Monday, May 11, 2015

Field Question: Hohenzollern Palace Controversy

Answer to Field Question: Discuss the controversy surrounding the current reconstruction of the Hohenzollern palace.

The Hohenzollern Schloss built in 1443 existed in some form until 1950 when it was razed by the German Democratic Republic (GDR)1. In 1976 the GDR completed construction on the Palace of the Republic, which occupied the same space as the Schloss1. The Palace of the Republic functioned as the legislative building for the GDR government1. Shortly before reunification of East and West Germany, the Palace of the Republic was closed to the public due to asbestos contamination.

            After reunification plans were formed use the space the Palace occupied. One plan from the Green party suggested the development of a park, another plan, which was chosen, is the reconstruction of the Hohenzollern Schloss. Either idea involved the removal of the Palace of the Republic which was opposed by former East Germans. Former GDR citizens viewed the building as a symbol of their past that was being discarded by West Germans who had consumed their companies and had only watched the 1989 revolution.

            Another sentiment shared by East Germans was the fear that the reconstruction of a Prussian royal building was the beginning of a path down to Prussian values. The path eventually circling back from Prussia to fascism; Nazism.  

            Defenders of the Palace of the Republic decried the report stating the asbestos contamination. They in turn wanted to know the status of asbestos in important West German buildings, like the International Congress Center. The tear down of a East German landmark for the tear down of a West German landmark was the goal by the Palace proponents.
           
Works Cited
Ekici, Didem. "The Surfaces of Memory in Berlin." Journal of Architectural Education, 2007, 25-34.


Schneider, Peter. Berlin Now: The City after the Wall. FSG, 2014.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I don't know how I missed the part about the as Estes contamination before. This is interesting to me. Did they tear down any other buildings because of asbestos?