In modern united Germany, there is not much left of the former communist republic of East Germany. However, just north of Berlin sits the rotting skeleton of one of the few original structures still left over from those times, Spreepark.
From 1969 – 1989 Spreepark, at the time known as Kulturpark Plänterwald, was the only year round amusement park in former East Germany. Today it sits vacant and completely abandoned. Just wait until you see the photos. They’re pretty darned creepy.
Spreepark began its life as Kulturpark Plänterwald in 1969 East Germany.
The name Spreepark comes from the amusement park being located right along the Spree River is northern Berlin.
At the time it was the first amusement park of its kind in the whole of both East and West Germany.
From 1969 to 1989 the park provided year round entertainment to visitors from all over East Germany.
In 1989 the Berlin Wall came down, and East and West Germany were finally reunited after nearly 30 years.
After reunification the park was taken over by Berlin’s municipal authorities and partially renovated.
Then in 1991 the park was auctioned off to private companies. The Spreepark Berlin GmbH company won the contract on the park.
Under the management of Spreepark GmbH, the park prospered throughout the 1990’s.
By some accounts the park received 1.5 million visitors annually during those years.
However despite its success the park managed to accumulate large debts by 1999.
In response to higher costs, and larger debts Spreepark GmbH raised prices that year.
That was the beginning of the end for Spreepark.
By 2001, the number of annual visitors dropped to just 400,000. Later that year Spreepark GmbH officially announced that they were bankrupt.
Since August 2002 the park has been official closed to visitors, and allowed to fall into disrepair.
But that wasn’t the end of the troubles for Spreepark GmbH.
In 2004, one of the former Spreepark GmbH executives, Norbert Witte, was arrested after he was tried to smuggle 180 kilos of cocaine into Germany inside one of the rides from the park.
The city of Berlin officially purchased the remains of Spreepark in March 2014.
In August 2014, a fire that appears to have been set intentionally destroyed some of the last remaining, intact buildings in the park.
Sadly the future of this once majestic park now remains unclear. But it’s sure as heck spooky, and a destination for many urban explorers visiting Berlin.
Something tells me they should have investigated those Spreepark GmbH people a bit more thoroughly. It sounds like it could have been a dream destination for any urban explorer.
