Fallen angels, roads to nowhere, decrepit swan boats and feline tunnels. Spreepark in the former GDR Treptower Park has to be the ultimate horror set. An audio backdrop of grinding iron on iron as the big wheel creaked round in the wind really sets the atmosphere and your teeth off…
Last Sunday was the very last-chance-saloon to legitimately visit this urban explorers’ paradise. I’m sure you can bunk in over the fence – I gather there are some rather unforgiving security guards but they’re probably used to it.
In 1969, Kulturpark Plänterwald took root across a substantial 30 hectare footprint, providing East Berliners with a little light relief. Post-reunification, Norbet Witte took over, a man of rather dubious business motives. After running into financial problems with the park, he accrued six attractions in Peru to ship back to Berlin: Fliegender Teppich, Butterfly, Spider, Baby-Flug, Wild River, and Jet Star. And amongst these 20 containers he attempted to nestle a substantial 180 kg of cocaine in the masts of the Fliegender Teppich (Flying Carpe) ride.
This earnt Witte seven years in prison but would hardly disgrace him with his family. It sounds like they were all pretty criminally minded – his Grandfather even pulled a stunt impersonating the King of Albania, which caught up with him eventually.
I reckon this will give you an in depth background if you’re keen to find out more, it’s quite a story. Spreepark is up for auction so who knows what the future holds.
