The Straußberger Platz in Berlin-Mitte

I ring the bell, the door opens and Müller welcomes me fawning. Müller is a truly cute, black-white-fury, French bulldog and is used to the current stream of visitors. Most of the guests, who are giving themselves the handle at Straußberger Platz in Berlin-Mitte, are refugees, who Mueller’s master grants his private rooms to. By now, the warm-hearted man already hosted 54 people from eleven nations in his 112 square meters design flat. “I actually have a screw loose”, describes Andreas Tölke himself and his willingness to help. “I don’t know the people. Who knows, maybe you’ll get assassinated in your sleep.” Andreas Tölke grins and sips at his glass of water.

Bulldog Müller presents his toy. Tölke discovered chair and table with green felt at Villa Harteneck

Tölke, who is a confessed dyslexic, studied social worker, experienced waiter and proven model booker earns his money nowadays as demanded journalist with portraits about people, art and architecture – inter alia for ‘Welt am Sonntag’ and the ‘Lufthansa Magazin’. The passionate writer finds interviews with actors tedious. “They already talk enough and don’t have to say something to everything”, finds Tölke, the storyteller. “Sarah Jessica Parker was one of the few exceptions, as she has something to tell. But I don’t want to ask Iris Berben, how she’s coping with her age.”

Andreas Tölke in front of the original DDR-cupboard by architect Irene Henselmann, whose husband significantly designed the Karl-Marx-Allee and besides drafted the Television Tower

When Tölke, who originally comes from the Weserbergland, moved into his apartment at Straußberger Platz ten years ago, the area was dominated by vacancy. Nobody – and certainly nobody from the East – wanted to go there. How can you actually live here? This was a question even his estate agent asked him and noticed the background noise by the steady traffic stream. You get used to everything, says Tölke. By now the rents at Straußberger Platz increased twice and there’s a long waiting list of architecture fans that would love to move into the former showcase of the DDR. The longest, connected housing ensemble of the Karl-Marx-Allee already has a landmark status for a long time.

The living room: the big sofa by Armani Casa stands opposite the daybed. The floor lamp is by Serge Mouille, the table by Noguci, the pillows by Calvin Klein

Three rooms, kitchen, bathroom are the involvement of Tölke’s refugee-approved hideaway, which welcomes the guests in an entrée with a size of 18 square meters. 3 and a half meters big walls and double doors, originally obtained details like parquet flooring and Bakelite-handles: “Where does this still exist?” rejoices Tölke and pensively looks at the Berlin Television Tower, which rises directly in front of his window and looks especially attractive in the noon sun. And he admits: “For other apartments I’m definitely filthy.”

The sight of Benno Kraehahns ‘Namenloser Frauenakt’ (listless act of women) probably irritated one or another refugee: “I explained them, that here, nobody is upset with the sight of naked women.” At the kitchen table are chairs in a DDR design, a “stolen Panton-Version”. “There are no pressed table linen,” explains Tölke his men- and dog household. “And as long as I don’t have my dream table by Saarinen, the creased blanket will stay on the table!”

Tölke also fell in love with the house community that consists out of 120 neighbors. Here everybody knows everybody, one greets and one talks with each other. There’s a little exchange platform on the heating in the corridor. Things somebody doesn’t need anymore make someone else happy. From sweets to books or Christmas decorations. His hospitality towards refugees mobilized the neighborhood. Doors also open now for asylum seekers. “It works”, summarizes Tölke. “And it doesn’t cost a lot of effort and collects karma points.” BvH

Collecting karma points

This is Müller in front of his – sad to say – empty, but therefore chic, luxury feeding bowls by the designer Paul Smith, who personally sent them to Müller

Office-atmosphere

“This looks like a Bauhaus-furniture, doesn’t it?” comments Andreas Tölke on his black desk. He found the 70s lamp at a flea market, the chair ‘Softpad’ is from Eames

The legendary ‘Wingchair’, above an quarrel by Carla Primera

“The revolutionary trash is from China”, explains Tölke the ceramic figures. “Nowadays for sure a lot worth, but back then I got it for a very low price.”

“I allow everyone onto my Recamiere – exceptionally. But only as long as I want it to happen”, says Andreas Tölke. “I have to admit: I love luxury.” Next an ‘Artemide’-lamp in front of a picture by Munoz Balda

“I love luxury.”

Room with a coveted view: The Berlin Television Tower

Mister Tölke and Müller bed themselves in their bedroom on a modell by Ligne Roset, the sidetables are from Lambert, the table lamps by Tobias Grau

Above the ‘Swan-Chair’ in the corridor by Arne Jacobsen an aquarell by artist Oda Jaune

Art by Jörg Immendorff and Pjotr Nathan

Picture with pistol right next to Oliver Mark, on its left you can see works by Uwe Arens, the 50s lamp is a discovery from Munich

Also the apartment doors are original obtained in the house at Straußberger Platz

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“DDR limited”: The distinctive life and style of East Berlin’s grand former socialist boulevard, the Karl-Marx-Allee and where it originates, the Strausberger Platz. Gestalten Verlag, Hardcover, 176 pages, 29,90 Euro Photo: Central Berlin, DDR Limited”, ©Skjerven

This book is a journey for all architecture fans and devoted to the buildings of the Karl-Marx-Allee and thus the most monumental construction project of the former GDR. Fascinating and great: “DDR limited” also includes some sentimental sensitives: The Norwegian scent expert Sissel Tolaas appeals to the senses of smell and takes the reader through impregnated pages to the smell of Berlin from then and now.

Instead of the austere Bauhaus tradition, the architects kept to the socialist classicism which also coined the Moscow skyline. Here the “Mocha Milk Bar”, Karl-Marx-Allee 35. Photo: Central Berlin, “DDR limited”, ©Skjerven

As a “showcase of socialism”, the Stalin Allee has been designed between 1952 and 1958 on the Soviet model to become the architectural symbol of the workers ‘and peasants’ state. With the in 1961 renamed Karl-Marx-Allee, the SED clarified the Stalin Allee to an extensive Sovietization of Berlin, which did not stop – even after urban development. The avenue with its broad green stripes, is framed by striking seven to nine-story residential and office buildings and was a representative march-past and parade route to the socialist Berlin.

The “Interflor” flower shop at Karl-Marx-Allee 32. Photo: “DDR limited”, ©Skjerven

In addition to the historical photographs of the book, “DDR limited” also presents the interior and living concepts of the present inhabitants. Although most homes are only equipped with two or three rooms, it becomes clear that the classics of DDR designs combine with Western counterparts and the current furniture matches. In fact, the architecture around the Strausberger Platz today appears modern and aesthetically – if one disregards the ideological aspect of the builders – making it one of the sought-after residential areas of Berlin. BvH

One of the both tower houses at the Frankfurter Tor – which was meant as a tribute to the Domkuppeln on Gendarmenmarkt – with its 30-meter high columns dome, there is an exclusive townhouse on three floors of 40 square meters each. The domed hall is twelve meters high and has a balcony, wrapped around the building, from which you can enjoy a stunning panoramic view of Berlin. Photo: “DDR limited”, ©Skjerven

“DDR limited” is an inspiring Coffee Table Book of the art directors André Wyst and Stephan Schilgen with photos by Jens Bösenberg. This pic shows a Schicht-daybed from 1953, Pilastro-florlamp and Aalto stool. Painting “Neuschwanstein III” by Arnim Boehm. Photo: “DDR limited”, Central Berlin, ©Skjerven

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