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136-540: Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe station was opened as Wahlershausen station with the last section of the Frederick William Northern Railway on 29 December 1849. Whether a station was required at this point on the line was initially controversial. Trains running between Kassel and Gerstungen stopped here as did services running on the Main-Weser Railway a little later. The station was immediately adjacent to

272-497: A "waiting room for the nation's leaders." Julius Eugen Ruhl produced a series of designs for the station building. These had very different dimensions. A smaller version was finally built, with a two-storey brick building decorated with terracotta with five opening on each side, avant-corps and a spire, which emphasised the central axis, in the Italianate Renaissance Revival style. On the ground floor there were

408-501: A cashier for a department store. His father was a teacher from Hamburg named John Heinrich Möller (1887–1958) whom Brandt never met. As his mother worked six days a week, he was mainly brought up by his mother's stepfather, Ludwig Frahm (1875–1935). He joined the "Socialist Youth" in 1929 and at age 16 became a full member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) in 1930 despite the age minimum normally being 18. He also wrote for

544-409: A comparable period. Levels of social expenditure were increased, with more funds allocated towards housing, transportation, schools, and communication, and substantial federal benefits were provided for farmers. Various measures were introduced to extend health care coverage, while federal aid to sports organisations was increased. A number of social reforms were instituted whilst the welfare state

680-753: A figure destined for high office in West Germany and was hoping he would replace Konrad Adenauer as chancellor following elections later that year. Kennedy made this preference clear by inviting Brandt, the West German opposition leader, to an official meeting at the White House a month before meeting with Adenauer, the country's leader. For the president, Brandt stood for Germany's future and for overcoming traditional Cold War thinking. The diplomatic snub strained relations between Kennedy and Adenauer further during an especially tense time for Berlin. However, following

816-403: A freight train with tank cars loaded with gasoline had a hot box fire while standing there. The heat was so great that the bridge's steel beams lost their strength and the structure collapsed. The station building, which had been severely damaged in the war was rebuilt in simplified forms and received a storage area built as an extension in the style of the 1950s. The planning status report of

952-647: A law to foster urban building, was partly aimed at planning a favourable environment for families (such as the provision of playgrounds). In 1971, the Federal Labour Office made available DM 425 million in the form of loans to provide 157 293 beds in 2 494 hostels. A year later, the Federal Government (Bund), the Lander and the Federal Labour Office promoted the construction of dwellings for migrant workers. They set aside 10 million DM for this purpose, which allowed

1088-605: A law was passed in December 1973 granting recipients of social assistance and housing allowances a single heating-oil allowance (a procedure repeated in the winter of 1979 during the Schmidt Administration). Improvements and automatic adjustments of maintenance allowances for participants in vocational training measures were also carried out, and increased allowances were provided for training and retraining, together with special allowances for refugees from East Germany. There

1224-584: A line of only local significance. This meant that the name Carl Railway was applied to the branch from Hümme to Carlshafen. The name of the Frederick William Northern Railway was transferred to the much longer line between Warburg and Gerstungen. Thus, from the Hessian perspective, the Frederick William Northern Railway was the first stage of a plan to build a rail network in the Electorate. Only

1360-664: A member of the Nazi party, and was a more old-fashioned conservative-liberal intellectual. Brandt, having fought the Nazis and having faced down communist Eastern Germany during several crises while he was the mayor of Berlin, became a controversial, but credible, figure in several different factions. As the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Kiesinger's grand coalition cabinet, Brandt helped to gain further international approval for Western Germany, and he laid

1496-614: A moment remembered as the Kniefall von Warschau . Brandt resigned as chancellor in 1974, after Günter Guillaume , one of his closest aides, was exposed as an agent of the Stasi , the East German secret service . Willy Brandt was born Herbert Ernst Karl Frahm in the Free City of Lübeck ( German Empire ) on 18 December 1913. His mother was Martha Frahm (1894–1969) a single parent, who worked as

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1632-463: A pedestrian bridge was built to the platforms. The Kassel–Waldkappel railway (also known as the Losse Valley Railway) was opened in 1879 with its own platform on the east side of Wilhelmshöhe station (today's platform 9/10). In 1899 a third track was built for the main line. In 1902, the narrow-gauge Hercules Railway ( Herkulesbahn ) was opened. It carried lignite and basalt mined in

1768-700: A period of increasing tension in East–West relations that led to the construction of the Berlin Wall . In his first year as mayor of Berlin, he also served as the president of the Bundesrat in Bonn. He was an outspoken critic of Soviet repression of the 1956 Hungarian Uprising and of Nikita Khrushchev 's 1958 proposal that Berlin receive the status of a " free city ". He was supported by the influential publisher Axel Springer . As mayor of West Berlin, Brandt accomplished much in

1904-568: A policy of engagement with the (communist) Eastern Bloc , rather than trying to isolate these countries diplomatically and commercially. Brandt's supporters claim that the policy did help to break down the Eastern Bloc's " siege mentality " and also helped to increase its awareness of the contradictions in its brand of socialism/communism, which – together with other events – eventually led to the downfall of Eastern European communism. Brandt's predecessor as chancellor, Kurt Georg Kiesinger , had been

