Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau

Berlin Machine Building Corporation (B.M.A.G.), formerly L. Schwartzkopff, became one of the leading railway locomotive manufacturers in Germany in the late 19th century. The original plant, located in the centre of Berlin, became insufficient to meet the growing demands of railway operators. Therefore, the company began looking for a new plant site in the surrounding area around Berlin. An area of 600.000 sqm adjacent to Goerlitz Railway, close to the town of Hoherlehme, was eventually chosen for this purpose in 1889.[5]

The entire production of high-speed rotating machinery, generators, and electrical equipment was not long after relocated to B.M.A.G.'s new plant. From these beginnings, a new company - Maffei-Schwartzkopff Co. Ltd. - emerged, which in the following years equipped all Schwartzkopff and Maffei E-locomotives with electricity. In the aftermath of the Great Depression (1931), however, the site had to be closed.[5]

In 1934 AEG took possession of the former Maffei-Schwartzkopff site and converted it into a feeder plant for aviation industries. Armament production began in 1936.[5] Torpedoes, grenade shells, propeller hubs, cannon tubes, mortars and artillery were all produced. But two larger scale projects would become infamous. The locomotive plant at Wildau produced the infamous “Schienenwolf” (“rail wolf”), which the German Wehrmacht deployed during their retreat from the Soviet Union and Italy.[5] And in the large locomotive assembly hangar 15/16, AEG employees built the armored locomotive of the “Führersonderzug“ (or 'Hitler's chartered train').[5]

the notorious 'Schienenwolf' or 'rail wolf'

In April 1945, the Soviet Army occupied Wildau. Not long after, it was decided that all production halls should be demolished and all gear and equipment from B.M.A.G. and AEG removed.[5]

In mid-September 1949 the 'Vocational School of Locomotive and Wagon Construction' was founded and specialist engineering education in Wildau officially began.[5] Engineering studies began with a group of just 5 students. Initially, the prescribed period of study was set to be “not significantly more than two years”.[5]

In September 1953 the school was renamed “Technical School of Heavy Machinery Construction” and was assigned to the Ministry of Heavy Machinery Construction. Two years later, it was renamed again, this time as “Engineering School for Heavy Machinery” (ISW). Master engineers were trained, initially in evening classes, but in distance learning courses as well.[5]

The scope and focus of the school grew more general over the years. In 1964 it was renamed "The Engineering School of Mechanical Engineering Wildau" to reflect this. On account of being assigned, in the 1970s, to the GDR's Ministry of Tool and Processing Machinery Construction, Wildau had access to various tools at an early stage. In fact, one of the first computer systems of the GDR, type ZRA 1, was installed in Wildau.[5]

During the 1980s, further courses of study for technicians were initiated and other courses were expanded. A new building on Friedrich-Engels-Strasse, with a large auditorium, began construction as well.

The end of the GDR and the reunification of Germany brought immense changes. In October 1991 the federal state of Brandenburg founded the University of Applied Sciences Wildau. Other Universities of Applied Sciences throughout Brandenburg - in Lausitz, Potsdam, Brandenburg, and Eberswalde, for instance, were founded at the same time under the same Decree.[5]

Location of TH Wildau, south of Berlin

TH Wildau is a campus university located just south of Berlin. The campus can be reached directly using the S-Bahn line 46 (direction Königs Wusterhausen) to the Wildau S-Bahn station. The university is located directly in front of the station.

With the bus lines 736, 737, and 738, the university can also be reached directly. The regional train line RE2 (direction Cottbus Hauptbahnhof) as well as the line RB24 (direction Senftenberg) allow for further accessibility of the university from Berlin with a change in Königs Wusterhausen.

By car you can reach the university via the Bundesautobahn 10 (Berliner Ring) via the exit Königs Wusterhausen as well as via Federal Highway (Bundesstraße) 179.

TH Wildau is also part of one of Brandenburg's fastest growing regional growth centres ('regionale Wachstumskerne'), dubbed the Schönefeld Cross ('Schönefelder Kreuz'). It consists of the cities of Königs Wusterhausen and Wildau, along with the municipality of Schönefeld.[6] It encompasses the new Berlin-Brandenburg airport region, which will become quite active once Willy Brandt Berlin-Brandenburg airport (BER) opens in October 2020 (if current estimates of the start of operations are accurate).[7]

The university also borders (to the North) the town of Zeuthen, which is home to the second campus of the German Electron Synchrotron ('DESY'), part of the Institute of High Energy Physics. DESY is a national research center that operates particle accelerators and investigates the structure of matter.

In an adjacent district of Brandenburg (to the East) lies the district of Oder-Spree, which will be the home of Tesla's recently announced Gigafactory, its first in Europe.[8]