45 Fascinating Color Photos Capture Street Scenes of Berlin in 1954

By the 1950s the German capital had become a divided microcosm of the Cold War. East Berlin was controlled by the communist government of East Germany while the western half of the city was occupied and supplied by the United States and its allies.

Life in Berlin’s communist section was beset with problems. While a large number of East Berliners supported communism after the war, many became disillusioned with its lack of progress and freedom. The East German government placed pressure on workers with ambitious production quotas and targets. Essential items like food, clothing and accommodation were subsidized by the government – but there were often shortages or long queues. East Germany’s industrial priorities meant that fewer consumer goods and luxuries were produced.

These fascinating color photos from Robert Rynerson were taken by U.S. Army soldier Edmund von Nordeck who was stationed in the U.S. Army’s Berlin Brigade hospital that show street scenes of Berlin in 1954.

1952 BVG (West) prototype motor-trailer set, Berlin, 1954

Funkturm Berlin, Berlin, 1954

Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Berlin, 1954

279th Station Hospital, Berlin, 1954

279th Station Hospital, Berlin, 1954

279th Station Hospital, Berlin, 1954

279th Station Hospital, Berlin, 1954

1952 motor-trailer set on Line 75. The U-Bahn did not reach Spandau, so heavy volume tram lines were operated till 1967, Berlin, 1954

1952 prototype car, one of the last two trams built for the West Berlin system, Berlin, 1954

A 1929-built WWII survivor with a second motor car used as a trailer, Berlin, 1954

A tram wrapped for Berlin's biggest circulation tabloid, Berlin, 1954

Allied and municipal mounted police, Berlin, 1954

Berlin street scenes with British military sign in foreground, 1954

Berlin street scenes, 1954

Berlin street scenes, 1954

Berlin street scenes, 1954

Berlin street scenes, 1954

Berlin street scenes, 1954

Berlin street scenes, 1954

Berlin street scenes, 1954

Berlin street scenes, 1954

Berlin street scenes, 1954

Berlin street scenes, 1954

Berlin street scenes, 1954

Berlin street scenes, 1954

Berlin street scenes, 1954

Berlin street scenes, 1954

Cathedral in Soviet Sector, Berlin, 1954

Haus Wien cinema, Berlin, 1954

Ka De We department store, Berlin, 1954

Leineweber store in Steglitz, Berlin, 1954

Leiser store and Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Berlin, 1954

Line 48 bus passing entrance to Kleist Park and the Allied Control Authority Building. New BVG headquarters are in the high-rise office building in rear, Berlin, 1954

Line 75 tram passes HQ of advertising and publishing firm, Berlin, 1954

New Airlift Memorial at Tempelhof Zentral Flughafen, Berlin, 1954

On Line 55 which in 1967 became the last tram line in West Berlin, Berlin, 1954

On Line 75, Berlin, 1954

Steglitz Rathaus shopping district, Berlin, 1954

The Steglitz Schlossstrasse shows tram and trolley coach (O-Bus) overhead, Berlin, 1954

Titania Palace, Berlin, 1954

Victory Column, Berlin, 1954

Wertheim department store's Steglitz branch, Berlin, 1954

Westend and Messe Halle, Berlin, 1954

Windowless Zoo Bahnhof with transit info center in front, Berlin, 1954

Wittenbergplatz U-Bahnhof on right, Berlin, 1954