The Berlin Prater has always been a centre for culture, art, entertainment and public debate. Historian Dr Johanna Niedbalski has explored its eventful history on behalf of the Department of Art and Culture at the Pankow District Office of Berlin. This publication is the result of her research in archives and libraries. In her choice of format and the enthusiasm she has shown for her field of research, she follows on from the Prater’s last publication in 1987. She also offers a well-founded, academic overview of the Prater’s development from a modest beer garden with visionary plans for the future to a bustling cultural venue, once in the northeast, and now at the heart of this culturally thriving city. Had a separate chapter been dedicated to each decade of the Prater’s multifaceted historical, political and cultural events, this publication would have had to be much longer. So to do justice to the range of topics it covers, we have created the Prater Perspektiven (Prater Perspectives) series, linking its past to the present and accompanying its reopening following extensive renovations. Together with you, the public, we are looking forward to shaping its future.
Tina Balla, Head of the Department of Art and Culture at the Pankow District Office of Berlin
Lena Prents, Director of the Prater Galerie