Tempelhof

Tempelhof (tem'pulhôf) [key], district of Berlin, Germany. A workers' residential quarter and a film-production center, it became part of the U.S. occupation sector after 1945. The district includes Tempelhof Airport, on the site of the former imperial parade ground where Germany's first airplane flight took place. As Tempelhof Field, the airport was the main terminal of the Berlin airlift during the Soviet blockade (June, 1948–May, 1949) of West Berlin, and was considerably enlarged. It was West Berlin's chief airport until the mid-1970s. There is a monument (built 1951) commemorating the U.S. and British airmen who died during the airlift.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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