As my job is building steel plants, I also worked some five years ago inside that steel plant. It's well maintained and run by qualified engineers. The company does invest into the plant and expand production. After 1990, it had to be upgraded to modern emission standards and the quality standards for the final products had to be improved. To me, it looks like it will be one of the few former East German plants that will stay in operation for many years to come.
@eastgermanyinvestigated Жыл бұрын
That's interesting. Thanks!
@jxjbfj24 Жыл бұрын
My family (mothers side) comes from eisenhüttenstadt, I personally think it’s a pretty town
@caspa7 Жыл бұрын
I grew up there, went to Juri-Gagarin-School from 85-89. Fond memories of a much more buzzing place back then but also scary encounters with Stasi folks.
@eastgermanyinvestigated Жыл бұрын
Thanks for sharing. You must feel sad to see some parts of the city in its current state.
@caspa7 Жыл бұрын
@@eastgermanyinvestigated Yeah it's a bit like that scene from Inception where the sea is eating away from the rotting city of "Limbo".. exactly that feeling I have now seeing these empty patches and abandoned places that once thrived. In my dreams Eisenhüttenstadt is still complete.
@Icelandchan Жыл бұрын
I lived there for so many years. It's crazy to see these pictures. The hospital I was born in and the Bierstube my parents met in :,) I even got a glimpse of my primary school. When you are interested in this stuff it really is worth a visit. But I would never want to move back. Still, great to see.
@RamMohammadJosephKaurАй бұрын
Why wouldn't you want to move back where are you settled now?
@IcelandchanАй бұрын
@Mahalakshmi-Khan oh it's very small, and work is hard to find. My parents moved away, too. I myself live in a bigger city now but still in Eastern Germany.
@olaf4205 Жыл бұрын
It reminds me of the Polish city of Nowa Huta (New Ironworks). It was founded in 1949. It also has Stalinist roots. Eisenhütte and huta means the same :)
@scrabbymcscrotus748111 ай бұрын
*Neuhütten
@edlawrence505911 ай бұрын
What does 'Eisen' mean?
@konkon395511 ай бұрын
@@edlawrence5059 Iron
@scrabbymcscrotus748110 ай бұрын
Iron @@edlawrence5059
@valentinsn-ostalgiemodellbahn Жыл бұрын
A very well prepared documentary about this unique city, a special heritage site in East Germany (former GDR). Hopefully it will encourage some Berlin visitors to take the train a head for this special place. All the best Valentin
@railway18711 ай бұрын
This city can provide inspiration for modeltrain layouts 🙂🙋♂️
@valentinsn-ostalgiemodellbahn11 ай бұрын
@@railway187 So much ideas, absolutely true!
@valiciprian2061 Жыл бұрын
În România it was Brașov that was called Stalin City between 1951 and 1961. Brașov was originally a german City of the german minority from Romania. Originally it was called Kronstadt
@davidjones332 Жыл бұрын
This is a place I've always been curious about, not least for the name. It's interesting to see how it compares to "new towns" in other places, especially the attempt to temper its totalitarian functionality with some art for the masses. Thanks for the tour.
@chadwahl9085 Жыл бұрын
I'm surprised Bald and Bankrupt didn't visit this town just for the murals .
@jaskkk Жыл бұрын
he didn't have the order from his elder intelligence officer to go there! ;)
@johnsinclair462110 ай бұрын
I have the feeling that he has the tendency to show us mostly the ugly or obviously totalitarian looking parts of former communist countries. I don’t know if he does this consciously, but I doubt that he would make a video saying: „Look here, this town was actually quite nice“.
@bartoszwalaszek3024 Жыл бұрын
I accidentally came across your channel. I am delighted with it. Lots of interesting facts about the previous era. I was born in 80s , I remember communism. Currently, many people in Poland return to the topic of architecture from this period. I'm glad that there are people in Germany who are interested in this. Regards from Poland and England, where I currently live 🇩🇪 🇵🇱 🇬🇧
@mx338 Жыл бұрын
There never was communism, it was socialism which is a development stage before communism.
