Potsdam Hauptbahnhof
Potsdam Pirschheide
Potsdam Central, railway station
Potsdam Pirschheide


Mitten im Wald kurz hinter der Stadtgrenze von Potsdam gibt es einen kleinen unbedeutenden Haltepunkt, Potsdam Pirschheide. Doch ist dieser Haltepunkt bemerkenswert groß dimensioniert. Da gibt es ein riesiges Empfangsgebäude, eine luftige Halle und komplett überdachte Zugänge und Tunnels zu den insgesamt 3 Bahnsteigen. Wofür diese riesige Station, für nur einen Bummelzug pro Stunde?
Ganz einfach.
Dies war einmal der Hauptbahnhof von Potsdam.

Da schon Mitte der 50er Jahre klar war, daß Genosse Niemand die Absicht hatte, eine Mauer zu errichten, mußte die DDR-Führung überlegen, wie sie in Zukunft den gesamten Eisenbahnverkehr von Ost nach West um Berlin herum führen konnte. Ost-Berlin war ja bisher am einfachsten zu erreichen, indem man auf der sog. Stadtbahn fuhr, also über Charlottenburg und Zoo. Um dies zu vermeiden, begann man in dem 50er jahren mit dem Bau des Berliner Außenrings, ein riesiger Eisenbahnring um West-Berlin herum.

Nun hatten einige Städte und Orte die Arschkarte gezogen, denn der bisherige Hauptbahnhof von Potsdam z.B. lag an der Stadtbahn. Um dieses Dilemma zu beseitigen wurde 1957 ein neuer Hauptbahnhof eröffnet, damals noch unter dem Namen Potsdam Süd. Die neue Station lag am Schnittpunkt des neuen Außenrings und der eingleisigen Strecke von Beelitz nach Potsdam Stadt, wie der alte Hbf nun offiziell hieß. Um die Station in der Pampa besser anzubinden, wurde eine Straßenbahnlinie und mehrere Buslinien dorthin gelegt. Seit 1958 hieß der neue Bahnknoten offiziell "Potsdam Hauptbahnhof".

Der Abstieg begann mit der Wiedervereinigung. Die Mauer war weg und die Stadtbahn wieder frei. Der gesamte Fernverkehr auf dem Außenring fiel quasi über Nacht weg, der Nahverkehr verschwand ebenfalls nach und nach. 1998 schließlich wurden die zwei Bahnsteige am Außenring stillgelegt und sämtliche Zugänge zugesperrt. Das Kreuzungsgleis am unteren Bahnsteig ist ebenfalls außer Betrieb, und dennoch leuchtet an beiden Enden brav das rote Lichtsignal. Im ehemaligen Bahnhofshotel war nach der Wende zuletzt noch ein Bordell untergebracht, und die Bahnhofsgaststätte ist heute eine Bowlingbahn. Die einst prächtige Empfangshalle ist komplett dem Verfall preisgegeben, aber nicht gesperrt.

Maybe some of you can remember the situation in Germany during the cold war. The whole country was divided into two independent nations, a democratic western part (Federal Republic of Germany), and a socialist east part (German Democratic Republic). The former (and nowadays again) capital Berlin laid like an island at GDR terretory, also diveded into a western and an eastern part. To prevent the mass escapes from the east to the west, the socialist authorities gave the order to build a massive wall around the complete western part of Berlin in 1961. All streets and railways into the western part were cut, only the infrastructure at the border crossings went intact. The decision to cut-off West Berlin was fallen many years before, anyway.

That leads to a big problem. Every train through GDR territory that comes from the western cities of the country (Magdeburg, Halle, Dessau, etc.) with the direction "Berlin" (the estern part was made to the new capital of the GDR), had to pass the western city part to reach the end station. Without running through Berlin, the trains had to take a very huge detour. As a matter of that, the GDR authorities gave the order to build a whole new railway ring arround the whole city in the mid 50ies. Since 1961, every train coming to or leaving East Berlin from or to directions in the west, south or north had to use the new ring.

Potsdam, as a neighbor city in the west got a problem too. The main railway station "Hauptbahnhof" laid at the old line leading into West Berlin, but with more than 100.000 inhabitants it was an important city. A new station was built at the new railway ring in 1957 to solve the problem. Opened in 1957 as Potsdam Süd ("South"), the station was renamed into Potsdam Hauptbahnhof ("Central Station") in 1958. The old main station went open, but changed the name into Potsdam Stadt ("City"). Only commuter trains started and ended here now. To the station lead two tram lines and many buses.
The new central station was located out of the city, at the border to the Pirschheide forrest. There are no residential areas arround, only two ofice buildings and some small business. Like all main stations, the building has also had a restaurant and a hotel. The station is a crossing of two railways, first the ring and second a regional line from Potsdam city to Schönefeld airport. Before the political changings and the fall of the Berlin wall, the station was working at full capacity at any time. That changes rapidely with the ability to send the trains through western Berlin again after 1990.

In 1995, the station lost hir title and was renamed into Potsdam Pirschheide (named after the forrst nearby). The complete intercity transport was displaced to Potsdam Stadt, and many reagional lines were discontinued. In 1998, the two upper platforms at the ring were abandoned and the whole passenger service at this part of the ring too. In the same year the lower line, with only one track, became electrified. This line is still important, there is a train every hour that runs from Potsdam Stadt (now "Hauptbahnhof" again) to Schönefeld airport.

Today, there is not much life at this station. The old restaurant is altered to a bowling center, the hotel and all other buildings are abandoned. The lower platform is still at use, also the tunnel, but there is almost no maintenance. The two upper platforms at the ring are abandoned and carry the signs of six years vandalism. The entrance building with the large hall is opened, but only because there are no doors anymore that can be locked anyways. The tunnel to the upper platforms is closed, the counters for tickets, luggage etc are bricked and the formerly beatiful candelabras at the ceiling are only skeletons.

 

© Dec
2004

 Mryia
Jackalope

 
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