Jacob-Teitel-Park in Berlin-Mitte: Rats, Rubbish and a Neglected Heritage Site

The Jacob-Teitel-Park, a small green space in the Scheunenviertel district of Berlin-Mitte bounded by Gormannstraße, Rosenthaler Straße and Weinmeisterstraße, is suffering from persistent neglect, according to a Berliner Zeitung report published on 21 October 2026. Regular visitors describe an accumulation of household rubbish, discarded bulky waste and rat sightings, with one young visitor quoted as saying 'I've been here often and have already seen a couple of rats.' Responses among park users vary: some acknowledge the green space remains useful despite its condition, while others are appalled. The park was officially named and inaugurated on 4 June 2021, honouring Jacob Teitel, a Russian-Jewish jurist who in 1923 established one of the earliest children's rights organisations in Berlin at the same location. The site previously housed the Israelitisches Heimathaus, a central hub of Jewish cultural life in pre-war Berlin that was destroyed during the Second World War. Given the site's historical significance, the state of neglect struck community members as particularly disrespectful of its heritage.