2040-613: A recognised measure for describing the general North–South divide in world economics and politics between an affluent North and a poor South. Brandt was also known for his fierce anti-communist policies at the domestic level, culminating in the Radikalenerlass (Anti-Radical Decree) in 1972. In 1970, while visiting a memorial to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising crushed by the Germans, Brandt unexpectedly knelt and meditated in silence,

2176-459: A right in certain circumstances to medical examinations aimed at the early diagnosis of disease. According to one study, this marked a change in the concept of sickness insurance: it now aimed at securing good health. The Hospital Financing Law (1972) secured the supply of hospitals and reduced the cost of hospital care, "defined the financing of hospital investment as a public responsibility, single states to issue plans for hospital development, and

2312-599: A small majority by forming a coalition with the FDP. In his first speech before the Bundestag as the chancellor, Brandt set forth his political course of reforms ending the speech with his famous words, "Wir wollen mehr Demokratie wagen" (literally: "Let's dare more democracy", or more figuratively, "We want to take a chance on more Democracy"). This speech made Brandt, as well as the Social Democratic Party, popular among most of

2448-453: A special regulation came into force for District Master Chimney Sweeps, making them fully insurable under the Craftsman's Insurance Scheme. An increase was made in tax-free allowances for children, which enabled 1,000,000 families to claim an allowance for the second child, compared to 300,000 families previously. The Second Modification and Supplementation Law (1970) increased the allowance for

2584-591: A strong positive reaction worldwide, but was highly controversial in the German public at the time. The Berlin question was settled in 1971 to West Germany's satisfaction. The crowning step came with the Basic Treaty with East Germany. The status quo was legitimized, relations were formalized on the basis of equality, and both Germanies joined the United Nations in 1973. Brandt became the first German chancellor to address

2720-464: A treaty with the Soviet Union which normalised relations and recognized existing national boundaries. The treaty with Poland in December 1970 accepted the current boundaries, which had long been in dispute. During a visit to a monument to the German occupation-era Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, he unexpectedly, and apparently spontaneously, knelt ( Kniefall von Warschau ), honoring the victims. This was met with

2856-705: A wage figure of 75% of the average wage during this period, thus creating something like a minimum wage benefit. According to one study, the 1972 pension reform "enhanced" the reduction of poverty in old age. Voluntary retirement at 63 with no deductions in the level of benefits was introduced, together with the index-linking of war victim's pensions to wage increases. Guaranteed minimum pension benefits for all West Germans were introduced, along with automatic pension increases for war widows (1970). Fixed minimum rates for women in receipt of very low pensions were also introduced, together with equal treatment for war widows. Improvements in pension provision were made for women and

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2992-462: A wage of 48,000 marks, which indicated the economic prosperity of West Germany at that time. The Town Planning Act (1971) encouraged the preservation of historical heritage and helped open up the way to the future of many German cities, while the Urban Renewal Act (1971) helped the states to restore their inner cities and to develop new neighbourhoods. In addition, Guidelines of December 1972 on

3128-419: Is a through station with four platforms and two through tracks in a cutting. It is divided into two halves for the operation of trains. The two platforms of the west side are served by long-distance trains and the two platforms on the east side by regional trains. Two through tracks were created for the freight trains. The very wide platforms and the upper deck supported by two-sided fish-belly rows of columns make

3264-482: Is a two-track, electrified main line in the German state of Hesse , connecting Kassel with Bebra and Gerstungen on the border with Thuringia , as well as with Bad Karlshafen (formerly) and Warburg on the border with Westphalia . It was originally part of the Friedrich-Wilhelms-Nordbahn ("Frederick William Northern Railway"), which was completed in 1849. It was one of the first railway lines in

3400-450: Is also served by two lines of the RegioTram system, the light rail system of Kassel. These two lines terminate at Treysa or Melsungen respectively. * to Köln Messe/Deutz tracks 11/12; five minutes longer to Hauptbahnhof The station is also served by trams and RegioTram Kassel . Frederick William Northern Railway The Bebra–Baunatal-Guntershausen railway

3536-411: Is perhaps best known for his achievements in foreign policy, his government oversaw the implementation of a broad range of social reforms, and was known as a "Kanzler der inneren Reformen" ('Chancellor of domestic reform'). According to the historian David Childs , "Brandt was anxious that his government should be a reforming administration and a number of reforms were embarked upon". Within a few years,

3672-703: The Electorate of Hesse and in Germany . The Frederick William Northern Railway was built by the Frederick William Northern Railway Company ( Friedrich-Wilhelms-Nordbahn-Gesellschaft ) and named after Frederick William , the Elector of Hesse . It was part of a continuous east-west rail link built between Westphalia and Halle . In Kassel it connected with it the Carl Railway ( Carl Bahn ), running to

3808-521: The Habichtswald to Wilhelmshöhe station, where it was transferred to the state railway. Wilhelmshöhe was also an important freight depot. In 1904, the Kassel–Naumburg railway opened; this is now operated as a museum railway. A steam tram service was opened from Königsplatz to Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe in 1877. The line was connected to the tram line to Mulang in 1900. The Hercules Railway ran to and from

3944-684: The Hanover–Würzburg high-speed railway in September 1971 provided for a station at Wilhelmshöhe. The planning status report of the preliminary route ( Vortrassierung ) of 1972/1973 foresaw a 6.4 kilometre-long tunnel running under Kassel. The tunnel would have run between Vellmar -Obervellmar and Kassel-Wehlheiden. Extensions to the north (Hanover) both via a direct route (via Holzminden ) and via Göttingen were discussed. These two possible routes converged in Vellmar-Obervellmar (at kilometer 125 for

