Johannisthal Air Field, airport in Germany
Johannisthal Air Field is a historic aerodrome in Treptow-Köpenick, about 15 kilometers southeast of central Berlin. The site spans roughly 26 hectares and contains preserved hangars from the 1920s and 1930s, green spaces, and a network of paths for exploration.
The field opened in 1909 as Germany's first airfield and became a hub for early aviation innovation. After 1923, civil flights moved to Tempelhof Airport, and the site then served military purposes and later was used by East Germany for research and manufacturing.
The name comes from the Johannisthal district that once occupied this area. Today the site blends old industrial structures with green space, showing how a former workplace has become a place for recreation and nature.
The site is easily reached by public transport, especially from the Schöneweide station. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes and allow time for walking across the open grounds, as there are unpaved areas and no formal facilities available.
Amelie Beese, Germany's first female pilot, trained and worked here before setting several flight records. The airfield was also the site of several tragic accidents in early aviation history, including a crash in 1913 that killed all 28 passengers on board.
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