Fundstücke - Objekte erzählen Geschichte(n) EN

Category: Politics
Statement: Transfer of the S-Bahn in West Berlin, Change of Status, End and New Beginning
Context: Additional farewell and inauguration memorabilia
The "Kelle" (dispatch paddle), officially called the "Befehlsstab" (command baton), is used to visually signal the departure order to the train driver. Although largely obsolete today, it still sees occasional use. The "Kelle" is often ceremonially raised when politicians or other dignitaries inaugurate new routes or send off new trains. On January 9, 1984, the then-Mayor of West Berlin, Richard von Weizsäcker, gave the departure order to the first S-Bahn train under BVG management at Anhalter Bahnhof, bound for Lichtenrade. A year later, his successor, Eberhard Diepgen, dispatched the S-Bahn on the newly restored Wannsee line (S1). To commemorate these events, both mayors, along with other Senate and BVG representatives, signed the displayed command batons.

Category: Politics/City
Statement: Division and Reunification - Connecting City and Region
Surrounding Items: Additional (Opening) Signs
After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, significant efforts were made to restore the neglected S-Bahn and regional rail network, which had suffered from division, partial closure, and a lack of investment. The goal was to rebuild it as an attractive alternative to the increasing traffic congestion on the roads. A first, largely symbolic step was the reintroduction of local rail services between West Berlin and Potsdam, with double-decker trains running on the long-distance tracks starting on January 22nd 1990. At first, passengers even had their identity documents checked. The large green sign decorated the inaugural train and later hung at the Griebnitzsee S-Bahn station, eventually finding a home at the nearby S-Bahn Museum. Since April 1st 1992, electric S-Bahn trains have once, again run between Germany's federal capital, Berlin, and the state capital, Potsdam.

Category: Operations/City
Statement: Mass Transit, Serving Diverse Urban Functions
Accompanying Items: Additional Signs, Advertisements, Operational Documents
The Berlin S-Bahn plays a crucial role in everyday life, whether commuting to work, shopping, catching a movie, or heading to Müggelsee. It also handles special occasions—a football match at the Olympiastadion, horse races in Karlshorst, or hundreds of thousands of young people gathered at Alexanderplatz in 1973 for the World Festival of Youth. Special schedules and extra trains are required during such events, creating a busy time for the railway staff.
Today, the only remaining special event station is at the Olympiastadion, which dates back to before World War I. It was expanded for the 1936 Olympics when it was called "Reichssportfeld." The signs were later repainted to "Olympiastadion" and remained in place until the 1990s. When they were removed, pieces of shrapnel dating back to World War II, fell out from behind the signs...

Category: Operations/Technology
Statement: Advertising Icon, Orientation Tool
Accompanying Items: Additional Symbols
For many years, it remained a mystery who designed the now-iconic S-Bahn symbol, officially introduced on December 1st 1930. In January 2021, Mathias Hiller from the Berlin S-Bahn Museum uncovered its origins. In 1929, the Deutsche Reichsbahn (DR) commissioned the renowned graphic artist Fritz Rosen to create a striking logo for Berlin's "City, Ring, and Suburban Railway" services. After much discussion and experimentation, Rosen developed the now-familiar white "S" on a green background. The meaning behind the symbol has also been clarified: "Stadtbahn" (City Railway). This round logo became a trademark for urban and suburban rail services across Germany, and variations can be found internationally, often adapted in shape and colour for local transit systems.

Category: Politics/Operations
Statement: Tradition Line, East and West, Command Operation
Accompanying Items: Additional Uniforms, Documents from East and West
While uniforms were gradually fazed out and replaced by more civilian-style work attire in West Germany and West Berlin from the 1970s onwards, the German Democratic Republic (GDR) remained a uniformed state until its dissolution. Railway workers in the GDR wore military-style uniforms, complete with insignia denoting their rank (shoulder boards) and department (indicated by the colour of the piping). These uniforms closely resembled those worn by Deutsche Reichsbahn (DR) employees in 1937—of course, without the Nazi eagle. The railway’s name, "Deutsche Reichsbahn," also remained unchanged.
One notable difference was the cockade on the cap: black, red, and gold, mirroring the colours of West Germany. This was in contrast to other uniforms in the GDR, which featured the emblem of the GDR. A comparison between the uniform of the GDR’s Transport Police (left) and that of a DR Railway Police officer in West Berlin highlights these differences. Despite the stark ideological divide between East and West, the Berlin S-Bahn remained, in many ways, a symbol of German unity throughout the decades.

Category: Operations/Technology
Statement: Frequent Service, the Foundation of S-Bahn Operations
Accompanying Items: Signal Box Technology, Train Group Signs, Operational Documents, Signal Models
Today, anyone can access a platform without being checked. But for many decades, it was different. If you wanted to catch a train, you would (usually) buy a ticket at the counter. If you only wanted to access the platform to, for example, meet someone, you would purchase a "platform ticket." At the station's barrier, tickets were inspected and punched with a hole puncher. Upon exiting, the ticket had to be handed in at the gate.
This process took place at small booths, typically staffed by two people, which, because of their floorplan shape, were referred to by railway workers as "Wanne" ("tub"). Metal gates and signs guided passengers to the correct entry and exit points. Over time, the ticket sales and inspection processes were often merged, particularly in West Berlin, where "Passimeterhäuschen" or were introduced for this dual purpose. The last of these barriers in Berlin were in use until the mid-1980s at the Zoo Train station.

Category: Operations/Technology
Statement: Safe and Economical Electric Operation
Context: Vehicle parts, power supply, track signal
This image illustrates a groundbreaking technological leap forward. In the past, a stoker had to shovel coal while the engineer operated multiple levers to control the locomotive. With the advent of electric train operation, a single button press became sufficient. Using the driving key, the acceleration and direction of the train are set. By pressing the control knob with the left hand, contacts close, supplying power to the motors, and the train starts moving. Since the 1920s, all S-Bahn trains have used this convenient, physically easy-to-operate technology. Some refer to it as the "dead man's switch," but this term more accurately describes the later-added safety driving circuit (SiFa). The SiFa must be regularly pressed and occasionally released with the left thumb, which rests on the control knob. If not, the train will be automatically braked. The right-hand remains on the brake valve.
This system allows for safe train operation with just one person in the driver's cabin. While modern trains still have these features, their appearance has evolved significantly from this model, which is about 50 years old. The SiFa simulator allows operators to practice driving, using the SiFa, and braking techniques.