KaDeWe, thirty thousand goods to choose from

KaDeWe in Babylon Berlin

In a number of episodes of the Babylon Berlin series we see some of the characters standing at the entrance of a warehouse called KaDeWe.What are they doing there? Are they going to buy some of the 30.000 goods from around the world on sale at the store? Have some refreshments at the tea-room while listening to the orchestra? Well, if you have watched the series you know the reason why all those interesting Babylon Berlin characters are there: KaDeWe was, besides a store, also a popular meeting place.

It was and still is Berlin's most famous department store. KaDeWe means Kaufhaus des Westens – or "Warehouse of West Berlin". It is the capital's shopping paradise, a favourite, easy to spot landmark on Wittenberg square. With 60,000 sqm, 40,000 visitors a day, it is the largest department store in Europe.

For more than a century it has been Berlin's equivalent of Harrods, Magasins du Printemps or El Corte Inglés.

The department store, owned by Jewish entrepreneur Adolf Jandorf, first opened on Wittenberg Platz in 1907. Designed by architect Emil Schaudt, it served the increasingly affluent middle class neighbourhood of the new Tiergarten district. In 1927 it was bought by Hermann Tietz, another warehouse.

KaDeWe presented customers with an array of desirable goods from around the world at the traffic junction Wittenbergplatz – including products that were rare or entirely unknown to the German customers. The fashion assortment presented creations from the latest Paris shows, and exotic south sea fruits could be admired in the food department.

Moreover, the warehouse offered exclusive services, for example a library and almost two dozen elevators. Enthusiasts of architecture were impressed with the opulent window frontage, light-flooded halls and wood-panelled walls in the restrooms. The Tauentzienstrasse, where the store was situated, quickly evolved into one of the busiest boulevards in the city.

The other big department stores in Berlin were Hermann Tietz and Wertheim. The 20th century was the century of the department store, the "cathedrals of trade" praised by the French writer Émile Zola, which revolutionized consumer behavior in the Western world. They were not just places of consumption, but urban meeting places, architectural icons and tourist attractions.

KaDeWe has survived the turmoil of 20th century German history unscathed. The store was a constant Berlin presence, its highs and lows reflecting those of the city.

On the sixth and seventh floor is the gourmet department, a paradise for every taste bud.

KaDeWe today