‘A symbol of resistance’: the fight to save treehouse built on no man’s land next to Berlin Wall

A ramshackle two-story structure known as the Treehouse, built on a sliver of no man's land adjacent to the former Berlin Wall, is at the center of a fight for its preservation. Supporters fear the unique building could be torn down as a safety hazard and are campaigning for it to be recognized as a memorial.

The treehouse holds historical significance, having been constructed in 1983 by Osman Kalin, a Turkish "guest worker." Kalin sought a plot of land to cultivate vegetables and found this unclaimed space next to the concrete barrier and barbed wire in Berlin's Kreuzberg district. Although situated in West Berlin, the land officially belonged to communist East Berlin due to Cold War dynamics, adding a layer of historical irony to its existence.

Those advocating for the Treehouse's survival envision it as a tribute not only to Kalin but also to the broader experience of postwar foreign laborers in Germany. They see the structure as a "symbol of resistance" and a tangible link to a divided past. The campaign aims to prevent its demolition and transform it into a lasting memorial that commemorates the contributions and struggles of migrant workers during a pivotal period in German history.

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A symbol of resistance