ZEHA Berlin Store Prenzlauer Berg

ZEHA Berlin in Prenzlauer Berg: a brand from 1897 in the gymnastics hall

The history of this brand began in 1897 in Weida, Thuringia, where shoemaker Carl Häßner founded a factory. The name ZEHA was derived from his initials. In the mid-1950s, the company specialized in sports shoes, and the two double stripes became its trademark. In 1960, ZEHA equipped the GDR Olympic team and exported to 33 countries; two years later, the Soviet national football team wore the shoes at the World Cup. In 1965, a gold medal followed at the Leipzig Trade Fair; in 1972, production exceeded 200,000 pairs annually, and in the same year, the company was nationalized. Manufacturing ceased in 1992, but the brand and its stripes remained. Since 2002, Alexander Barré has been rebuilding ZEHA from Berlin, with the first new shoes released in late 2003. Today, the company operates two stores in the city. Individual athlete names from that era have not been passed down, but the scope certainly has: ZEHA was one of the major sports shoe manufacturers of the East.

Leather Sneakers from Portugal and a Hall of Fame

The store on Prenzlauer Allee is the flagship store and is designed as an old gymnastics hall. Among wall bars, gym mats, climbing poles, and historical sports equipment, the current models are displayed, along with a Hall of Fame featuring rare original pieces from the archive. The assortment is divided into three lines: Carl Häßner Legacy with models like Club and WM66, the Cup Sole Collection with Turner, Trainer, and Basketballer, and Athletic Heritage with Klassiker, Olympia, and Marathon. Additionally, there are classic leather shoes for men and women, socks, leather balls, bags, and care accessories. Production takes place in Portugal, by hand, and with unique craftsmanship featuring a vertically stitched leather sole. This is not a multi-brand store; only ZEHA products are available. A pair of leather sneakers starts from 309 Euros, women’s pumps are 189 Euros. In contrast, the company’s second Berlin store on Friesenstraße in Kreuzberg is designed in the style of a shoemaker’s workshop. There is also a showroom on Schönhauser Allee, which also serves as the company headquarters.