Axel-Springer-Denkmal

The Axel Springer high-rise in Berlin-Kreuzberg is the headquarters of the media company of the same name and a striking landmark in the historic newspaper district. The first section of the building was constructed between 1959 and 1965, with the architects Melchiorre Bega, Gino Franzi, Franz Heinrich Sobotka, and Gustav Müller involved in the design. The 19-story, 78-meter (256-foot) building was inaugurated in 1966 by Axel Springer himself. Built in the middle of what was then the decommissioned Jerusalemer Strasse, the project was seen as a symbolic act, and Springer himself described it as a "cry against the wind" near the border between the sectors. The Berlin Wall went up during construction, and in 1961 the building site even served as the starting point for an escape tunnel. The complex was later expanded with a second wing, built between 1992 and 1994 and fully clad in glass, as well as the Axel-Springer-Passage, which was built on the site of the former printing plant.

For visitors, the area offers a mix of architectural history and public art. Numerous sculptures and monuments stand around the building, including the work "Balanceakt" by Stephan Balkenhol and the monument "Väter der Einheit" (Fathers of Unity) by Serge Mangin. An oak tree planted by Berlin taxi drivers in 1981 to thank Springer for his commitment to Berlin during the Cold War adds a special historical touch. A memorial plaque also commemorates Ronald Reagan's famous words in front of the Brandenburg Gate. Inside the high-rise are the editorial offices of newspapers such as Die Welt, Welt am Sonntag, and Bild. On the 19th floor is the Journalists' Club, which features original paneling from the London Times building. However, this room is not a public museum but a private space reserved for select guests of the editorial staff and clients of the publishing house.