Silverwings

Inside the old Tempelhof Airport building sits one of the oldest clubs still running in the city. Opened by the Americans over seventy years ago, it carried its name as a US Air Force NCO club back in the days of the Berlin Airlift. Today two floors host Rock'n'Roll, Rockabilly, Independent and Punk, with a large bar in the middle.

Club Rooms in the Airport Building on Columbiadamm

Tempelhof Airport has long been decommissioned, but the building stands and houses a number of tenants. One of them is Silverwings, located in building section F2.2 on Columbiadamm. The address is worth remembering, as the site is large enough that you’ll search for a while without a house number and building section. The history of the club is the real attraction. It was opened over seventy years ago by the Americans, and it has borne the name Silverwings since the time of the Berlin Airlift. Back then, it was a US Air Force NCO club: American soldiers and young Berliners danced here, played bingo, and ate T-bone steak with fries. With this club, a good deal of modern music came to post-war Berlin. It can be reached via the U-Bahn station Platz der Luftbrücke and two bus lines that stop on Columbiadamm. At night, two additional night bus lines serve Platz der Luftbrücke, so the return journey is also secured late.

Two Floors, Heritage-Protected Interior, and Regular Events

After the Americans withdrew, the property stood vacant for several years before being taken over and revived by a new operator about twenty-five years ago. The heritage-protected interior was preserved, which gives Silverwings its special character. Celebrations take place on two floors, with a large bar in the center of the room. Musically, the focus is on Rock’n’Roll and Rockabilly, complemented by Rock, Independent, and Punk. Beyond the concert schedule, there’s a dense network of regular party series with their own names, from Eis am Stiel (Popsicle) to Lemon Popsicle and the Heart’n’soul Club, as well as formats for Post-Punk, EBM, and New Wave, and a Gothic series. A major party series costs 13 Euros in advance and 15 Euros at the door. Two limitations apply: the building is not barrier-free, and there is no fixed weekly schedule because the series and concerts alternate. Therefore, it’s advisable to know the specific date beforehand for your visit. The rooms are also rented out for concerts, corporate events, exhibitions, and film shoots.