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The Ferry Landing at Caputh
Lars Haagen Petersen
The ferry landing at Caputh and the ferry Tussy II – viewed from the Geltow side
Table of Contents
01. Caputh and the Ferry Connection
Caputh lies southwest of Potsdam on the River Havel, where the river connects Templiner See with Schwielowsee through the section known as Caputher Gemünde. The area is characterised by water, woodland and a relatively hilly landscape, and for centuries it has been closely connected with both river transport and the links between the villages along the Havel.
At the beginning of the 19th century, Caputh was of some importance as a distribution point for bricks from the Zauch-Havelland region. The bricks were transported by water towards Berlin. When local brick production later declined in importance, Caputh developed, among other things, as an agricultural and fruit-growing area and as a recreational destination for people from Potsdam and Berlin.
The central transport link in this part of Caputh is the ferry crossing over Caputher Gemünde. A ferry connection has existed since 1853, and it still provides a direct link between Caputh and Geltow. The present ferry, Tussy II, entered service in 1998.
02. The Ferry between Caputh and Geltow
The regular ferry service was established on 20 February 1853. The first ferry was a wooden vehicle ferry, which was operated across the water using oars and poles, and later a winch and guide cable. The ferry thus became an important local connection between Caputh and Geltow.
The ferry service was motorised in 1928. The historic ferry Tussy was built in 1940 and entered service in 1942. After the war it was repaired and continued to operate for many years on Caputher Gemünde. It was finally withdrawn from service in 1998 and was later preserved as a technical monument.
Since 1998, Tussy II has operated the service. It is a modern cable ferry which still follows the traditional principle of moving along a fixed cable. The crossing is approximately 80 metres and is used by cars, cyclists and pedestrians.
Even on a late autumn day, many cyclists arrive at the ferry landing in Caputh.
03. The Cycle Ride from Potsdam
Caputh is only about 10 kilometres from the centre of Potsdam and is therefore an obvious destination for a cycle ride. The journey can be made along the main roads, but the more interesting route follows smaller paths and roads along the water wherever possible.
A particularly interesting detour is the Dampfmaschinenhaus at Breite Straße 28 in Potsdam. The building, often referred to as the "Mosque", was constructed between 1841 and 1843 at the request of Friedrich Wilhelm IV under the direction of the architect Ludwig Persius.
The Dampfmaschinenhaus was a technical installation supplying the fountains in Park Sanssouci. The large steam engine, which was put into operation in October 1842, was capable of raising the jet of water from the large fountain in front of Sanssouci to approximately 38 metres. The building is therefore a remarkable example of how technical function and architecture were combined in 19th-century Potsdam.
Potsdam – Dampfmaschinenhaus
From Potsdam, the journey can continue towards Caputh through the landscape along Templiner See. The route provides an opportunity to experience the transition from Potsdam's historic urban and park landscape to the more open countryside around Caputh and Schwielowsee.
Dampfmaschinenhaus – the former pump house at Neustädter Havelbucht.
04. Dampfmaschinenhaus – the Moorish Pump House
The Dampfmaschinenhaus is one of Potsdam's more unusual technical buildings. Friedrich Wilhelm IV wanted the pump house to have an exotic appearance, and Ludwig Persius therefore designed the building with inspiration from Islamic and Moorish architecture. The chimney was designed in the form of a minaret.
The building was constructed at Neustädter Havelbucht and housed a powerful steam engine manufactured by Borsig. The installation pumped water from the Havel to supply the fountains at Sanssouci. Today, the building is preserved as a technical monument, and the historic steam engine can still be seen.
The Dampfmaschinenhaus is therefore a natural supplement to my pages on Babelsberg and historic Potsdam.
Shortly before the ferry landing, an old kilometre stone indicates that only 0.3 kilometres remain. The modest stone is a small but characteristic element of the historic road and landscape environment around Caputh.
Kilometre stone shortly before the Caputh ferry landing.