4080-794: The Norwegian legation in Stockholm , where he lived until the end of the war. He lectured in Sweden on 1 December 1940 at Bommersvik College about problems experienced by the social democrats in Nazi Germany and the occupied countries at the start of the Second World War . In exile in Norway and Sweden, he learned Norwegian and Swedish. He spoke Norwegian fluently, and retained a close relationship with Norway. In late 1946, Brandt returned to Berlin , working for

4216-528: The Spanish Civil War , Brandt worked in Spain as a journalist. In 1938, the German government revoked his citizenship, so he applied for Norwegian citizenship. In 1940, he was arrested in Norway by occupying German forces, but his real identity was not uncovered as he wore a Norwegian uniform. Upon his release, he escaped to neutral Sweden . In August 1940, he became a Norwegian citizen, receiving his passport from

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4352-692: The Volksbote , a local Social Democrat daily, under editor-in-chief Julius Leber , who would have a "decisive influence" on him. He, along with half the youth-wing of the Lübeck SPD, left the party to join the more left wing Socialist Workers Party (SAP) in October 1931, which was allied to the POUM in Spain and, more significant to Brandt, had close ties with the Norwegian Labour Party . His break with Leber and

4488-538: The Weser river port of Carlshafen (now Bad Karlshafen ) then considered the most important line to be built in the state. Subsequently, the two links to Warburg and Gerstungen were added to create the Frederick William Northern Railway. It soon became apparent, however, that the expected traffic to Carlshafen would not eventuate, as traffic quickly moved from the Weser to the emerging rail network. The line to Carlshafen soon became

4624-590: The " Ausserparlamentarische Opposition " (APO) ("the extra-parliamentary opposition"). The students questioned West German society in general, seeking social, legal, and political reforms. The unrest led to a renaissance of right-wing parties in some of the Bundeslands ' (German states under the Bundesrepublik) Parliaments. Brandt, however, represented a figure of change, and he followed a course of social, legal, and political reforms. In 1969, Brandt gained

4760-446: The 5th Vice Chancellor of Germany . In the 1969 elections, again with Brandt as the leading candidate, the SPD became stronger, and after three weeks of negotiations, the SPD formed a coalition government with the smaller Free Democratic Party of Germany (FDP). Brandt was elected chancellor . As chancellor, Brandt developed his (Neue) Ostpolitik ("new eastern policy") by stages. He

4896-693: The Americans in 1950 for promoting his political career, after both had met with the Americans at the German CIA headquarters in Frankfurt . Both were sworn to "secrecy". The Americans wanted to strengthen the SPD over the Communists in Berlin. Over the next two years, Hirschfeld received a further 106,000 Marks. Even after the end of his informant activities, he is said to have remained in contact with US intelligence. Brandt

5032-518: The Approbationsordnung (medical education profession act) of 1970, the subject of psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy at German universities became a compulsory subject for medical students, and that same year education of clinical and biomedical engineers was introduced. The Brandt Administration also introduced enabling legislation for the introduction of comprehensives, but left it to the Lander "to introduce them at their discretion". While

5168-700: The August 1968, Kremlin-controlled invasion of Czechoslovakia by the Warsaw Pact was a profound disappointment. He condemned the invasion and put Ostpolitik on hold while he negotiated a coalition with the Free Democrats. In late 1969 he indicated his readiness to meet with East German leadership on the basis of equality, without preconditions. He also expressed an eagerness to meet with the USSR and Poland to resolve frontier questions that had remained unsettled since 1945. He met with

5304-570: The East German premier Willi Stoph in 1970. Brandt made a six-point proposal that would involve two separate German states that respected each other's territorial integrity and settle disputes peacefully. They would cooperate as neighbors and the rights of the Four Powers in Berlin would be respected by both of them, and finally that the situation around Berlin would be improved. No agreements were reached at first but talks continued. In 1970 he signed

5440-475: The Eviction Protection Law (1971) established tenant protection against rent rises and notice. The notice was only lawful if in the "justified interest of the landlord". Under this law, higher rents were not recognised as "justified interest". The Second Eviction Protection Law (1972) made the tenant protection introduced under the Eviction Protection Law of 1971 permanent. Under this new law, the notice

5576-520: The Federal Government granted a sum of 17 million DM to the Länder for the improvement and modernization of housing built before 21 June 1948. In addition, according to a 1971 regulation of the Board of the Federal Labour Office, "construction of workers' hostels qualified for government financial support under certain conditions". The "German Council for town development", which was set up by virtue of Article 89 of

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5712-477: The Federal Republic. The education budget was doubled from 3% to 6%, while an expansion of secondary education took place. The number of university students went up from 100,000 to 650,000, 30,000 more places were created in the schools, and an additional 1,000 million marks was allocated for new school buildings. In addition, the provision of scholarships was expanded, with the 1970 programme providing for, in

5848-591: The First World War. He departed from the station on 12 February 1919. The last time the station was the focus of a state reception was on 21 May 1970, when Chancellor Willy Brandt received the Prime Minister of the German Democratic Republic , Willi Stoph , on a one-day visit. The political discussions were also held at the castle hotel. The guests arrived on a GDR government train. In the 1930s,

