in a huge candy aisle near the checkout counter. There are no small turtles along the back wall waiting to be taken home as a pet. In other words, while the sign on the outside serves as a nostalgic reminder, the store does not satiate my longing to revisit the places of my adolescence.