Following the establishment of the German Empire in 1871, the industrial sector on the Spree in Berlin-Oberschöneweide witnessed a rapid upswing, with the foundation of the Edison Society and later the AEG. Large-scale machinery for Germany’s electrification, such as transformers, generators, and accumulators, were manufactured here. The Leuchtenfabrik manufactured gas lights for both business and families. In the surrounding neighborhood, a power plant, a copper rolling mill, a rubber factory, and a cable wire drawing plant were established.
Until the First World War, the town grew into an industrial development and manufacturing center. Oberschöneweide’s manufacturing halls produced the technology used to electrify and industrialize the broader Berlin-Brandenburg area. Even after the Second World War, the KWO (Kabelwerk Oberspree) and RFT (Broadcasting and Telecommunications Technology) were located here.
Following German reunification in 1990, structural changes resulted in the renovation and utilization of the Spree waterfront region. The old Rathenau halls now house offices for service providers such as architects, engineering firms, internet businesses, and agencies. The University of Applied Sciences’ campus was erected on the site of the cable plant, and it has lecture halls, seminar rooms, and workshops to teach 14,000 students.
