Hundreds Bid Farewell To Berlin's Tempelhof Airport
 

October 30, 2008

Hundreds of people bade farewell on Wednesday to Berlin's Tempelhof Airport, a massive Nazi-built landmark in the heart of the German capital that served as a lifeline for West Berlin during the post-war Soviet blockade.

Dubbed "the mother of all airports" by architect Sir Norman Foster, Tempelhof dominates a huge stretch of land the size of New York's Central Park just south of central Berlin.

A functioning airstrip since 1923, its monolithic limestone terminal building was built by forced laborers between 1936 and 1941 on the orders of Hitler's architect Albert Speer.

The airport became a powerful symbol of the Cold War when Soviet forces prevented supplies from getting into West Berlin in 1948. The West responded by airlifting more than 2 million tons of food and other goods into Tempelhof for nearly a year.

It has continued to operate as a commercial airport, but its fate was sealed in April after a referendum to prevent its closure failed because of low turnout. Even Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke out against shutting it down.

The last planes will fly out of Tempelhof just before midnight on Thursday. It is unclear what will happen to the site, which still stirs strong emotions with many Berliners.

"I am 85 years old, as old as the airport itself. Now that the airport's time is up, mine may be too," said Ursula Wellnitz, gazing through the window at the landing strip as she wiped a tear from her cheek.

Wellnitz is one of hundreds of people, who traveled to the airport on Wednesday, to bid it a last farewell.

Some, like 52-year-old Peter Fetsch and his nephew from Baden-Wuerttemberg, traveled hundred of miles to witness the end of the Tempelhof era.

For others, like Sabine Meyer, who met her future husband while waiting to reclaim her luggage at Tempelhof almost 12 years ago, the airport feels like home turf.

"I have campaigned and protested, and nothing worked," Meyer said. "This airport is where our relationship first started to blossom. Losing it is like losing a piece of our lives."

Television and radio stations have held competitions to win tickets on the airport's last flights. Articles with headlines like "Tragic Ending" have peppered city newspapers.

Since the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, the capital has operated three airports -- Schoenefeld, Tegel and Tempelhof.

Construction has begun on Berlin Brandenburg International (BBI), due to open in 2011 next to Schoenefeld.

"Our future is in BBI," Berlin's Mayor Klaus Wowereit said back in April. He hopes the new airport will create 40,000 jobs.

For some the economic benefits of a new airport are no reason to shutter Tempelhof, one of the world's oldest operating airports.

"I was born in the middle of the 1948 airlift and it breaks my heart to see this place closing down," said visitor Andreas Schoenefeld. "Although I share my name with Schoenefeld, it will never have a place in my heart like Tempelhof does."

(Reuters)
source:-
Hundreds Bid Farewell To Berlin's Tempelhof Airport

EDDI Berlin Tempelhof closing for good
 

Sad day for Aviation !

the historic airport Berlin Tempelhof will be closing for ever at midnight tonight. Although I have not flown there personally myself, I would find it interesting to read memories of those that have been there and feel like posting. I think starting a thread here would be appropriate. The airport holds great merit to the german-american friendship.

At midnight a Junkers52 and a "candybomber" DouglasC54" will try and take off at the same time - will depend on the wind and skill of the pilots which aircraft will be airborne last.

Tempelhof R.I.P. :{

It is sad day for an historic aerodrome, so much of todays, post WW II Berlin owes so much to the Airlift and EDDI.

IGS PanAm
 

I am old but not that old to have flown the "Airlift"...
Was with PanAm, back then F/E then F/O on 727 - the "IGS", early 1970s.
During furlough, returned to Berlin late 1970s, but was with AeroAmerica (TXL base).
xxx
Aufwiedersehen, Tempelhof...
:)
Happy contrails

I flew into Templehof last year and I must admit that I found it rather sad to think that it would be closing.
It is probably the most magnificent (architecturally) airport in the world.
An airport that should be treasured even as a work museum rather than turned into flats.
It is somewhere every pilot should fly into at least once in their lives.
Strangely I feel proud that I have done so.

I once went there and I found it more than impressive to land in this small circle airfield in the middle of all these Berlin houses surrounding the airport. And then taxiing towards this huge and impressive airport building.
What will happen with this building?? Does anybody know?

Goodbye Tempelhof!

Auf Wiedersehen Tempelhof.

A true shame...

S.

Great shame
 

So long Tempelhof.
I flew in there in the 80's and 90's. Anyone remember the aerial photograph of Berlin and the Wall that was hanging in one of the FBO's rooms?

A sad day.Thanks for all the memories.

Since it is landmarked, it will have to be preserved as is. As for the airfield, lots of ideas floating about in the media but nothing definite. Sad thing really.

Thanks a lot, Mr. Wowereit. :ugh::ugh::ugh:

DL

How very sad. I flew in there about 20 yrs ago. You can't help but be impressed by the fantastic Art Deco terminal building, and taxying in to park under the overhang was a novelty that I suppose we'll never have again.

Rejoice accountant, behold your handiwork.:uhoh:

I flew a King Air there when it was the football world cup. Awesome airport but was a tough one to get out of when there was supposedly 700 a/c there all wanting to do the same thing and only one frequency to do it on!! But will also look at my log book with memorys

The washroom
 

I used to fly there on a regular basis with DAT. Wonderfully evocative of another age especially when coming onto stand under the great overhanging roof. Visiting the loo which is unchanged (I gather) from new, I pondered how many illustrious and dare say infamous fellow aviators had previously visited the same facilities.

Tempelhof
 

When we were there in Feb 08 they had the idea the airfield would become another Berlin Park, with the terminal becoming a museum.

Rumour has it, the few people who could perhaps have saved it had interests in the other Berlin airports. :uhoh:

I was there last month and not too many people happy with it.
Would put a pic up but don't know how to!!!
Doh! :ugh:

Sad Day
 

3 generations of my family have flown there. My grandfather was involved with the airlift (my mother grew up in postwar Berlin), my uncle in the 80s & I did an ad-hoc there a few years ago.
Amazing terminal building, looked like an old film set (or vice-versa).

Hello!

Made my "farewell-visit" there two weeks ago. The apron already looked quite deserted. What a shame. Force closed by people, whose parents were not even born when this airport was inaugurated.

Greetings, Max

http://www.bombie.de/tmp/Tempelhof_Vorfeld.jpg

Just after the wall came down I had the pleasure of operating one of the first scheduled services into the 'free Berlin', landing in this extraordinary airfield.
Parking under the roof and looking at the surroundings burned impressions in my mind I will never forget.

My (digital) logbook tells me about 48 incident free landings and take-offs at THF, certainly all of them some kind of a special event for me.

Well, politicians with no vision rule everywhere these days, THF would have deserved better.

It is not the first airfield which will be closed forever; but it is certainly one with a great history. There are for sure still a lot of 'Airbridge' pilots around who helped Berlin surviving with their impressive go-arounds after dropping the big parcels....on an airfield they never landed on.

Very sad to say Aufwiedersehen, it will be by car however.

I've got one landing at EDDI in my logbook, I feel proud to have been there but a real shame that I won't be able to add to that anymore.
http://www.vc10.net/div/IM003482_edit.jpg

Watching live-TV with tears in my eyes:
In these minutes the last scheduled flight, a Dornier Do-328 has left Tempelhof.

English Info+Video from DW