5984-519: The Holzminden option or at kilometer 144.3 for the Göttingen option). The route would have briefly run east parallel to the existing line from the southern tunnel portal and the lines would have been connected there. As part of the planning of the new line, four options for the route through Kassel were examined from 1972: (option II is not explained in the specified source) With the large-scale profile of

6120-955: The Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe station from 1902. It was served by three tram lines from 1911; a fourth tram line connected later. A few days after the Battle of Sedan on 5 September 1870, the captive Emperor Napoleon III was brought in a Belgian saloon car from Cologne over the Deutz–Gießen railway to Wilhelmshöhe station and then taken to the castle, which was assigned to him as a residence. There, Empress Eugenie visited him incognito from 30 October to 1 November 1870, also arriving at Wilhelmshöhe station. On departure she travelled to Hanover. Emperor Napoleon III. on his departure travelled on 19 March 1871 via Wilhelmshöhe station to exile in England. In 1907, Emperor Wilhelm II received his uncle, King Edward VII of

6256-555: The Municipality of Kassel developed plans to remodel Wilhelmshöhe station as the main station of Kassel from 1942 to 1944. The concept was not dissimilar to the project that was implemented 40 years later, but the Second World War prevented its execution. During World War II, the station and its entrance buildings were severely damaged, but the road bridge that crosses it remained largely unscathed. However, it collapsed in 1946, when

6392-697: The Norwegian government. In 1948, he re-joined the SPD and became a German citizen again, formally adopting the pseudonym Willy Brandt as his legal name. In 2021, it became known that Brandt served as a paid informant for the US Counterintelligence Corps from 1948 to 1952. He supplied reports on circumstances in the GDR, including the situation of East German authorities and industries, as well as Soviet troops. According to Thomas Boghardt , Brandt and SPD men Hans E. Hirschfeld received 200,000 German Mark from

6528-444: The Rent Subsidies Act (Wohngeldgesetz) of 1970, "low-income tenants and owners of accommodations are supported with rents and burdens subsidies". The determination of the income of families taken into consideration for housing allowances was simplified, and increased levels of protection and support for low-income tenants and householders were introduced which led to a drop in the number of eviction notices. By 1974, three times as much

6664-415: The SPD lost him promised financial support for university studies and his job at the Volksbote . After passing his Abitur in 1932 at Johanneum zu Lübeck , he took work at the shipbroker and ship's agent F.H. Bertling. In 1933 he left Germany for Norway to escape Nazi persecution. It was at this time that he adopted the pseudonym Willy Brandt to avoid detection by Nazi agents. In 1934, he took part in

6800-412: The Soviet Union and the East Bloc." President Richard Nixon also was pushing détente on behalf of the United States. The Nixon policies amounted to co-opting Brandt's Ostpolitik. In 1971, Brandt received the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in improving relations with East Germany, Poland, and the Soviet Union. Brandt negotiated a peace treaty with Poland, and agreements on the boundaries between

6936-400: The United Kingdom, at the station before a crowd of 70,000 spectators for a one-day state visit. That same year, the station was also used by King Chulalongkorn of Thailand for his visit to the Emperor. On 14 November 1918, Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg came to Wilhelmshöhe station. He resided at the castle hotel and there organised the demobilisation of the German Army after the end of

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7072-401: The United Nations General Assembly. Time magazine in the U.S. named Brandt as its Man of the Year for 1970, stating, "Willy Brandt is in effect seeking to end World War II by bringing about a fresh relationship between East and West. He is trying to accept the real situation in Europe, which has lasted for 25 years, but he is also trying to bring about a new reality in his bold approach to

7208-459: The United States and focused on strengthening European integration in Western Europe, while launching the new policy of Ostpolitik aimed at improving relations with Eastern Europe. Brandt was controversial on both the right wing, for his Ostpolitik , and on the left wing, for his support of American policies, including his silence on the Vietnam War that he broke only in 1973, and right-wing authoritarian regimes. The Brandt Report became

7344-432: The Wilhelmshöhe location with an above ground approach, the so-called "western route" ( Westtrasse ). Both options were examined in the regional planning process, which was conducted from 1978 to 1980. Flanked by numerous reports and counter reports they were discussed amid public controversy. The underground option was—in the opinion of Deutsche Bundesbahn—much more complex, more expensive and would impose greater burdens on

7480-399: The Wilhelmshöher Allee crossing, ensuring good road connections. The underpass originally planned under the Allee was, however, replaced by a level crossing for cost reasons. The station served not only the village of Wahlershausen, but also Schloss Wilhelmshöhe , which was two kilometres away. The station building's southern avant-corps therefore included a Fürstenzimmer ("prince's room"),

7616-486: The age of 62 years, provided that he "complied with the other provisions of the legislation on pension insurance". In education, the Brandt Administration sought to widen educational opportunities for all West Germans. The government presided over an increase in the number of teachers, generous public stipends were introduced for students to cover their living costs, and West German universities were converted from elite schools into mass institutions. The school leaving age

7752-409: The annexation of Hesse-Kassel by Prussia as a result of the Austro-Prussian War in 1866 it was renamed Hessian Northern Railway ( Hessische Nordbahn ). The name Frederick William Northern Railway is not only applied to the line between Kassel and Bebra, but also to the whole route between Warburg and Gerstungen. The first line built in the Electorate was the Carl Railway , the line between Kassel and

