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This was the fundamental reference point for all German trigonometric points.
From the Marker at the Tower:
Between 1870 and 1950, anybody wanting a piece of property surveyed had to reference the Helmert-Tower, as the tower was "Point Zero" for all Prussian land surveys. Just like Greenwich is the reference point for time, the Helmert-Tower was the reference point for space. ...
After 1950, the tower became the unified German reference point within the European survey system. Today, the area is used by the German Research Centre for Geosciences.
More information about the tower and its significance in land surveys can be found at Wikipedia (unfortunately only in German).
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