Oberschöneweide

Oberschöneweide
Quarter of Berlin
Industrial buildings over the Spree river
Coat of arms
Oberschöneweide
Location of Oberschöneweide in Treptow-Köpenick and Berlin
Coordinates: 52°27′43″N 13°30′54″E / 52.46194°N 13.51500°E / 52.46194; 13.51500Coordinates: 52°27′43″N 13°30′54″E / 52.46194°N 13.51500°E / 52.46194; 13.51500
Country	Germany
State	Berlin
City	Berlin
Borough	Treptow-Köpenick
Founded	1598
Area
• Total	6.18 km2 (2.39 sq mi)
Elevation	34 m (112 ft)
Population (2008-06-30)
• Total	17,094
• Density	2,800/km2 (7,200/sq mi)
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes	(nr. 0909) 12459
Vehicle registration	B

Oberschöneweide (Upper Schöneweide) is a German locality (Ortsteil) within the Berlin borough (Bezirk) of Treptow-Köpenick. It is, with Niederschöneweide (Lower Schöneweide), part of the geographic area of Schöneweide. Until 2001 it was part of the former borough of Köpenick.

First mentioned in 1598 as Schöne Weyde, it became an industrial town at the end of the 19th century. In 1920 it merged into Berlin with the "Greater Berlin Act". On April 16, 1945, during the Battle of Berlin (one of the last battles of World War II in Europe), before the German troops left Oberschöneweide, they tried to stop Red Army at the bridges "Kaisersteg" and "Treskowbrücke". On April 24 the zone was in the hands of the 8th Guards Army of the Soviet Union. Between 1949 and 1990 it was part of East Berlin, and all the industries were converted into Volkseigener Betrieb (VEB), the state-owned enterprises.

Located in the south-eastern side of the city and crossed by the river Spree, Oberschöneweide borders with the localities of Plänterwald, Baumschulenweg, Niederschöneweide, Köpenick, Karlshorst and Rummelsburg (both in Lichtenberg district). Its urban park is the Wuhlheide, in which is located the ridable miniature railway Berliner Parkeisenbahn (BPE), used during the East German period by the Young Pioneer Organisation.