All access: a micro-level case study on the secondary center of Berlin (1871–1936)

Abstract

In an empirical analysis, I show that in the case of Berlin, Germany (1871–1936), the emergence of the second CBD during the first half of the past century was largely driven by market access generated by rail-based public transport. By applying a multistep measure of accessibility, it can be shown that while the city brought-up several economic centers simultaneously, the area around the Kurfürstendamm revealed a strong initial advantage leading to a rapid clustering of economic activity that consisted even decades after this advantage had vanished (hysteresis effect).

Data appendix

The data collection and preparation involved various processes. The first step consisted of properly defining the areas of business use for our year of reference in 1936. A detailed map (Aust 1986), showing the relevant parts of Berlin and indicating the corresponding land use for each built-up block, was consulted. The information was extracted by digitally processing the map and assigning the relevant information to Berlin’s official block structure of 2006. Standard GIS software was able to provide feasible methods in order to gain reliable results. Consulting historical sources about the economic structure of the city (Hofmeister 1990; Leyden 1933; Lipmann 1933; Louis 1936) allowed for feasibly defining three areas, which represent the core regions of economic activity within the research area (Fig. 11). Due to its spatial and historical significance, the Kaiser–Wilhelm–Gedächtniskirche represents the center of the very core region and, extended about 700 m the east to Wittenbergplatz (location of the KaDeWe) and 700 m to the west, forms Area 1. The second region is also comprised of the highly vivid Hardenbergstrasse toward the Technical University in the north, Olivaer Platz in the west and Nollendorfplatz in the east. The third area is represented by a wider range of what is still considered as belonging to the center and also includes the shopping area along Wilmersdorfer Strasse (Fig. 11).

The corresponding land values had to be collected from two different sources. Müller (1881–1910) provided detailed maps indicating values on block and house level for a wide area of the city’s contemporary boundaries. The collected values are restricted to formerly identified business blocks, and therefore, other land uses and values were excluded, except those that switched to commercial use during the course of the observation. In order to determine a representative land value for each area used for business-related purposes, the arithmetic average of all values being located within that area was assigned.

Kalweit (1928, 1936) chooses a different form to present the data. Based on a complete street index of Berlin, he assigned the minimum and maximum values to each street and therefore provides slightly less detailed data compared to Müller. Since business blocks are assumed to represent a higher value than residential blocks it can be argued that the indicated maximum values most likely correspond to the respective business blocks. A built-up block can also be represented as part of one, or the crossing point of, several streets. Consequently, taking the arithmetic average of the maximum values of all streets involved generated the value of a subject area.

Figure 11 shows, by means of kriging interpolation, commercial land valuation for 1929 as well as the outlines of the three defined Kudamm core areas of economic activity. This year represents the overall peak during the research period in terms of economic development. Interpolated land values support the feasibility of core regions definition.

As for the abovementioned development of the historical CBD (see Sect. 2), Fig. 12 impressively shows how the population density drastically declined between 1905 and 1936 due to the massive displacement of households by commercial activity. The area, in which the depopulation took place corresponds almost exactly to the boundaries of the CBD as defined by Leyden (1933) and Krause (1958).

Fig. 11

Definition of Kudamm Areas and Kriged SLV 1929. Source: Urban and Environmental Information System of the Senate Department of Berlin (2006)

Fig. 12

Depopulation of the Historical Center between 1871 and 1936