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A view of the housing area dating from the times of the GDR (East Germany) with newly renovated facades, in the district of Marzahn in Berlin, 16 September 2003. The first of these prefabricated buildings (Plattenbauten) in the northeast of Berlin were finished in 1977. Today, more than 250,000 people live in the districts of Marzahn and Hellersdorf on a surface of 6,185 hectares, making it Germany's largest residential area of new buildings. (KEYSTONE/DPA/Peer Grimm) === ===