Eastern Modernism | FEZ in Berlin: A larch wood palace for children

The FEZ was opened in 1979 as the Ernst Thälmann Pioneer Palace.

Treptow-Köpenick can now celebrate a protected example of Eastern Modernism. The Leisure and Recreation Center (FEZ) in Wuhlheide is now a listed building. It is one of the GDR's prestige cultural centers and was the largest pioneering building in the state. The site is protected not only for its architectural history. "The FEZ should be seen as a public building in connection with the Friedrichstadtpalast and the Palace of the Republic," said state conservator Christoph Rauhut at a press conference on Wednesday. The shape, the hexagonal floor plan, the larch wood façade inspired by Finnish architecture, the innovative use of wood as a building material, and the visual relationships that connect inside and outside are exemplary, according to Rauhut. But the FEZ is much more.

Some of the speakers have personal memories of the FEZ. "Not every Berlin child has a garden," says Senator for Construction Christian Gaebler (SPD). This is why the FEZ, with its diverse open spaces and recreational areas, is so important. He himself once rode the park railway as a child in West Berlin during the GDR era.

"When I was 15, I went to the Pionierpalast in Wuhlheide and wanted to see if I could rehearse with a band there. They said, 'Sure, go ahead.' And so we rehearsed every Wednesday for three years," says Chris Berghäuser, managing director of the State Music Academy, which is located in the FEZ. The rehearsal room was free. Berghäuser later studied piano. His brother has a similar story, Berghäuser reports. He built and launched boats in the unique model boat pool – and later studied shipbuilding.

Leaving a mark early, trying things out, gaining experience, discovering talents and gifts, inspiring, encouraging children to take responsibility, and daring to try new things – these are the original ideas of the former Pioneer Palace, which was ceremoniously opened in 1979 in Berlin's Wuhlheide district as the "Ernst Thälmann" Pioneer Palace. The FEZ, with its 175,000 square meters of outdoor facilities, is the largest non-commercial space ever built for children and young people in Germany, and is now considered the largest non-profit children's, youth, and family center in Europe. This unique place, full of ideas and free of charge, was created by the GDR, a country that was committed to being child-friendly.

A look back: In 1911, the city of Berlin acquired the site to create a public park. After the war, 120 hectares were developed with an open-air stage, sports stadium, artificial swimming lake, and nursery. In 1950, a tent city was opened here for 20,000 young people for the first German Youth Meeting. Even during this time, children and young people were able to attend more than 70 workshops. The spirit of this place had been floating around for 20 years before the idea of a Pioneer Palace in the park landscape was given concrete form between 1976 and 1979.

Architect Günter Stahn had already won a competition in 1972. Since 1968, Stahn had worked in the experimental office of the Bauakademie under Hermann Henselmann, thus gaining training in the use of new forms. Using clean lines and modern building materials, the architect and his team created a timeless modernist masterpiece on 13,000 square meters. Stahn was also able to develop freely—the architect's preferred starting point—because there were no surrounding buildings. The Magdeburg architect received the GDR National Prize for the design and construction of the "multifunctional building."

The interior is also of high quality. The sweeping staircase in the foyer leads to the gallery; elaborate interior design has been avoided. End-grain wood paving emphasizes the use of natural building materials. Many original components can also be found: the stair railing is infilled with ornamental glass, and the figurative floor tiles are hand-fired. In Peter Sylvester's mural, made of thousands of small mosaic stones, every stone passed through a hand, a work of art that would be unaffordable today.

The fountain in front of the house, also designed by Günter Stahn, was renovated with the help of a crowdfunding project. 480 large and small petals of the stylized flower in the center of the fountain were dismantled and labeled, cleaned with a glass blaster, ground, and polished. The attention to detail also has a family history: Hans-Joachim Kunsch, father of current metal construction entrepreneur Stefan Kunsch, made the fountain's shell. In 2011, the house underwent energy-saving renovations. The facade glazing and the rainwater drainage system for the enormous flat roof were replaced, and the roof now has its own photovoltaic system.

The building itself also has an educational effect. Children see how a wall is built with bricks, as the bricks are unplastered. There are various stages and concert halls, a swimming pool , a sports hall, gallery spaces, and workshop spaces. And not to be forgotten is the "Orbitall" with the Soyuz spacecraft and a space flight simulator. Sigmund Jähn inaugurated the center in 1979; since then, 39 cosmonauts and astronauts have visited, reveals Sylvia Reichhardt, a FEZ employee.

What is the FEZ today? It is a place for education and cultural participation with many low-threshold offerings. Topics for today and the future are addressed here. Every year, in "FEZitty," children can play mayor, banker, or senator for urban development, according to Falko Liecke, chairman of the FEZ supervisory board. They can practice conducting interviews, celebrate Walpurgis Night, and paint Sorbian Easter eggs. Around 150 employees work here, 90 of whom are full-time employees, many of whom are volunteers, and 40 employees were able to be rescued from unemployment.

School classes have been coming every day for 46 years. The site's usage concept is therefore also worthy of protection. The idea and goal were artistic and aesthetic education, with a focus on diverse, often creative leisure activities. Free clubs such as photography, drawing, ceramics, textile design, a printmaking workshop, science classrooms, and a biology center are just a few examples that illustrate the high level of creativity and education that was emphasized during the course's leisure time.

The fact that a genius loci was created here—and this is also evident here—played no role at the press conference. Instead, there was too much talk about the fact that the GDR also had ideological intentions with this building. If one looks at this positively, one could say: The GDR championed its young people and had a vision of the future. A humanitarian vision. There's a nice explanation online: Genius loci refers to the unique, inherent character of a place that creates a special atmosphere. This, too, is protected with the monument protection plaque.