@MetDaan291211 ай бұрын
I think the city looks very nice! Love the architecture and all the different art pieces.
@buckwylde7965 Жыл бұрын
Excellent video! So interesting to see what the SED did with a blank page when it came to city planning. They were successful in making a clean break with the past as you mentioned that you did not feel like you were in a German city.
@boink800 Жыл бұрын
Many of the buildings were built in the Soviet style of the era. It seemed that they used the ideas of their big socialist brother from the USSR.
@user-fb9ql8bm2e Жыл бұрын
It’s not a “German city” in the traditional sense, but East Germany intended this to be a city that exemplifies German socialism. It’s a glimpse into futuristic socialist construction and what many new towns could have grown to look like had the DDR survived. East Germans found a good balance in this regard, they preserved the historic character when rebuilding cities destroyed in the war (eg Dresden, Magdeburg) yet began to develop a uniquely East German style - evident in the buildings and art of this video.
@19iason1911 ай бұрын
Fun fact: while Eisenhüttenstadt was a new founded city, it is located between two elder towns, Schönfliess and Fürstenberg. Both towns kept their own identity until today. People never really got used to the feeling of living in a new city. The museum Utopie and Alltag is worth a visit.
@timjohnson689 Жыл бұрын
Thank you so much for putting together this fascinating video! I really enjoyed it. I'm very grateful that you have made the effort to make the videos in English so they are more widely accessible. Thank you.
@felipeitoanuatti10 ай бұрын
I only knew of the existence of this town thanks to a Tom Hanks interview on Letterman!
@tortillawrap6955 Жыл бұрын
buntglas = stained glass window What always makes me sad about these kinds of videos is the artists are always unknown, would be so interesting to understand the way these artworks were made and by whom!
@XalphYT Жыл бұрын
The stained-glass windows were made by DAS VOLK. _(My guess is a lot of skilled people worked in anonymity in the DDR.)_
@Manaklyps11 ай бұрын
Sadly, after reunification East German artists were often dismissed as socialist kitsch and did not receive much recognition.
@vinnyfanneran3116 Жыл бұрын
Thank you so much for all of your hard work in creating these videos. I think everyone who watches feels the same appreciation.
@robertmead9234 Жыл бұрын
I love this channel! I've been fascinated by the Iron Curtain countries since I was a kid.
@Ari_G73 Жыл бұрын
Canadian here. I really love your East Germany videos. Thank you for educating us!
@ned900 Жыл бұрын
Found this channel yesterday, have consumed most of the content already, facinating, well presented.
@eastgermanyinvestigated Жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@Hongaars1969 Жыл бұрын
Another informative and in depth presentation. Each episodes, I learn so much more. Thank you.
@c.smythe8905 Жыл бұрын
Agree, very interesting and well presented
@voytechmaas7424 Жыл бұрын
Today the algorithm suggested me this channel. Really interesting content. Now i am your follower and look forward to watching new videos :)
@mane771000 Жыл бұрын
It looks like typical soviet city, or modern Russian city with lots of soviet buildings, especially those mosaics, almost all soviet buildings have those mosaics in my city, always love them. And the theater looks exactly like small local theaters in Russia.
@philwanadoo743511 ай бұрын
so beautiful those soviet cities...😆😆😆
@videogamemusicrenditionsby762511 ай бұрын
Amazing...
@liamhickey35911 ай бұрын
Probably much better constructed.
@nomistraveller78010 ай бұрын
What is your city call?
@brucedanton3669 Жыл бұрын
I have read of the city here before so well done to you for the upload here of course so too. Thank you as well!
@petermcfarlane6749 Жыл бұрын
Another really interesting video. I think that the architecture is very tasteful. I remember during the Cold Was that Eastern Bloc countries were always prtrayed as bland and uninspiring. Thanks for posting the video. It would be great if you were to do something on East German cars and also on the Wandlitz compound? Fingers crossed. 🤞🏻 😊
@philwanadoo743511 ай бұрын
They were, my friend. They were.
