Hackescher Markt Before and After: From Rubble to Berlin's Coolest Neighborhood

If you visit Hackescher Markt today, you'll find one of the most vibrant squares in Berlin. Cafés spill onto sidewalks, street musicians play under the S-Bahn arches, and the Hackesche Höfe courtyards buzz with art galleries and boutiques.

Eighty years ago, this entire area was rubble. The transformation is one of the most dramatic before-and-after stories in Berlin.

Before the War: A Jewish Quarter

Hackescher Markt and its surrounding Scheunenviertel (Barn Quarter) was historically the center of Jewish life in Berlin. The Neue Synagoge on nearby Oranienburger Straße, completed in 1866 with its striking Moorish-style golden dome, was the largest synagogue in Germany.

The Hackesche Höfe — eight interconnected courtyards built in 1906 — were a showcase of Jugendstil architecture and urban planning. The area was dense, lively, and culturally rich.

Destruction: Nazi Era and WWII

The Nazis devastated the Jewish community here long before the bombs fell. Deportations emptied the neighborhood. During Kristallnacht in 1938, businesses were destroyed and people were dragged from their homes. The Neue Synagoge was set on fire, though a local police officer famously intervened to limit the damage.

Then Allied bombing in 1943–45 destroyed much of the physical neighborhood. The Hackesche Höfe survived partially, but the surrounding blocks were devastated.

The GDR Years: Neglect

Under East German rule, the area received minimal investment. The Hackesche Höfe fell into disrepair. Buildings that survived the war crumbled from decades of neglect. The neighborhood was quiet, run-down, and forgotten — a shadow of what it had been.

After Reunification: The Rebirth

After the Wall fell in 1989, Hackescher Markt became one of the first areas in East Berlin to be redeveloped. The Hackesche Höfe were meticulously restored in the 1990s, with the original Jugendstil facade tiles brought back to their original glory. Artists, galleries, and independent shops moved into the empty spaces.

The Neue Synagoge was partially reconstructed as a museum and memorial. New restaurants and bars opened under the S-Bahn arches. Within a decade, Hackescher Markt went from one of the most neglected corners of East Berlin to one of its most desirable.

Today it's hard to imagine this neighborhood was ever anything but thriving. That's the power of Berlin's ability to reinvent itself.

End Your Tour Here

Hackescher Markt is the final stop on our free walking tour. After 12 stops and 800 years of Berlin history, you end up in one of the city's best neighborhoods for food, shopping, and exploring on your own.

Book your free spot now. From Alexanderplatz to Hackescher Markt — zero entrance fees. Tip-based, always.