Germany’s Iconic Wahnbek Radio Tower and Its Illuminated Legacy
Germany’s Wahnbek Radio Tower, famous for its seasonal transformation into the world’s largest Advent wreath, remains a testament to engineering ingenuity and local pride 25 years after its Guinness Book of Records debut.
According to a historical lookback from Deutsche Telekom, the tower’s illumination tradition, started by Hans-Hermann Hayen and Fritz Haferkamp in 1999, cemented its place in the hearts of Ammerland residents and beyond. Visible up to 30 kilometers away, the light spectacle became a cherished holiday landmark until its conclusion in 2010 due to safety concerns.
The Birth of a Record-Breaking Tradition
First illuminated in 1999, the Wahnbek Radio Tower near Oldenburg attracted over 1,000 attendees to its inaugural lighting event. The project, initiated by former Deutsche Telekom employees Hayen and Haferkamp, involved suspending a massive Advent wreath with 500 large light bulbs around the tower. Over the years, six-meter-high “candles” with 14,000 mini light bulbs were added, elevating the tower’s unique charm. By 2000, the project earned a second Guinness World Record when an aluminum structure extended the wreath beyond the spire, reaching 140 meters in height.
The undertaking required meticulous planning, including nearly a kilometer of cable material, hundreds of screw clamps, and support from local clubs. What began as a party-inspired idea flourished into an annual community tradition, drawing widespread media attention and even recognition from astronaut Thomas Reiter, who carried an image of the tower into space.
Why It Resonates: A Local and National Symbol
The Wahnbek Radio Tower became more than just an infrastructure site owned by Deutsche Funkturm GmbH (a Deutsche Telekom subsidiary and Germany’s largest provider of radio infrastructure). It symbolized community spirit and technological creativity. Locals in Ammerland recall it as a beacon of holiday joy—visible to travelers, celebrated in letters to local newspapers, and memorialized on postcards and calendars.
Industry observers highlight the unique way this project bridged engineering, tradition, and public sentiment. The logistics, such as suspending 800 meters of lights and managing safety risks, underscored the team’s ingenuity and determination. However, in 2010, concerns over a transformer overheating and a subsequent fire risk led to the tradition’s retirement.
Future Prospects: Keeping Legacies Alive
While the holiday lights are no longer a feature of the Wahnbek tower, its legacy endures through photographs, videos, and memories shared by those who experienced it firsthand. The visit by Hayen’s daughter, Tanja, 25 years after the initial lighting, reflects the lasting emotional connection to the site.
For Deutsche Telekom and its subsidiaries, such stories emphasize the dual role of telecom infrastructure as functional assets and cultural landmarks. The Wahnbek Advent wreath continues to inspire the industry to consider how technology and tradition can coexist—even in the most unexpected places.
Will other telecom towers follow suit in merging innovation with local traditions, or was Wahnbek’s illuminated legacy a one-of-a-kind phenomenon?
