In the course of widespread Gründerzeit building development around 1900, the Wallstraße once again underwent a makeover: many of the baroque houses had to make way for larger units in order to meet the demands of a boost in manufacturing and commercial activity.

During the 1920s, thanks to its central waterside location, the area developed into an important commercial centre, particularly in terms of the textile industry.

From then on, the commercial buildings on the Wallstraße were used to manufacture ruffles, hats, sewing silk, flags, gold ware and watches. The establishment of a dye works and laundry in Spindlershof as well as of various clothing manufacturers prior to the First World War meant that the area’s growing importance could continue despite the interruption brought about by the war itself.

It wasn’t just tradespeople who moved into the area: various federations also took up residence in the Wallstraße, for example the General Worker’s Union Federation (Allgemeiner Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund) which occupied No. 61-65, a house built in 1922/23 by the architects Max Taut and Franz Hoffmann.

Due to its crucial role in Berlin’s urban history, the area was also ideally suited for the 1908 opening of the Märkisches Museum with its historical collections covering the March of Brandenburg and the city of Berlin.

Around the same time, building work was going on underneath Wallstraße: the underground stations Spittelmarkt and Inselstraße (now called Märkisches Museum) came into operation in 1907 and 1913 respectively. Together with the tram lines operating since the 1880s, these stations offered rapid transport connections within the city centre as well as to the suburbs.

Introduction

Water, city expansion and the stronghold period until the late 17^th century

Sugar, freemasons and bathing in the 18^th and 19^th centuries

Textile industry, federations and city museum post-1900

Prominent roles and central location along the wall in the GDR

Back to the centre post-1989