7888-493: The autumn of 1970 Hans-Jürgen Wischnewski of the SPD declared, 'Every week more than three plans for reform come up for decision in cabinet and in the Assembly.'" Federal spending rose significantly under Brandt; increasing by an average of 12% per year between 1970 and 1974, with most of the additional spending allocated to transport, education and welfare. According to Helmut Schmidt , Willy Brandt's domestic reform programme had accomplished more than any previous programme for

8024-424: The average standard social assistance benefit level rose from around 200 euros per month in 1969 to over 250 euros per month in 1974. During most of Brandt's years as chancellor, the majority of benefits increased as a percentage of average net earnings. In 1970, seagoing pilots became retrospectively insurable, and gained full social security as members of the Non-Manual Workers Insurance Institute. That same year,

8160-491: The axis of Wilhelmshöher Allee. This serves as the tram and bus stop. The station was inaugurated between 29 May and 1 June 1991 as part of a comprehensive, four-day program. On the afternoon of 29 May 1991, Jürgen Kastner, president of the Bundesbahndirektion ( railway division ) of Frankfurt, symbolically handed the key of an Intercity-Express (ICE) train that was on display to Kassel mayor Wolfram Bremeier. Numerous personnel, including several hundred police officers, secured

8296-450: The building of the Berlin Wall in August 1961, Brandt was disappointed and angry with Kennedy. Speaking in Berlin three days later, Brandt criticized Kennedy, asserting "Berlin expects more than words. It expects political action." He also wrote Kennedy a highly critical public letter in which he warned that the development was liable "to arouse doubts about the ability of the three Allied Powers to react and their determination" and he called

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8432-481: The course of further planning between 1979 and 1986 it became clear that the existing Kassel Hauptbahnhof would lose its function as central rail hub to the new Wilhelmshöhe station and the Kassel Hauptbahnhof would tend to be used mainly by traffic to and from that area. The design of the station comes an architectural competition in 1981. This was the first competition to design a station organised by Deutsche Bundesbahn in around 30 years. The architectural competition

8568-443: The debt burden for builders not surpassing the regular income-limit by more than 40%. Under a 1973 law, the limits were increased to 1,000 DM plus 9,000 DM and 4,200 DM for additional family members. The Rent Improvement Law (1971) strengthened the position of tenants. Under this legislation, notice was to be ruled illegal "where appropriate substitute accommodation not available; landlords obliged to specify reasons for notice", whilst

8704-433: The design of the building was repeatedly changed. The Dietrich, Waning, Guggenberger bureau was also contracted to design the ramp halls and the parking deck and the Schuck architectural bureau was included for the design of equipment. On 10 September 1984, the planning decision for the area of the station was adopted (zoning section 12.5 of the new line). This decree—coinciding with that on the adjacent section 12.4—concluded

8840-407: The disabled, those in need of care, and older persons, and a new fund of 100 million marks for disabled children was established. Allowances for retraining and advanced training and for refugees from East Germany were also increased, together with federal grants for sport. In addition, increases were made in the pensions of 2.5 million war victims. Following a sudden increase in the price of oil,

8976-448: The east of Hesse-Kassel and Haueda (near Liebenau ) on the border with Westphalia, the route runs through Bebra and Kassel, then capital of Hesse-Kassel. An agreement was reached in the autumn of 1841. In 1844 the Frederick William Northern Railway Company received a concession to build the line in Hesse-Kassel. The line was renamed the Electoral Frederick William Northern Railway ( Kurfürst-Friedrich-Wilhelms-Nordbahn ) in 1853 and after

9112-403: The education budget rose from 16 billion to 50 billion DM, while one out of every three DM spent by the new government was devoted to welfare purposes. As noted by the journalist and historian Marion Dönhoff , "People were seized by a completely new feeling about life. A mania for large scale reforms spread like wildfire, affecting schools, universities, the administration, family legislation. In

9248-421: The end of the 1980s. Five ICE trains ran to the new station from Bonn, Hamburg, Mainz, Stuttgart and Munich and reached it at the same time. German President Richard von Weizsäcker symbolically switched the exit signal to green at 12:00 noon and declared high-speed traffic in the Federal Republic of Germany open. The train driver for the first scheduled ICE service (from Hamburg on 2 June at 5:33 AM), Harry Pfaffe,

9384-415: The event of a child's illness. In 1971, to encourage the growth of registered family holiday centres, the Federal Government granted subsidies for the building and appointing of 28 of these centres at a total cost of 8 million DM. Free preliminary investigations were introduced for 2.5 million children up until the age of 4 for the early detection and correction of developmental disorders, and health research

9520-453: The event. On 30 May promotional ICE services were offered to Fulda and back at special prices. The grand opening of the new station stood in the shadow of the symbolic start of operations on the high-speed rail services in Germany on the same day (29 May). ICE services commenced on the high-speed line between Hanover and Würzburg over its full length. The fact that the ICE opening ceremony would take place in Kassel, had already been scheduled at

9656-433: The farmers' pension scheme, medical benefits for all covered groups, and cash benefits for family workers under compulsory coverage for pension insurance. Participation in employer's health insurance was extended to four million employees. A Development Law of December 1970 made it possible for all employees voluntarily to become members of the statutory sickness insurance. The level of income for compulsory sickness insurance

