Station: [1] Audio Sample - Soundtrack

You’ve chosen the MontageEber, the striking crane in the Eberswalde Family Garden.

Woman: It catches your eye even from a distance. The MontageEber has become the Family Garden’s landmark. And to this day, it remains a prominent symbol of the Finow Valley’s industrial landscape.

Man: That’s not just because of its size, but also because of its silhouette. The crane was developed in 1954 as a prototype for a series of assembly cranes. It remained on the factory grounds, where it was used for the pre-assembly of other cranes.

Woman: Today, you can experience it for yourself. There’s an observation deck on top of the crane. Even the climb up is an adventure. Once you reach the top, a sweeping view opens up over the grounds of the Family Garden and the historic industrial buildings.

Man: The adjacent grounds of the former Ardelt Works are particularly close by. This company played a major role in shaping Eberswalde’s industrial history.

Woman: The story begins early. As early as 1904, Robert Ardelt, together with his sons—who were highly skilled in engineering—founded the Robert Ardelt & Sons Machine Factory at Eisenbahnstraße 38. Production at the site on Heegermühlerstraße began in 1911.

Man: Thanks to the family’s high level of technical expertise and business acumen, the company quickly gained customers all over the world. It produced foundry machinery, gearboxes for railroads and trucks, as well as suction and dust extraction systems. In addition, it manufactured cranes in many shapes and sizes.

Woman: An important milestone followed in 1932. Ardelt-Werke filed a patent for the double-link rocker system used in slewing cranes. This allowed the crane load to be moved almost horizontally.

Man: But the history of this place also includes a period of violence. During both world wars, Ardelt-Werke produced military equipment on a large scale. Starting in 1943, primarily female prisoners from the satellite camp of the Ravensbrück concentration camp were forced to perform hard labor. Of the 6,940 employees in 1944, 3,833 were forced laborers and prisoners of war.

Woman: In 1945, the Soviet Army almost completely dismantled the factory, which had remained intact. But as early as 1948, VEB Kranbau Eberswalde resumed production.

Man: Until German reunification, it was a leading specialist manufacturer of harbor and shipyard cranes in Europe. Today, its successor company, Kocks Ardelt Kranbau GmbH, remains the global market leader for double-boom cranes. The foundation for this is still the 1932 patent.

Woman: When you look at the historic buildings and the expansive grounds, the MontageEber impressively combines scenic views with industrial history.

Man: And that’s exactly why this crane is more than just a technical object. It’s a visible symbol of this place’s history and part of the Eberswalde Höhenpass.