Tram depot of the BVG at Niederschönhausen

_{BVG: Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe, in English: Transport Services of Berlin}

The depot at Kaiser-Wilhelm-Straße Dietzgenstraße at the corner to Schillerstraße opened on 26. May 1901 as station III of the Great Berlin Tram and was built for electrical operation. It pro­vided spaces for 190 traction units and sidecars. In addition to the vehicle hall with a work­shop and the tracks number 1 to 19, the ensemble of buildings also included an admini­stra­tion buil­ding with apartments for the manager of the depot and the head fitter. A horse-drawn tramway line from the Berlin City Hall to today’s Ossietzkyplatz already existed since 1892. Along with the construction of the new depot, the route network was expanded, too.

In 1924, the tram depot received a workshop extension, designed by the architect Jean Krämer (1886-1943). In the immediate vicinity of the company premises, a housing estate for tram ope­ra­tors was built at Schillerstraße 23-37 until 1930. After the war damage had been repaired, the depot was respon­sible for the lines in the north of Berlin until November 1990. In the following years, it was mainly used to accommodate historic vehicles of the BVG until 2015.

Administration building of Station III of the Great Berlin Tram in Niederschönhausen, c. 1910

Administration building of Station III of the Great Berlin Tram in Niederschönhausen, c. 1910

View of Niederschönhausen tram depot with the train hall in the background in 1914

View of Niederschönhausen tram depot with the train hall in the background in 1914

Inauguration on the grounds of the tram depot Niederschönhausen on 25th of May in 1920 of a monument to commemorate the dead of the war.

Inauguration on the grounds of the tram depot Nieder­schönhausen on 25th of May in 1920 of a monument to commemorate the dead of the war

On 25th of May in 1920, a monument was erected on the grounds of the tram depot at Niederschönhausen for 65 named employees who had died in the First World War. In the early 1970s the monument was dismantled and the plaque with the inscription removed. The pedestal and other parts of the monument are once again on the premises of the depot today.

Bird's eye view of the train hall with the extension designed by architect Jaen Krämer, c. 1925

Bird’s eye view of the train hall with the extension designed by architect Jaen Krämer, c. 1925

In order to achieve a consistent appearance, the originally existing decorative gable on the train hall was removed when the plant was extended.

Interior view of the train hall extension with three-hinged roof support structure, c. 1930

Interior view of the train hall extension with three-hinged roof support structure, c. 1930

"The socialist brigade 'Geschwister Scholl' on special assignment" at the 20th anniversary of the Society for German-Soviet Friendship on the 1st of August in 1967

“The socialist brigade ‘Geschwister Scholl’ on special assignment” at the 20th anniversary of the Society for German-Soviet Friendship on the 1st of August in 1967

_{Source: Museum Pankow / Peter Thieme}

_{English translation: Oliver Schmitt}