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Döberitzer Heide

The Döberitzer Heide is an area of about 5000 ha, which extends west of the gates of Berlin. It extends extensively, mainly in the district of Havelland between Dallgow-Döberitz and the Wustermark districts of Elstal and Priort, and in the south as far as Potsdam.
Designated as a nature reserve, the area is home to over 5000 species of flora and fauna displaced in many places as part of the large-scale wilderness project of the Heinz Sielmann Foundation. The flora and fauna include rare flowering plants such as the marsh orchid and the marsh gentian. Furthermore, the heath provides a habitat for endangered animal species such as the rare white-tailed eagle and the otter, and two species of prehistoric crabs also occur here.
Particularly popular with visitors are the bison and wild horses in the wilderness core zone. They move here without any human influence. Also goats, sheep and endangered insect species can be observed here. But beware - due to possible ammunition remnants in the ground, entering the Döberitzer Heide is only allowed on the cleared paths!
The view from the observation tower offers a wonderful view over the entire area - on a clear day as far as the Berlin television tower!

Address / entrance

Döberitzer Heide
Zur Döberitzer Heide
14641 Wustermark

The History :

The area has a long history as a military area. Already in the 18th century under Friedrich Wilhelm I. the first military exercises took place. However, the first military training area was not officially built until 1892 under Kaiser Wilhelm II. During the Olympic Games in 1936, military competitions also took place here. The barracks of the former Olympic Village near Döberitz can still be found here today.
Until 1991, the area was used by the Red Army during the occupation of Berlin by the Allies of World War II. With the political turnaround and the resulting withdrawal of Soviet troops, the Bundeswehr took over the area in the south of the heathland and used it as a training ground for units stationed in Berlin and Potsdam.
Only the military use made it possible to develop the area into an open heath landscape with extensive sand and dry grassland. These represent an important habitat for rare animal and plant species.