9792-584: The federal government to bear the cost of hospital investment covered in the plans, rates for hospital care thus based on running costs alone, hospitals to ensure that public subsidies together with insurance fund payments for patients cover total costs". The Benefit Improvement Law (1973) made entitlement to hospital care legally binding (entitlements already enjoyed in practice), abolished time limits for hospital care, introduced entitlement to household assistance under specific conditions, and also introduced entitlement to leave of absence from work and cash benefits in

9928-492: The field of health care, various measures were introduced to improve the quality and availability of health care provision. Free hospital care was introduced for 9 million recipients of social relief, while a contributory medical service for 23 million panel patients was introduced. Pensioners were exempted from paying a 2% health insurance contribution, while improvements in health insurance provision were carried out, as characterised by an expanded sickness insurance scheme, with

10064-487: The field of national insurance and working conditions), the staff-shortage suffered by social establishments in their medico-social, educational and other work. A bill to harmonize re-education benefit and another bill relating to severely disabled persons became law in May and September 1972 respectively. In 1972, winter payments for construction workers were introduced. To assist family planning and marriage and family guidance,

10200-400: The field of urban renovation. In 1973, the government provided assistance of DM 28 million for the modernisation of old dwellings. New rules were introduced regarding improvements in the law relating to rented property, and control of the rise in rents and protection against cancellation of leases also safeguarded the rights of migrant workers in the sphere of housing. A law of July 1973 fixed

10336-416: The financing of 1650 family dwellings that year. Development measures were begun in 1972 with federal financial aid granted to the Lander for improvement measures relating to towns and villages, and in the 1972 budget, DM 50 million was earmarked, i.e. a third of the total cost of some 300 schemes. A council for urban development was formed in May 1972 with the purpose of promoting future work and measures in

10472-446: The foundation stones for his future Neue Ostpolitik . There was a wide public-opinion gap between Kiesinger and Brandt in the West German polls. Both men had come to their own terms with the new baby boomer lifestyles. Kiesinger considered them to be "a shameful crowd of long-haired drop-outs who needed a bath and someone to discipline them". On the other hand, Brandt needed a while to get into contact with, and to earn credibility among,

10608-535: The founding of the International Bureau of Revolutionary Youth Organizations , and was elected to its secretariat. Brandt was in Germany from September to December 1936, disguised as a Norwegian student named Gunnar Gaasland . The real Gunnar Gaasland was married to Gertrud Meyer from Lübeck in a marriage of convenience to protect her from deportation. Meyer had joined Brandt in Norway in July 1933. In 1937, during

10744-431: The founding of the SPD by August Bebel . Brandt was the SPD candidate for the chancellorship in 1961, but he lost to Konrad Adenauer 's conservative Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU). In 1965, Brandt ran again, but lost to the popular Ludwig Erhard . Erhard's government was short-lived, however, and in 1966 a grand coalition between the SPD and CDU was formed, with Brandt serving as foreign minister and as

10880-509: The fundamental and minimum requirements regarding workers' dwellings, mainly concerning space, ventilation and lighting, protection against damp, heat and noise, power and heating facilities and sanitary installations. In regards to civil rights, the Brandt Administration introduced a broad range of socially liberal reforms aimed at making West Germany a more open society. Greater legal rights for women were introduced, as exemplified by

11016-447: The future development of the city. High cost and long construction time led to proposals for an underground through station under the main station to be discarded in favour of the peripheral station at Wilhelmshöhe. The new station was initially designed purely as a long-distance station, which would only be used by trains running on the new line. The connection to the existing Kassel Hauptbahnhof would be carried out by shuttle trains. In

11152-482: The general deduction on income to determine reckonable income from 15% to 20%, allowance rates listed in tables replacing complicated calculation procedure based on "bearable rent burdens". The Housing Construction Modification Law (1971) increased the income-limit for access to low rent apartments under the social housing programme from 9,000 DM to 12,000 DM per annum plus 3,000 DM (instead of 2,400) for each family member. The law also introduced special subsidies to reduce

11288-491: The government allocated DM 2,232,000 in 1973 for the payment and for the basic and further training of staff. A special effort was also made in 1973 to organize the recreation of disabled persons , with a holiday guide for the disabled issued with the aid of the Federal Ministry of Family and Youth Affairs and Health in order to help them find suitable holiday accommodation for themselves and their families. From 1972 to 1973,

11424-527: The government included nonmedical psychotherapists and psychoanalysts in the national health insurance program. Pupils, students and children in kindergartens were incorporated into the accident insurance scheme, which benefited 11 million children. Free medical checkups were introduced that same year, while the Farmers' Sickness Insurance Law (1972) introduced compulsory sickness insurance for independent farmers, family workers in agriculture, and pensioners under

11560-452: The government's first budget, sickness benefits were increased by 9.3%, pensions for war widows by 25%, pensions for the war wounded by 16%, and retirement pensions by 5%. Numerically, pensions went up by 6.4% (1970), 5.5% (1971), 9.5% (1972), 11.4% (1973), and 11.2% (1974). Adjusted for changes in the annual price index, pensions went up in real terms by 3.1% (1970), 0.3% (1971), 3.9% (1972), 4.4% (1973), and 4.2% (1974). Between 1972 and 1974,

