Finding Freedom Within My Schrebergarten

Schrebergärten, or allotment gardens, are a German mainstay named after German physician Moritz Schreber, who began the tradition of social gardening in 1864 by leasing land that children could use for physical exercise. As a means of social engagement and a functioning way to enliven the community, Schrebergärten enjoyed renewed interest after Germany took down the Berlin Wall in 1989.

Below, Garden Collage speaks with Lea Beckmann and Bernard Moosbauer– both citizens of what was formerly East Germany– about the tradition of gardening in this region, and about the role that the garden played in helping Germans find a sense of peace and healing within their newly-united country.