On this part of the journey, the connection between road, cycle route and ferry becomes particularly clear. The ferry is not merely a tourist attraction, but remains part of the local infrastructure and provides a direct connection between the two sides of Caputher Gemünde.
On the way to Caputh, one also passes Kongresshotel Potsdam am Templiner See. The hotel was built in the 1990s on the site of the former Potsdam Luftschiffhafen and has an architectural design inspired by zeppelins.
The area has an interesting connection with the history of airships. At the beginning of the 20th century, Potsdam was used as an airship base, and military airships were constructed here from 1914. Production ceased during the First World War, and the hall was later demolished as a consequence of the provisions imposed after the Treaty of Versailles.
Kongresshotel Potsdam am Templiner See.
07. The Ferry Landing and Tussy
The now retired Tussy approaching the ferry landing – summer 2012.
The former Tussy was replaced by Tussy II in 1998, when the old ferry was no longer economically and technically up to date. Tussy was subsequently preserved as a technical monument.
The present Tussy II thus continues a ferry tradition dating back to 1853. It is precisely this continuity that makes the ferry crossing interesting: the same local connection across the Havel has existed through industrialisation, two world wars, the division of Germany and reunification.
08. Life around the Ferry Landing
The ferry landing is also a good place to observe local traffic on the Havel. In addition to the ferry, small boats, houseboats and excursion boats pass through the narrow stretch of water.
"Ein Hausboot" passing through the narrow channel – 2021.
The Fährhaus Caputh is also located at the ferry landing and, through its setting, has become part of the identity of the site. From here there is a view across the water and the lively traffic passing through Caputher Gemünde.
Caputh – the restaurant "Fährhaus Caputh" viewed from the small ferry – spring 2023.
Albert Einstein's summer house.
When visiting Caputh, Albert Einstein's former summer house is an obvious historical destination. The house was built in 1929 to designs by the architect Konrad Wachsmann. Einstein and his family were able to move into the house as early as September of the same year.
Einstein regularly stayed in Caputh and greatly appreciated the surroundings and the opportunity to sail on the Havel. The summer house was therefore both a place of recreation and part of his life during the final years in which he maintained a permanent connection with Germany.
After the Nazis came to power in 1933, Einstein left Germany and did not return as a permanent resident. His Jewish background and his political and intellectual position made him one of the prominent figures affected by the new regime's antisemitic policies.
See also: Berlin at War and Press and Propaganda.
10. Caputh and the Surrounding Landscape
Caputh lies in a landscape where the Havel, Templiner See and Schwielowsee form a connected system of lakes and waterways. For centuries, this landscape has been important for transport, trade, agriculture and recreation.
For visitors from Potsdam, Caputh is interesting because the journey combines several different historical environments: Potsdam's royal parks and architecture, the Havel landscape, the technical installations of the 19th century, the ferry connection and Einstein's summer house.
The area can also be viewed in connection with Babelsberg and Glienicke farther to the northeast. Together they form part of a larger historic cultural landscape around the Havel, including Babelsberg Park, Glienicke Bridge and the former Prussian parks.
See also: Babelsberg Park and Glienicke Bridge and Glienicke Bridge.
Caputh can easily form part of a larger excursion around Potsdam, Wannsee and southwestern Berlin. The following are some of my other pages with a direct or historical connection to the area:
12. Sources and Further Reading
Fährbetrieb Caputh:
Fähre Caputh – Tussy II.
Landeshauptstadt Potsdam:
Dampfmaschinenhaus.
Einsteinhaus Caputh:
Albert Einstein's Summer House in Caputh.
Schwielowsee:
Information on the history of the Caputh ferry.
(Click on the coat of arms)
Berlin is always worth visiting
Suggestions for unusual sights in Berlin
Andre glimrende rejsemål / Other fine destinations:
Ni breve til geheimearkivar m.m. C. F Wegener:
