Florida Coalcracker Chronicles: Templehof Airport - The Berlin Airlift

Thursday, June 14, 2018

Templehof Airport - The Berlin Airlift - Eurofest Day 25 of 70

US planes carrying coal and food - saved the
cold starving West Berliners.

I took these pictures this morning as I visited
Elevation 164 feet - Templehof

I took the train from our hotel to Templehof Station

It was 70 years ago when I was born in West Penn - PA. But the cameras of the world were focused somewhere else. World War II was just over. The Allies decided to divide Germany into 4 pieces. They also divided up the capital city of Berlin. USA - UK - France - USSR each were given parts to govern and watch over - to prevent Germany from rising again. West Berlin was completely surrounded by communist East Germany. In 1948 - Russian decided that they could blockade the city of West Berlin to starve and freeze the people out.

Rather than start a World War III - the Allies decided to keep West Berlin going by flying in coal and food. For 11 months - airplanes landed and took off every minute in Templehof Airport - carrying supplies to the West Berlin hostages. It ended with Russia lifting the blockade - and trucks started rolling into Berlin again. The world stood still hoping a new war did not flare up between free and communist countries. It was the start of the Cold War that ended when the Berlin Wall feel in 1991 and the Soviet Union died.

But Templehof Airport was a star before that. At one time it was one of the biggest and best airports in the whole world. It was built in the 1920s. In the 1930s - the film industry in Berlin rivaled Hollywood. If you visited Europe - you probably flew in and out of Berlin at some time.

When the airport was built - it was just south of the center of town. From the runways you can see Berlin Tower - it reminds you of the ornament you put on top of a Christmas tree. Now the city is all around it.

After breakfast at our hotel - I hopped on the Ring Train west from our hotel. I got off at Templehof Station and walked north toward the open patch. The airport is now a state park - and their were hikers - hikers - and skaters - all over the place. It was basically two parallel east/west runways with a circle taxiway around them. The concrete is over 2 feet thick and is in perfect shape.

As I walked the length the runway - I imagined all the traffic that went through here. In 1933 - the biggest ever Nazi rally was held here. Templehof was heavily fortified during the Battle of Berlin when the Soviet Union took the city in street to street fighting. Since Templehof was close to Hitler's Fuhrer Bunker - many expected him to escape from here. We now know he chose to shoot himself instead of surrendering or running away. Some think he fled to South America.

There is one airplane at the airport which was used in the Berlin Airlift. It is a 4 motor DC-6.

After the war - the airport was used until 2008. When Germany reunited - a small plane crashed in the city when trying to land. The people with their newly found democratic freedom voted to close the airport! For the last 10 years - some of the best development land in the world has been lying fallow.

Two years ago - when Germany accepted refugees from Syria - a colony was set up at Templehof.

Today the airport is officially a state park. I had the pleasure to spend the morning there and imagine what these runways would say if they could talk.