The Treehouse — Attraction in Berlin

This property in the picture is connected neither to an electricity nor water supply. It is a two-storey house built by the Turkish immigrant Osman Kalin (1925-2018) from bulky waste on an occupied traffic island on Bethaniendamm on the border between the Berlin districts of Mitte and Kreuzberg.

Currently, it is known as The Baumhaus an der Mauer (The Tree House). However, it is not a tree house, but a garden house built around two trees.

According to history during the division of the city it was in the no man's land of the Berlin Wall. Later it was tolerated by the municipal authorities, although it had been erected in public space without a building permit or lease agreement!

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Kalin expanded the garden to the east and renovated this two-storey building with a concrete foundation on an area of ​​around 80 square meters. Since it was no longer bound to the district anymore Kalin gave it the imaginary postal address "Bethaniendamm No. 0, Berlin 10997"

Moreover in 1991 the house was destroyed in an arson attack and then rebuilt. After the political reunification, the Mitte district was initially responsible for managing the property, which wanted to take action against “illegal use” as part of the renovation of the Luisenstadt canal and requested Kalin to clear the site. Kalin refused to leave the property and was supported by local residents, the district office of Kreuzberg and the pastor of the adjacent St. Thomas Church. In addition, the district ran out of funds for the final renovation of the section between Engelbecken and Köpenicker Straße that affected the garden.

In 2003 another arson attack was carried out and the house was then rebuilt.

Due to its history and atypical appearance in the cityscape, it is considered a landmark and tourist...

This place makes no sense and is no way a tourist attraction, unless you have read the story of the man who built it. Its out of the way ...the nearest tourist stop is east side gallery from where its a 20 minute stomp. I read the story - beautifully composed on the BBC website (its still there) a couple of years ago. It really touched my heart, and with the prospect of revisiting this city it was the one place i couldnt fail to see with my own eyes. Its not a tourist attraction per se. There's no gift shop. There's no loo. You can't go in....its someone's private residence. Read the fabulous story of the man who believed in his heart that God gave him this piece of no mans land left over between East and West Berlin, and resisted all efforts to be evicted. Then he was rescued (from the authorities) and protected by the locals (and guards alike) who grew to love him being there. Seeing this ramshackle dwelling made it real for me. I had to see it. Its not one...

Osman Khalin Iconic!! This is one of the thousands of stories Kreuzberg citizens have had with the wall. Because the GDR decided to shorten the wall here, a little piece of Soviet Berlin remained on American soil. This man decided that it was a good place to put a vegetable garden to plant his potatoes and onions, and not content with that, he built this tree house which became a symbol of resistance. David versus Goliath...