@laussrensen4541 Жыл бұрын
Thanks a lot. I have decided to visit next week, only 3½ hours from my home in Prague
@eastgermanyinvestigated Жыл бұрын
Great! 👍 I hope you'll find it interesting!
@davidcharnes916110 ай бұрын
Wonderful video. Thank you so much for making it. I would love to visit this town.
@stefansoder690311 ай бұрын
Ah I've been so very close numerous times when travelling by car but I never went there. Didn't know it was so special. Next time I will go there for sure. Thank's!
@naruciakk Жыл бұрын
Thanks to your video, when I was visiting Frankfurt an der Oder last week, I also checked out the city. It was worth going there, especially that the train there takes around 20 minutes anyway.
@unclestuka8543 Жыл бұрын
Thank you for a wonderful insight into the DDR, I am planning to go next time Im in Berlin, and soak up some atmosphere, sehr gut !
@niallocuilleanain81 Жыл бұрын
great video! i am visiting eisenhuttenstadt in two weeks! yay!
@wertywerrtyson5529 Жыл бұрын
I’m glad places like this still exists. Unfortunately I’ve never been to Germany despite living fairly close by in Sweden. I would like to though.
@NoirFan013 ай бұрын
A few years ago at a German film festival in San Francisco I saw the movie “The Silent Revolution” which was set in Eisenhuttenstadt. “group of twelfth-grade pupils in East Germany decide to show their solidarity with the victims of the 1956 Hungarian uprising by staging two minutes of silence during lessons.” Good to see your video about the city.
@daneelolivaw60210 ай бұрын
I must admit i clicked on this video by accident, but i also must admit, i watched and enjoyed it, i have never been able to visit Germany, and after seeing this i feel really sad. Thank you for a very interesting tour of this former East German City.
@franc911111 ай бұрын
Here's another 'fun fact'. A long time ago, in the 1960's, I also used to live in a 'new town' - it was Crawley in West Sussex in England. I don't remember whose idea it was, but there was a proposed town twinning between Eisenhüttenstadt and Crawley. Of course, there were a lot of questions raised about how it could possibly get off the ground and what kind of arrangements could be made for exchanges between the two towns, given the political situation. Negotiations went on for quite a long time, but it must have become evident that it wasn't going to be very feasible. Anyway I'm sure I'm not the only one from Crawley who remembers the name of Eisenhüttenstadt. (By the way, I now have a son who lives in East Berlin, I must ask him if he knows the name of this town)
@1973sonvis Жыл бұрын
Ein tolles Video! Die Stadt ist eine Zeitkapsel. 👍🏻
@Keithjsullivan Жыл бұрын
I believe my town in southern England was being lined up to ‘twin’ with Eisenhuttenstadt in the 60s but I understand the plans fell through due to travel difficulties to/from the DDR. My town went onto twin with a town north of Essen called Dorsten. It was therefore interesting to watch this video. Thanks.
@sunrise560 Жыл бұрын
Best regards to Crawley 👋!
@Leberteich Жыл бұрын
Ahh the irony now we in the UK have the travel difficulties.
@Keithjsullivan Жыл бұрын
@@Leberteich I couldn’t agree more.
@philwanadoo743511 ай бұрын
@@Leberteich Not quite the same... You are still a free man.
@Leberteich11 ай бұрын
@@philwanadoo7435 The most truly enslaved are those who falsely believe to be free.
@aussiejinjo Жыл бұрын
great cinematography in this video, i love your use of angles/foregrounds etc to make these shots super interesting
@wolfie85411 ай бұрын
Fascinating. It looks well worth a visit. Thanks for the video and information.
@nighthawwwk11 ай бұрын
I love everything about it. I will be visiting next time I go to Berlin.
@LandYacht Жыл бұрын
Excellent! Thanks for your hard work.
@rilrahoneybee9621 Жыл бұрын
Glad to found your channel! Since started 2021 but It is first time U Tube feed this channel for me. I am myself studying the same topics of yours. Thank you very much!
@eastgermanyinvestigated Жыл бұрын
Welcome! Happy you found it!
