Berlin: Erich-Hamann-Haus

1927 – 1928

Architect: Ernst Walter Ebersold

Store Design: Johannes Itten

Brandenburgische Straße 17, Berlin-Wilmersdorf, Germany

Residential and Commercial Building

The Erich Hamann chocolate factory in Berlin-Wilmersdorf is a typical example of infill development in Germany in the 1920s.

It resembles the typical Berlin residential and commercial buildings from that period. The ground floor contains a shop and offices, and the upper floors have apartments. The production halls are located in the side wing. Large windows and white-tiled production rooms ensured that the factory was well-lit and sanitary.

Swiss architect Ernst Walter Ebersold designed the building, which was constructed in 1928. The building’s façade is structured by three- and four-part transverse windows.

The lower section, clad in brown ceramic tiles from the Velten-based company Richard Blumenfeld, received special attention. The building’s appearance is further enhanced by brass-framed shop windows, light-colored, delicate curtains, dark blue awnings, and striking Erich Hamann lettering.

After sustaining damage during World War II, the façade was redesigned by the architectural firm Sobotka + Müller. The Futura lettering also dates from this period.

Erich Hamann

The son of a Memel shipowner and captain, Erich Hamann learned the confectioner’s trade at an early age. After completing his training, he started his own business in 1912 using his savings.

He specialized in bitter chocolates, which remain the manufacturer’s trademark today.

The first store was located on Kurfürstenstraße in Berlin. At that time, there were many private schools in the area. Many of the schoolgirls became his first customers. They remained loyal to him when he opened his own factory on Kurfürstendamm.

Between 1924 and 1935, a total of seven stores were opened. In 1928, the company moved into its own building on Brandenburgische Straße, which included a modern factory, bright and hygienic workrooms, and a store.

During World War II, there were no more raw materials, and the staff was drafted. The stores were either closed or destroyed by bombs.

After Erich Hamann suffered a stroke and passed away in 1949, his wife, Anna Kanter (1877–1964), took over the business and managed it until 1960. Both Erich and Anna Hamann are buried in the Südwestkirchhof Stahnsdorf Cemetery near Berlin.

Their son Gerhard and his wife Ingrid Hamann initially continued the chocolate factory, and then their son Andreas took over.

Erich Hamann House and Itten School

The buildings at Brandenburgische Straße 17 and Konstanzer Straße 14 are adjacent to each other on the courtyard side. These buildings were once the site of the Itten School. They were built in 1927 by Wilhelm Peters and his company, Peters-Bau, which specialized in industrial and garage construction in Berlin.

Peters’ wife was a follower of the Mazdaznan teachings, which led to contact with Johannes Itten. Chocolatier Erich Hamann purchased the new building on Brandenburgische Straße.

Through Peters’ mediation, Hamann presumably commissioned Itten to design the sales room.

Johannes Itten

The sales room interior at the Erich Hamann chocolate factory was designed by Bauhaus master Johannes Itten.

The counter and wall cabinets are veneered with maple and bird’s-eye maple. Glass surfaces, display cases, and silver-colored moldings create a striking contrast. Two almost floor-to-ceiling round display cases accentuate the entrance area.

Production still takes place in the side wing of the building today. The chocolate packaging design dates back to the early 1950s and was created by Erich’s wife, Anna Hamann.