▁to ▁the ▁Berlin ▁Wall ▁after ▁its ▁construction ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 1 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁Der ▁Sp iegel ▁described ▁the ▁des olation ▁of ▁the ▁P ots d amer ▁Platz ▁during ▁those ▁years , ▁with ▁bir ch ▁trees ▁growing ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁rub ble ▁of ▁what ▁had ▁been ▁the ▁bus iest ▁traffic ▁intersection ▁in ▁Europe ▁and ▁k est rel s ▁nest ing ▁in ▁the ▁ru in ▁of ▁Haus ▁Vater land ▁and ▁hunting ▁r ats ▁which ▁emer ged ▁from ▁locked ▁S - B ahn ▁ent ran ces . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁the ▁Senate ▁of ▁West ▁Berlin ▁bought ▁the ▁building ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁ 8 . 5   he ct ares ▁of ▁land ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁road , ▁and ▁had ▁it ▁demol ished ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁The ▁ 6 0 0 ▁t onnes ▁of ▁iron ▁and ▁steel ▁were ▁sold ▁as ▁sc rap . ▁In ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 8 0 s ▁artists ▁and ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁alternative ▁culture ▁converted ▁the ▁was t eland , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁used ▁for ▁dump ing ▁and ▁par king , ▁into ▁a ▁car avan ▁col ony . ▁ ▁Iron ically , ▁when ▁P ots d amer ▁Platz ▁was ▁re built ▁after ▁German ▁reun ification , ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁Haus ▁Vater land ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁par cel ▁on ▁which ▁no ▁entertain ment ▁facility ▁was ▁s ited , ▁only ▁offices , ▁because ▁it ▁was ▁felt ▁to ▁be ▁too ▁small . ▁The ▁new ▁building ▁ab ut ting ▁the ▁square