@SvenBollue11 ай бұрын
Many thanks for this again very excellent video!!
@channelmaster58909 ай бұрын
Wauw! Dat was kort, krachtig en zeer interessant. Vooral omdat ik er deze week naar toe ga. Ik ga je volgen. 👍🏼
@user-ry1qj9hw7r11 ай бұрын
Отличный город 🎹🎻👏
@W126_besserung Жыл бұрын
Great overview! When I visit my friends in Lübben (Spreewald) I try to go visit Eisenhüttenstadt and admire the architecture and reflect on the history. It's nice to enjoy cake and coffee at "Dreißzig" on the Lindenallee. Thanks for this, can't wait to go back and explore some of sights you have shared here. Danke sehr!
@eastgermanyinvestigated Жыл бұрын
Thanks for sharing. Hope you will be able to visit the Lindenallee again soon.
@Gigidag77 Жыл бұрын
so if you want to take a look at how soviet towns looked like when they were new, go to Eisenhüttenstadt. Amazingly well preserved and maintained (well apart from that Hotel for example)
@IEATU95 Жыл бұрын
I went here last month... absolutely crazy!
@bartsimpson2930 Жыл бұрын
Excellent video! Many thanks!!
@linebugofficial4756 Жыл бұрын
Thank you so much for this video, my wife and I are in Eisenhüttenstadt right now (making an art-project about DDR-towns) and used your guide for things worth visiting, very nice:-) We’ll have a look in your “catalogue” to see if you have done something on Weisswasser, Hoyerswerda or Zeitz!
@rayeisenstein4245 Жыл бұрын
Waiting for more videos from you about East Germany
@Karlthegrubber Жыл бұрын
Wow. What a channel. Wonderful content.
@HistoryNiche7 ай бұрын
Great video I am considering visiting Chemnitz when I come to Germany in February. I didn't know about this place it gives me another reason to visit Berlin in the future. Good channel.
@user-vc1cm3rh7e Жыл бұрын
Really interesting. Thanks
@jaredsetnar2652 Жыл бұрын
This channel is great. Keep up the good work.
@masterquizzler98113 ай бұрын
My entire family, grandma, grandpa, parents, uncles and aunts come from Eisenhüttenstadt and of course I do too. In 1989 there were around 53,000 residents and today there are no more than 24,000. All of my relatives worked in the EKO. Whether in the blast furnace, the cold rolling mill or the central workshop, everyone had found work in the EKO, regardless of whether they were women or men, everyone had to work. Family care was much better than it is today and the school system also worked better than it does in Germany today. It makes me sad to see how many residential areas have already been demolished and how the city is becoming smaller and smaller. Almost all the apartments that I can remember were demolished and so they only exist in my memories.
@ashleyupshall7641 Жыл бұрын
Interesting vid. Thanks for posting.
@Duececoupe6 ай бұрын
Fürstenberg and I think about beer! 😆😂 Excellent video! On to the next one after it....
@pascalcoole2725 Жыл бұрын
Still haven't seen all of Berlin. Love to visit that one again.
@kidmohair81519 ай бұрын
I am fascinated. thank you!
@stefanschreiber774 Жыл бұрын
I had to do a case study on Eisenhüttenstadt in university. It is a very challenging situation for the people in charge of urban planning and housing. The city's population has shrunk to around 40% of the size that it had in the late 80s, so the government had to take drastic measure to dismantle many of the old soviet-style housing blocks and reshape it into a liveable city with a functioning and feasable infrastructure. It's a prime example of shrinking cities in eastern Germany. It sure is an oddly fascinating place.
@arctix451811 ай бұрын
Haben einige von denen hier. Hütte ist eigentlich nur deswegen "besonders" unter den Stadtplanern, weil die Stadt so jung ist und nicht nur aus alten Industrieruinen und Wohnbebauung aus Gründerzeit oder den 20ern besteht. Das Problem mit dem Schrumpfen ist allerdings nichts Besonderes. Hütte ist sogar noch gut dabei, weil die Industrie ja im Kern noch da ist. Städte wie Weißwasser oder Hoyerswerda haben ihren ganzen Kern verloren und sind deutlich stärker geschrumpft und haben noch deutlich mehr Probleme.
