Diebsteich
{{Short description|Former mill pond in Hamburg, Germany}}
{{infobox body of water
| name = Diebsteich
| location = Altona-Nord, Hamburg
| type = Former Mill pond
| coordinates = {{coord|53.566124|9.943489|type:landmark_region:DE-HH|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_map = Germany Hamburg
| inflow = Isebek
| outflow = Isebek
| part_of = Isebek
| date-built = {{Start date|1706}}
| islands =
| cities =
| elevation =
| area = {{convert|1.9|hectare}}
| depth =
| max-depth = {{convert|3-4|m}} according to some sources
| volume =
| shore =
}}
The Diebsteich was a pond around the Hamburg quarter of Altona-Nord. It was located directly west of Pinneberger Chaussee (today: Kieler Straße), which has a detour because of it. It was crossed by the Isebek stream, which flowed into the northwest corner of the pond and left it on its east side. It had a surface area of 1.9 hectares.{{cite web |title=Geoportal Hamburg |url=https://geoportal-hamburg.de/ |website=geoportal-hamburg.de |access-date=4 February 2025}}, Vermessungskarten 1:4000, 1890–1899
History
The pond was originally created in 1706 to build a grain mill called {{interlanguage link|Diebsteicher Mühle|de|Hamburgs historische Mühlen#Diebsteicher_Mühle}} by damming the Isebek stream. The mill was located across the road, and held significance for Altona farmers as the city only allowed them to have their wheat milled there. It was expanded further in 1731 and 1747, and an inn was added in 1860. The mill was eventually destroyed in 1943.{{cite web |last1=Stahncke |first1=Holmer |title=Geschichtliche Recherche zu den Themen Sportflächen südlich der Waidmannstraße |url=https://www.hamburg.de/resource/blob/284338/a7e3067d9e45ce6b1391b61272494d48/geschichtsgutachten-stahncke-data.pdf |publisher=Behörde für Stadtentwicklung und Wohnen Amt für Landesplanung und Stadtentwicklung |access-date=4 February 2025}}
Due to being Isebek piped/filled-in around 1912 as part of urban development, the pond eventually dried up in 1913.{{cite web |title=Diebsteich, Die Geschichte des Ortes |url=https://www.hamburg.de/politik-und-verwaltung/behoerden/behoerde-fuer-stadtentwicklung-und-wohnen/projekte-und-kampagnen/diebsteich-mitte-altona/diebsteich/diebsteich-geschichte-284344 |website=www.hamburg.de |access-date=4 February 2025}}{{cite web |title=Gesamtliste der Fließgewässer im Elbeeinzugsgebiet |url=https://www.fgg-elbe.de/files/Download-Archive/Fachberichte/Allgemein/Fliessgw2015.pdf |website=fgg-elbe.de |publisher=Behörde für Umwelt und Energie Hamburg |access-date=4 February 2025}} It was then leveled in 1921 to build an amusement park called Luna Park Hamburg-Altona, which closed a year later due to World War I. It reopened after the war in 1923, however, it ultimately closed permanently in 1925 due to financial difficulties.{{cite web |title=Geschichte – Geh'n wir in den Luna-Park-Altona |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200824224532/http://www.luna-park-altona.de/geschichte/ |website=luna-park-altona.de |access-date=4 February 2025 |date=24 August 2020}}
In late 1920s, two sports fields and an Arbeitsamt (today: Arbeitsagentur Hamburg-Altona) building were built in its place. As of 2025, these still stand.
Diebsteich cemetery, the street "Am Diebsteich", and the Diebsteich station are named after it.{{cite news |title=Was heißt „Diebsteich“? |url=https://www.abendblatt.de/hamburg/article129862926/Was-heisst-Diebsteich.html |access-date=4 February 2025 |work=www.abendblatt.de |date=7 July 2014 |language=de}}