Postcard made in the DDR with a picture of Alexanderplatz. Alexanderplatz is a large public square and transport hub in the central Mitte district of Berlin. The square is named after the Russian Tsar Alexander I. Alexanderplatz is reputedly the most visited area of Berlin. It is a popular starting point for tourists, with many attractions including the Fernsehturm (TV tower), the Nikolai Quarter and the Rotes Rathaus (‘Red City Hall’) situated nearby. Alexanderplatz is still one of Berlin’s major commercial areas.
One of Berlin’s largest air raid shelters during the Second World War was situated under Alexanderplatz.The war reached Alexanderplatz in early April 1945. During the Battle of Berlin, Red Army artillery bombarded the area around Alexanderplatz. The battles of the last days of the war destroyed many of the buildings around Alexanderplatz.
Hours before fighting ended in Berlin on 2 May 1945, troops of the SS detonated explosives inside the tunnels and shelters to slow the advance of the Red Army towards Berlin’s city centre. The entire tunnel flooded and many of those seeking shelter in the tunnels were killed.