@prkp72489 ай бұрын
And nothing like that helped. Between 2010 and 2023 almost 1/3 of population vanished (30k vs 23k).
@jean6872 Жыл бұрын
*_A very impressive city with interesting architecture, public art works, neatness, and enviable quiet pace of life._*
@schoenwettersl Жыл бұрын
It's actually really pretty
@atibor Жыл бұрын
Thank you very much for this video
@pierpaolodeiulis7783 Жыл бұрын
Amazing city. Must ho there soon! Thanx for your job. DDR in my ❤
@philwanadoo743511 ай бұрын
Don't say that to the east germans !
@notroll12796 ай бұрын
Excellent video. After 27 years of living in Berlin, I jumped on a train and went to visit Eisenhüttenstadt for a few hours last autumn. First, I went to Fürstenberg, a nice village on the Oder river - pretty much like most sleepy villages in the state of Brandenburg. Then I walked over to the centre of actual Eisenhüttenstadt and saw most of the sights you showed. As you pointed out, the population has diminished considerably - the steelworks still operate, but are far more productive and only need a fraction of their former staff. So not only is there less traffic than you would expect in a town of that size - many of the people you see there are very old folks, many of whom probably former steel workers or their families. So I'd expect population to further decline sharply over the next 20 years. EHS left me puzzled - it was a socialist showcase town, allowing its inhabitants more and better housing than in most other places in the GDR. On the other hand, you lived on a playing field entirely designed by the regime (hence no church and no spire...).
@erstmalzupenny26611 ай бұрын
Very good, thank you!
@CheCosaTesoro Жыл бұрын
Fascinating.
@JG-qt3pn11 ай бұрын
Love the stripped classicism of it all.
@darkkavenger Жыл бұрын
Lovely, a lot of Dresden vibes (except the historical center), same feelings of well thought architecture and human scale buildings. Hope to visit.
@charlescole3040 Жыл бұрын
Interesting. An excellent German-language movie (entitled "The Silent Revolution") which was based on a German book entitled "Das Schweigende Klassenzimmer" depicts an actual event which took place in East Germany in 1956 wherein a senior high school class (Arbiturienten) sat silent for two minutes in support of the 1956 Hungarian Revolt, for which they were subjected to a lot of pressure, but refused to yield. An OUTSTANDING movie. My question is that they called the town in which this happened (which was actually the East German town of Storkow) "Stalinstadt." That's probably artistic license, but I was wondering if Eisenhuettenstadt (which was previously Stalinstadt) had anything to do with the events in that German movie.
@eastgermanyinvestigated Жыл бұрын
Thanks for bringing this up. As far as I can see, you have summarised it correctly. The events actually took place in Storkow. The only link to Eisenhüttenstadt is that they used the city’s previous name and that parts of the movie were shot there.
@charlescole3040 Жыл бұрын
@@eastgermanyinvestigated So scheint's mir auch. Danke.
@klawlor3659 Жыл бұрын
I have to say I've only visited Germany once, and that was a day trip from Eindhoven! This is inspiring me to take a cheapo Ryanair flight to Berlin next month! Never thought I'd say that!
@eastgermanyinvestigated Жыл бұрын
That’s great to hear! Don’t hesitate to share your experience after your visit.
@philwanadoo743511 ай бұрын
Germany is nice but I would not start with Eisenhütten...
@robenglish4167 ай бұрын
Been there twice, absolutely love the architecture from the 50’s, unfortunately a lot of the later architecture in total decay, but understandable since population is less than half of the heyday’s. The Bierstube serves delicious food.
@rory735911 ай бұрын
Great video
@railway187 Жыл бұрын
What a beautiful city! It's a pity it's underpopulated now.
@philwanadoo743511 ай бұрын
and why is it underpopulated may I ask ?
@johnsinclair462110 ай бұрын
@@philwanadoo7435Because East Germany was ripped apart, it’s economical basis sold off to the highest west german bidder and it’s young usually very well educated inhabitants had to move to the west to make a living. If there would have been the political will to avoid the depopulation of East Germany, it would have been possible.
