Schöneberg Museum

Schöneberg is a densely built-up and historically significant neighborhood in Berlin's Tempelhof-Schöneberg district. A medieval village founded in the 13th century grew into an independent city, which was absorbed into Greater Berlin in 1920. Geographically, the neighborhood sits where the Berlin-Warsaw glacial valley meets the Teltow Plateau, which shows in a noticeable rise in elevation, especially along Hauptstrasse. To the south, Schöneberg borders Steglitz; to the west, Friedenau and Wilmersdorf; to the north, the Tiergarten; and to the east, Kreuzberg and Tempelhof. A striking landscape feature is the eastern end of a glacial channel arm, which is clearly visible in Rudolph-Wilde-Park.

Schöneberg's history goes back to the first third of the 13th century, when German settlers founded a broad linear village. The name probably does not refer to the slight rise in the terrain but is a so-called aspirational name, used by the settlement agents to attract settlers. The village was first mentioned in a document in 1264. In the 18th century, Frederick II had a second village built for Bohemian weavers, which became known as Neu-Schöneberg. Not until 1874 did Alt- and Neu-Schöneberg merge into a single municipality. In the mid-19th century, Berlin expanded into Schöneberg territory, and part of the village was incorporated into Berlin in 1861. This led to a temporary drop in population, which then rose rapidly after the founding of the German Empire in 1871.

During the Imperial era, Schöneberg underwent enormous change. Former farmers who turned their fields into building land became so-called "millionaire farmers." In 1898, Schöneberg received town privileges and left the Teltow rural district as an independent urban district. Under Mayor Rudolph Wilde, planning began for the town hall and for draining a marshy area that was transformed into a city park. The Schöneberg Underground Railway, completed in 1910, was of particular importance and made Schöneberg the second city in Germany with a subway. This infrastructure served to connect the growing city and the Bavarian Quarter, which was designed specifically for an upper-middle-class clientele.

The Bavarian Quarter in western Schöneberg was built before World War I and originally presented itself with elegant facades in the South German Renaissance style. Some of the streets are named after Bavarian cities. Because of its large Jewish population, the quarter was also known as "Jewish Switzerland." Today a memorial installed on numerous street lamps commemorates the persecution of Jews during the Nazi era. After heavy destruction in World War II, the quarter was largely rebuilt in the architectural style of the 1950s. Prominent residents such as Albert Einstein lived in the quarter during this period.

Another important neighborhood is the Nollendorfkiez around Nollendorfplatz. This area is known for its lively scene of pubs, bars, and shops that cater predominantly to a gay clientele. The Motzstrassenfest, which attracts thousands of visitors, takes place here every year. Since the Roaring Twenties, the area has been known as a place with a dense infrastructure for queer people. The British author Christopher Isherwood lived here and drew on his impressions in his novel Goodbye to Berlin, which later became the basis for the musical Cabaret. The architecture of the Kiez is characterized by preserved Gründerzeit streets and Imperial-era squares such as Winterfeldtplatz.