Named after Wittenbergplatz, which recalls the siege of Wittenberg in the wars against Napoleon.
The future square was named on 31 October 1864, though it was only laid out between 1889 and 1892. The neighbouring Tauentzienstraße is linked to it: General Tauentzien (1760–1824) received the title ‘von Wittenberg’ for storming the town in January 1814. According to his biography, however, it was General von Dobschütz who actually took Wittenberg, while Tauentzien was not even there.