TV tower turns 40
October 3, 2009
At 368 meters (1207 feet), the television tower looms over the city, and is more than twice the height of its counterpart in western Berlin. East Germany's communist rulers intended it to be a show of might when it was built in the 1960s. These days, it is a much-loved symbol of Germany's reunited capital.
More than a million visitors stand in line each year to enjoy the panoramic view of the city from the tower, which dwarfs the surrounding high-rises at Berlin's central Alexanderplatz. On a good day, visibility reaches more than 40 kilometers (25 miles).
But even when the weather is poor and the giant construction is shrouded in low-hanging clouds, you can be sure to still get a glimpse of it in the city's shops.
Desirable design
Big, shiny and very 60s-style, the landmark adorns all manner of souvenirs. Its aesthetic evokes the triumph of the Soviet sputnik satellites and the space age. Thanks to retro chic, the logo has become just as popular in the hip young designer boutiques in central Berlin as it is in the tacky tourist kiosks.
Since the fall of communism, advertising executives have also recognized the logo's potential. German telecommunications giant Deutsche Telekom turned it into a huge pink and white soccer ball during the World Cup in 2006.
On Valentine's Day this year, Telekom wrapped huge banners decorated with romantic messages around this reborn symbol of unified Berlin as part of a high-profile publicity campaign.
While the television tower remains a transmitter for a wide range of broadcasts, now both state and commercial, it has also become a place where couples can tie the knot.
Folie de grandeur
Though East Germany's communist rulers would have been appalled at this consumerist takeover, the tower caused its own masterminds many a headache in the 60s. For a start, the building project ended up costing six times more than was originally budgeted, swallowing up 200 million East German marks.
And although the tower was designed to show off East German engineering skills, materials and expertise still had to be imported from the West. The specially insulated windows had to be brought in from Belgium, and the elevators and air-conditioning came from Sweden. West Germany's Krupp company produced the tower's stainless steel shell.
The structure also proved no small target for Berliners' caustic wit. It was not long before the city's inhabitants noticed that the sun's reflection on the tower often takes the form of a cross, spawning the nicknames "the Pope's revenge" and "St. Walter" - a reference to communist leader Walter Ulbricht.
While the revolving restaurant at the top of the tower quickly became one of the most popular dining destinations in the East, that likely had more to do with the fantastic views of the western half of the city than with any culinary fame.
East German visitors to the tower also had a practical attitude, often quipping: "If the TV tower collapses, at least we'll end up in the West."
The ironies of history
It's a fitting irony of history that the tower began its first test broadcasts on Oct. 3, 1969 - just days before the 20th anniversary of the founding of the GDR on Oct. 7 - and is now celebrating its 40th anniversary on German Unification Day, which marks the merging of the formerly divided Germanys.
Still, East Germany's rulers may be getting the last laugh after all. To mark the TV tower's anniversary, its gastronomy company is planning to serve up the dishes that were on the menu back in 1969.
Author: Julie Gregson
Editor: Louisa Schaefer