When the relationship between Germany and Iraq fell apart, the embassy was quickly vacated. The Iraqi embassy building in Berlin stands empty now, a stark contrast to the close ties the German Democratic Republic and Iraq once shared. Iraq was the first country to recognize East Germany in 1969, marking the beginning of what seemed to be a strong friendship. Today, the abandoned embassy is a more accurate symbol of their current relationship.
The Iraqi consulate moved into the plain concrete building in 1974, using it frequently to sneak over to the West for various questionable political activities. This isn’t just speculation; for example, in 1980, the embassy secretary and the head of Iraqi intelligence were caught red-handed with a suitcase full of explosives!
After Germany reunified, the new government kicked the Iraqis out in January 1991 because of the Gulf War. It seems like they left in a hurry, without even packing or clearing their desks. Now, the empty building is full of decaying documents and old furniture, just waiting for any urban explorer who can read Arabic to discover.
As of May 2018, the embassy is boarded up. However, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can sneak in at your own risk. Just walk past it on the main street, hop the fence into the adjacent lot, and follow the creek to the broken section of the fence. There’s a path that leads to the embassy, where someone has kicked in a board and propped it up.
