There's a lot to mention about the site itself and the development of the broader "amusement park" typology and modernity, electrification and leisure time (see Koolhaas on Coney Island in Delirious New York). For now, this post, however, will try to stay within the bounds of the creation of Kulturpark itself, the only Amusement Park in East Germany.
While Kulturpark was the only amusement park in the DDR, it was not alone in the Socialist World. In fact, documents show it was to be modeled after Gorki Park in Moscow and a similar park in Warsaw. However, East Germans in general and East Berliners in particular were in the relatively unique situation of being constantly exposed to western consumerism (see: Tal der Ahnungslosen or "Valley of the Ignorant" - the only part of the DDR that couldn't receive western TV and Radio). One could imagine this may be one of the reasons (the Rape of Berlin being another) that it is often said east germans looked not to Moscow but to the West when assessing their material lot in life. Given that there were other amusement parks in the Socialist world, its perhaps interesting that nearly all the rides were imported from the west, creating bureaucratic headaches when it came to maintenance and repair.
Nevertheless, as the above photos of the opening ceremonies, roughly coinciding with the 20th Anniversary of the DDR show, Kulturpark was always framed in ideological terms. Proposals for the park, beyond clearing a war-ruined eyesore en route from the airport, served as a means for "reproduction of the workforce" (Der gesamte Kulturpark dient der Erholung, der Reproduktion der Arbeitskraft). Furthermore, while rides did almost exclusively come from the Capitalist countries of the West, attractions like American built NASA or the Belgain Auto-Piste Carrée were given "appropriate" names Sputnik and Autopiste Berliner Ring.
While it seems as though the development of the park was welcomed by local residents, it was telling of the DDR-regime that construction began in Secret, resulting in outraged letters to as trees were abruptly felled with no public notice...
Before getting too into the ecology of the site (future post), here are some more images from the Berliner Landesarchive of opening day at Kulturpark, including Honecker's wife and cosmonaut Sigmund Jahn of "Good-bye Lenin" fame..