11696-412: The inclusion of preventative treatment. The income limit for compulsory sickness insurance was indexed to changes in the wage level (1970) and the right to medical cancer screening for 23.5 million people was introduced. In January 1971, the reduction of sickness allowance in case of hospitalisation was discontinued. That same year, compulsory health insurance was extended to the self-employed. In 1970,

11832-445: The long-term unemployed were also granted the same retirement window as the disabled. In addition, there were no benefit reductions for employees who had decided to retire earlier than the age of 65. The legislation also changed the way in which pensions were calculated for low-income earners who had been covered for twenty-five or more years. If the pension benefit fell below a specified level, then such workers were allowed to substitute

11968-418: The mandatory retirement age with a "retirement window" ranging between 63 and 65 for employees who had worked for at least thirty-five years. Employees who qualified as disabled and had worked for at least thirty-five years were extended a more generous retirement window, which ranged between the ages of 60 and 62. Women who had worked for at least fifteen years (ten of which had to be after the age of age 40) and

12104-422: The middle of the platforms dark and drafty, leading to the station being given the nickname of the "palace of a thousand winds" ( Palast der tausend Winde ). The platforms are served primarily by a 220-metre-long two-storey entrance building built over the northern approach tracks. From there the ramps and stairs lead down to the platforms. In the southern part of the platforms additional stairs and lifts connect to

12240-447: The more left-wing Lander "rapidly began to do so", other Lander found "all sorts of pretexts for delaying the scheme". By the mid-1980s, Berlin had 25 comprehensives while Bavaria only had 1, and in most Lander comprehensives were still viewed as "merely experimental". In the field of housing, various measures were carried out to benefit householders, such as in improving the rights of tenants and increasing rental assistance. According to

12376-452: The new line that had originally been planned, an extraordinarily complex set of lines was considered in the different options. It was estimated that the 18 km long comparison section in Kassel would cost 1.6 to 2.5 billion Deutsche Marks (1975 prices). The regional planning process for the Hessian section of the new line was initiated in a letter of 7 February 1974 and later interrupted. It

12512-411: The norm that the standard pension (of average earners with forty years of contributions) should not fall below 50% of current gross earnings. The 1972 pension reforms improved eligibility conditions and benefits for nearly every subgroup of the West German population. The income replacement rate for employees who made full contributions was raised to 70% of average earnings. The reform also replaced 65 as

12648-695: The north, which in turn connected in Hümme with the line to Warburg and Westphalia. In Gerstungen it connected with the line of the Thuringian Railway Company . In Warburg it connected to the Hamm–Warburg line of the Royal Westphalian Railway Company . The states of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach , Saxe-Coburg and Gotha , Prussia and the Electorate of Hesse negotiated from 1840 on the building of an east-west railway. Between Gerstungen in

12784-594: The part that was given to Poland as a consequence of the end of the war; western Czechoslovakia (the Sudetenland ); and the rest of Eastern Europe, such as in Romania . These groups of displaced Germans and their descendants loudly voiced their opposition to Brandt's policy, calling it "illegal" and "high treason". A different camp supported and encouraged Brandt's Neue Ostpolitik as aiming at "change through rapprochement " ( Wandel durch Annäherung ), encouraging change through

12920-471: The passage under the Wilhelmshöher Allee bridge had become too narrow for the needs of the railway, which needed more tracks. But the roadway itself was too narrow for the needs of the increasing motor vehicle traffic. Therefore, in 1938 a new bridge was built, while rail and tram traffic continued, only motor vehicles were diverted. This at first resolved the traffic problems. Deutsche Reichsbahn and

13056-402: The planning approval process for the 111 km long central section of the new line. Deutsche Bundesbahn arranged for the immediate implementation of the zoning section. At the beginning of March 1985, the city and Deutsche Bundesbahn agreed on the design of the station and its transport links. Particularly controversial was the desire of Deutsche Bundesbahn for the development of long ramps to

13192-420: The platforms so that cars could reach the tracks. During the planning phase, the client was finally convinced of the necessity of stairs to connect to the platforms as well. The station would be fully accessible as a result of the ramp concept. The construction of the new station under traffic required elaborate equipment at the site as it had to be rebuilt as construction progressed. The topping out ceremony of

13328-416: The platforms. This second access is aimed primarily at users of the car park, which has 300 spaces on two levels. The station forecourt in front of the entrance building is an extension of Wilhelmshöher Allee. It is covered by a 90 m (300 ft)-long and 65 m (213 ft)-wide canopy. This rests on 59 irregularly arranged columns, 15 m (49 ft)-high over the forecourt and also projects on

13464-452: The population. Discussions at first focused on complex problems of urban development, but gradually shifted to noise abatement issues. On 29 March 1979, Deutsche Bundesbahn opened an exhibition on the construction project in Kassel. The "groundbreaking" ceremony for the Hessian section was held on 13 November 1981. Ultimately, the city of Kassel agreed to the station at Wilhelmshöhe after studies had shown that this site would not adversely affect

