Wohnungsgenossenschaft Lichtenberg

Wohnungsgenossenschaft Lichtenberg eG (WGLi) is a Berlin-based housing cooperative founded on 4 June 1954 as the Arbeiterwohnungsbaugenossenschaft Elektrokohle Lichtenberg (AWG EKL). It is the largest housing cooperative in Berlin and the second-largest landlord in the Lichtenberg district. As of 31 December 2025, it had 11,251 members and managed 10,243 apartments plus 33 office and storage units in 113 buildings. Its average net cold rent was €6.20 per square metre. The cooperative is headquartered at Landsberger Allee 180 A–B in Berlin-Lichtenberg, where its central office has been located since 2000. WGLi is a member-owned, democratically governed organisation: a board (Vorstand) manages operations, an elected representatives' assembly (Vertreterversammlung) exercises member participation, and a twelve-member supervisory board (Aufsichtsrat) provides oversight. The cooperative divides its housing stock into twelve neighbourhood 'Kieze' across Lichtenberg, each with dedicated teams and caretakers. It also runs four neighbourhood meeting points (Kiez-Treff, Kiez-Café, Kiez-Klub, Kiez-Kiste) and guest apartments for members. WGLi is an accredited training company for real estate agents (Immobilienkaufmann). Since 2017, its logo has carried the motto 'Hier wohnen wir' ('This is where we live'). The cooperative is currently expanding its fibre-optic network, with construction starting in 2025 and continuing in stages until 2029.

Wohnungsgenossenschaft Lichtenberg eG (WGLi) was founded on 4 June 1954 as the Arbeiterwohnungsbaugenossenschaft Elektrokohle Lichtenberg (AWG EKL). The founding enterprises were VEB Siemens Plania, VEB PKM Kohleverarbeitung (Betriebsteil Berlin), and the Konsum-Großbäckerei. The cooperative was established to provide housing for employees of these state-owned companies, following the tradition of company housing that predated World War II. In 1954, the first residential block was topped out, and in 1955 the first building with three entrances, built in traditional masonry, was handed over to tenants at a cost of 761,000 marks. By 1958, six buildings with a total of 146 apartments were ready for occupancy, located on what was then Rittergutstraße (renamed Josef-Orlopp-Straße in the 1960s). Prospective tenants had to contribute a fixed cooperative share and perform 200 'Aufbaustunden' (construction hours), usually clearing rubble or landscaping; those unable to do physical work could pay a larger sum into the building fund. Smaller enterprises soon joined the AWG, and the cooperative grew by absorbing members of other cooperatives such as AWG Glück auf, soon reaching several thousand housing applicants. In 1969, the first ten-storey prefabricated concrete buildings with lifts and district heating were constructed. On 4 July 1974, a newspaper reported the handover of the 5,000th apartment of AWG EKL at a ceremony in the Kulturhaus Elektrokohle. By 1977, the cooperative held 10,489 apartments. After German reunification, the cooperative's existence was threatened because it did not own the land under its buildings and had accumulated debts of about 180 million DM. On 26 September 1990, it adopted a new name and a new statute based on the West German Cooperative Act. On 27 November 1991, it was re-registered as WGLi Wohnungsgenossenschaft Lichtenberg eG at the Amtsgericht Berlin-Charlottenburg. The use of the Altschuldenhilfe-Gesetz (Old Debt Relief Act) halved its debts and saved it from bankruptcy. The cooperative was transformed into an ownership-oriented cooperative, allowing 15 percent of the housing stock to be privatised. From 1992, following a building condition analysis, comprehensive renovation of the then 20- to 40-year-old buildings began with public subsidies. Renovation proceeded in small steps, often without temporary relocation of residents, significantly improving living quality and keeping turnover low. The WGLi administration, which had never had proper offices and had been based in former construction barracks south of Fennpfuhlpark since the 1970s, celebrated the opening of its own office and residential building at Landsberger Allee 180 A–B on 17 July 2000, where its headquarters remain. In 2019, the 'Wohnen am LichtGarten' project added 107 apartments in the inner courtyard of the blocks Weißenseer Weg 4–16 / Bernhard-Bästlein-Straße, on the site of a former children's combination, designed by architects Arnold and Gladisch, offering rental and owner-occupied apartments of various sizes. As of 31 December 2025, the cooperative had 11,251 members and managed 10,243 apartments and 33 office and storage units in 113 buildings, with an average net cold rent of €6.20 per square metre. The board consists of Lukas W. Neumann and Monika Thiele (as of 2026). A twelve-member supervisory board and an elected representatives' assembly ensure democratic participation. The housing stock is divided into twelve neighbourhood 'Kieze' across Lichtenberg, each with dedicated teams and caretakers. The cooperative runs four neighbourhood meeting points and guest apartments, and trains its own real estate apprentices. Since 2017, its logo has featured the motto 'Hier wohnen wir'.

• Founded as Arbeiterwohnungsbaugenossenschaft Elektrokohle Lichtenberg (AWG EKL).

• First residential block topped out.

• First building with three entrances handed over to tenants.

• Six buildings with 146 apartments completed.

• First ten-storey prefabricated buildings with lifts and district heating constructed.

• 5,000th apartment handed over.

• Cooperative holds 10,489 apartments.

• New name and statute adopted based on the West German Cooperative Act.

• Re-registered as WGLi Wohnungsgenossenschaft Lichtenberg eG.

• Comprehensive renovation of housing stock begins with public subsidies.

• New office and residential building at Landsberger Allee 180 A–B opens.

• Logo supplemented with the motto 'Hier wohnen wir'.

• Wohnen am LichtGarten project adds 107 apartments.

• 70th anniversary celebrated.

• Fibre-optic expansion begins, to continue until 2029.

Member-owned housing cooperative providing affordable, community-oriented living in Berlin-Lichtenberg.

• Cooperative apartments

  10,243 apartments for rent to members.

• Office and storage units

  33 units.

• Guest apartments

  Available to members.

• Neighbourhood meeting spaces

  Kiez-Treff, Kiez-Café, Kiez-Klub, Kiez-Kiste.

1. 1Startseite • WGLiwgli.de
2. 2Hausmeister-Notruf • WGLiwgli.de
3. 3Die Geschichte der WGLi • WGLiwgli.de
4. 4Wohnungsgenossenschaft Lichtenbergde.wikipedia.org
5. 5Wohnungsgenossenschaft Lichtenbergwikidata.org