@andrewwjmamo9707 Жыл бұрын
So interesting, what architecture hope it doesn't crumble.
@giggling_boatswain10 ай бұрын
Artifacts from another era are amazing. There is no way to let them disappear. The mosaic is great. The city is beautiful with its quiet life. It became a little sad. Probably nostalgia. Please save this.
@XalphYT Жыл бұрын
Ok, you have convinced me. I am going 🎉
@eastgermanyinvestigated Жыл бұрын
Have a nice trip!
@hazchemel Жыл бұрын
Much appreciated, thank you. By it's riparian location alone, I'd think that it has substantial record of incorporation within many regimes.
@mnijhoff Жыл бұрын
I recently discovered your channel and in case you are a IM. I love it!! 😅
@daemondif705110 ай бұрын
The mosaics are so wonderfull.
@rogernilsson8121 Жыл бұрын
After watching this video, I regret never visiting the Eisenhüttenstadt the last time I was in Berlin. I could never imagine that a city built by communists could have such charm. But it will definitely be on my to-do list next time I'm in Germany!
@philwanadoo743511 ай бұрын
lol well you must find Bodensee bland and depressing 😆😆😆
@henrykszuplakszuplak65784 ай бұрын
I got my red simson enduro from the Lenin alee back in '88
@Peter-lm3ic10 ай бұрын
It could have been the fabled 'Worker's Paradise' of the sunlit uplands!
@michaelgodsonsirens Жыл бұрын
I love your videos
@CulturWojak10 ай бұрын
In Russland gibt es erstaunlicherweise auch völlig in der Zeit von UdSSR neu gegründete Stadt, genannt Schelesnogorsk, welche man wörtlich als Eisenhüttenstadt übersetzt (Schelesno - Eisen, gorsk - hütten, sk - stadt)
@thinktank801111 ай бұрын
absolutely unique architecture appearance. Should be considered as a European heritage by the UNESCO.
@meixo90839 ай бұрын
its a socialist planstadt. ist is the EXACT opposite of uinque.
@luizfelipebrandao6238 Жыл бұрын
Thank you.
@mabbrey Жыл бұрын
great vid
@edlawrence505911 ай бұрын
I'm surprised Bald and Bankrupt missed this place. He would love the mosaics.
@RobertSigmund1 Жыл бұрын
It is embarrassing, but Eisenhüttenstadt is beautiful!
@seytanuakbar3022 Жыл бұрын
When "freedom and democracy" comes to your town dying out starts. Same happened to my hometown. We had metalwork and building company that worked all around West and East Europe, Middle East and Africa. Democracy turned it from company of 16 000 workers to workshop of 400 workers. Same happened to woodwork and furniture company. Today we are town of slave workers in West Europe.
@philwanadoo743511 ай бұрын
Yes well ask DDR Bürger if they want to go back...
@hussainelb393010 ай бұрын
It's a Very Beautiful city!
@TheSuperDerp Жыл бұрын
How did West Germany fund a church in the east? That must have taken some serious diplomatic maneuvering.
@vincentvegeta617210 ай бұрын
Intéressant. Mais où sont les habitants ? A part une Trabant en circulation, serait-ce une ville fantôme ? 🤯
@pqlasmdhryeiw8 Жыл бұрын
Wonderful tour, thank you. Was the town as empty as shown? Or did you simply wait for people to be out of your way. It gives off the feeling of a ghost town.
@eastgermanyinvestigated10 ай бұрын
It was quite empty. Only few people on the streets.
@tongsllc Жыл бұрын
Wow! Ich studierte Deutsch wie eine kinder, but I have never heard of Stalin Stadt or Eisen Hütten Stadt.
@vaged2aj Жыл бұрын
considerably more stylish than similar places in Czechoslovakia
@blotski Жыл бұрын
Fantastic video and I love your channel. I'll even forgive you for calling football 'soccer'. Just don't do it again. 😂 Immer bereit.