Geological Origins
The soils of Berlin-Mitte, including Auguststraße 69, are rooted in glacial and post-glacial processes. During the Pleistocene epoch (~2.6 million to 11,700 years ago), multiple glaciations shaped northern Germany's terrain. The region sits atop glaciofluvial gravel, sands, silts, and clays deposited by retreating ice sheets. These soils tend to be sandy and nutrient-poor, though centuries of urbanization has since altered their profile.
(Un)earthing KW
A Timeline of Auguststraße 69, Traced Through its Soil
Prior to the rapid expansion of Berlin in the 18th and 19th centuries, this land may have supported sparse vegetation or limited agricultural use. However, due to the soil's poor fertility, intensive farming was likely rare. Natural soils may have been compacted and layered with decaying organic matter and glacial till.
Pre-Urban Conditions
In 1794, the front house at Auguststraße 69 was built for royal valet, H. Carl Daniel Christoph Timm. This marked the beginning of ground disturbance through excavation and foundation laying. Brick and mortar foundations would have displaced topsoil and compacted underlying layers, initiating centuries of soil sealing and contamination.
1794: First Construction
The opening of a wool, cotton, and silk factory in the courtyard likely introduced industrial waste to the soil. Dyes, bleaches, and heavy metals commonly used in 19th-century textile production may have leached into the ground, contaminating subsurface layers and initiating pH shifts.
1842: Textile Factory
1877: Margarine Factory
On the rear side of the lot, a margarine factory was constructed. Margarine production historically involved hydrogenated oils, and potentially lye or other caustic substances. Oil residues and wastewater runoff could have permeated the soil, further degrading its structure and microbial balance.
Late 1800s–1930s: Mixed Industrial Use
The front building and wings continued under mixed use. A 1908 directory lists G. Fürstenberg at Auguststraße 69, manufacturing “Oberfensteröffner ‘Frische Luft’” (mechanical window-openers), and by the 1930s, the rear building operated as Margarinefabrik Berolina. Multiple overlapping industrial uses introduced a range of potential pollutants: metals, lubricants, solvents, and combustion byproducts.
WWII and Aftermath
1949–1989: East Berlin, Nationalization
Under the GDR, the courtyard buildings became state property. The margarine factory was nationalized and later used by VEB Elektromontage. Electrical assembly could have introduced heavy metals (Pb, Sn, Cu), insulation materials, and cleaning solvents into the soil.
1990: Fire and Solvent Explosion
A major fire in 1990 ignited seven 200-liter drums of paint thinner and solvent. Explosions released hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air and likely onto the soil surface. Any rain during or after the fire could have carried these toxins into deeper soil horizons.
The Spandauer Vorstadt district was heavily bombed in WWII, though Auguststraße 69 survived structurally. However, fire damage and debris from surrounding buildings likely added ash, soot, and rubble to the soil. The courtyard was left derelict and compacted, with "bullet-pocked façades" and war debris embedded in the ground (KW, A History).
1991 Onward: Founding of KW
Artists began occupying the former factory buildings in 1991, initiating adaptive reuse. Although the site was partially restored by the late 1990s, no comprehensive soil remediation appears to have occurred. Thus, soil beneath the garden area today may still contain traces of 19th-century dyes, margarine residues, war debris, solvents, and heavy metals.
“Geological Outline 2007: Map Description,” Umweltatlas Berlin, Senate Department for Urban Development and the Environment, 2007.
“Soil Associations 2020: Map Description,” Umweltatlas Berlin, Senate Department for Urban Development and the Environment, 2020.
“Geological Outline 2007: Map Description.” Umweltatlas Berlin, Senate Department for Urban Development and the Environment, 2007,
“Hofanlage gegenüber Auguststraße 69,” Denkmal-Datenbank Berlin, Landesdenkmalamt Berlin, n.d.
IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. "1. Historical Perspectives and Description of the Industry." Exposures in the Textile Manufacturing Industry, International Agency for Research on Cancer, 1990. NCBI Bookshelf, National Library of Medicine.
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Wiley, Roy. “The Oils Refining Process and Contaminants in Edible Oils: A Review.” Academia.edu, uploaded by Roy Wiley.
Berliner Adressbuch 1908, Seite 4790.” Zentral- und Landesbibliothek Berlin: Digitales Archiv, 1908.
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KW, a History. Edited by Klaus Biesenbach, Jenny Dirksen, Krist Gruijthuijsen, and Gabriele Horn, Distanz, 2021.
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KW, a History. Edited by Klaus Biesenbach, Jenny Dirksen, Krist Gruijthuijsen, and Gabriele Horn, Distanz, 2021.
“Fässer explodiert.” taz, die Tageszeitung, 10 Sept. 1990.
KW, a History. Edited by Klaus Biesenbach, Jenny Dirksen, Krist Gruijthuijsen, and Gabriele Horn, Distanz, 2021.