13600-771: The purchasing power of pensioners went up by 19%. In 1970, war pensions were increased by 16%. War victim's pensions went up by 5.5% in January 1971, and by 6.3% in January 1972. By 1972, war pensions for orphans and parents had gone up by around 40%, and for widows by around 50%. Between 1970 and 1972, the "Landabgaberente" (land transfer pension) went up by 55%. Between 1969 and 1974, the average real standard rate of income support rose (in 1991 prices) from around 300 DM to around 400 DM. Between 1970 and 1974, unemployment benefits rose from around 300 euros to around 400 euros per month, and unemployment assistance from just under 200 euros per month to just under 400 euros per month. In 2001 prices,

13736-488: The self-employed, a new minimum pension for workers with at least twenty-five years' insurance was introduced, faster pension indexation was implemented, with the annual adjustment of pensions brought forward by six months, and the Seventh Modification Law (1973) linked the indexation of farmers' pensions to the indexation of the general pension insurance scheme. A new pension for "severely handicapped" persons

13872-402: The situation "a state of accomplished extortion". Kennedy was furious, but managed to defuse the tension by sending his vice president, Lyndon B. Johnson, to Berlin. In June 1963, Brandt figured prominently in the staging of Kennedy's triumphant visit to West Berlin . Brandt became the chairman of the SPD in 1964, a post that he retained until 1987, longer than any other party chairman since

14008-687: The standardisation of pensions, divorce laws, regulations governing use of surnames, and the introduction of measures to bring more women into politics. The voting age was lowered from 21 to 18, the age of eligibility for political office was lowered to 21, and the age of majority was lowered to 18 in March 1974. The Third Law for the Liberalization of the Penal Code (1970) liberalised "the right to political demonstration", while equal rights were granted to illegitimate children that same year. A 1971 amendment to

14144-421: The station canopy, which marked the completion of the structural work on the entire new line, took place on 18 January 1990. The construction costs amounted to around 300 million marks (about €153 million). The construction costs of the new line in the Kassel node were estimated at DM 60 million per kilometre. Costs on the line between Kassel and Fulda were DM 32 million per kilometre. Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe station

14280-532: The station toilets were not initially operable, long lines formed in front of two toilets in the station car park. All northbound and southbound InterCityExpress services call at the station, with the exception of ICE Sprinter trains. An ICE connection also exists on the line to Erfurt and Altenbeken / Dortmund . Regional services are offered to Frankfurt Hbf , Hagen , Erfurt , Bad Hersfeld , Korbach and Kassel Hauptbahnhof where regional trains depart for Göttingen and Halle among others. The station

14416-405: The students and other young West German baby-boomers who dreamed of a country that would be more open and more colorful than the frugal and still somewhat-authoritarian Bundesrepublik that had been built after World War II. However, Brandt's Neue Ostpolitik lost him a large part of the German refugee voters from East Germany, who had been significantly pro-SPD in the postwar years. Although Brandt

14552-446: The third child from DM 50 to DM 60, raised the income-limit for the second child allowance from DM 7,800 to DM 13,200; subsequently increased to DM 15,000 by the third modification law (December 1971), DM 16,800 by the fourth modification law (November 1973), and to DM 18,360 by the fifth modification law (December 1973). A flexible retirement age after 62 years was introduced (1972) for invalids and disabled persons, and social assistance

14688-527: The total amount of individual aids granted by Guarantee Fund for the integration of young immigrants increased from 17 million DM to 26 million DM. Under a law passed in April 1974, the protection hitherto granted to the victims of war or industrial accidents for the purpose of their occupational and social reintegration was extended to all disabled persons, whatever the cause of their disability, provided that their capacity to work had been reduced by at least 50%. In

14824-514: The two countries, signifying the official and long-delayed end of World War II . Brandt negotiated parallel treaties and agreements with Czechoslovakia. In West Germany, Brandt's Neue Ostpolitik was extremely controversial, dividing the populace into two camps. One camp embraced all of the conservative parties, and most notably those West German residents and their families who had been driven west ("die Heimatvertriebenen ") by Stalinist ethnic cleansing from Historical Eastern Germany , especially

14960-399: The usage of federal funds in assisting social housing construction laid down that a certain standard needed to be observed when building homes for severely disabled persons. The Second Housing Allowance Law of December 1970 simplified the administration of housing allowances and extended entitlements, increased the income limit to 9,600 DM per year plus 2,400 DM for each family member, raised

15096-442: The waiting rooms and offices and on the first floor there were two residences for officials. The building was remodelled several times over the years and lost much of its decoration. It was finally demolished immediately before the construction of the new Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe long-distance station. As of 1877, a steam tram ran in Wilhelmshöher Allee, originally crossing the railway at a level crossing next to Wahlershausen station. This

15232-497: The way of urban development. New hotels, office-blocks, and flats were constructed, while both Schloss Charlottenburg and the Reichstag building were restored. Sections of the "Stadtring" Bundesautobahn 100 inner city motorway were opened, while a major housing programme was carried out, with roughly 20,000 new dwellings built each year during his time in office. At the start of 1961, U.S. President John F. Kennedy saw Brandt as

15368-525: The western branch and the Main-Weser Railway were completed during the existence of Hesse-Kassel. The eastern branch from Bebra to Fulda and Hanau (the Frankfurt–Bebra line ),—all Hessian cities and thus of highest priority for the Electorate—crossed difficult topography and therefore was not completed until Hesse-Kassel was annexed by Prussia in 1866. On 1 July 1845 the groundbreaking ceremony

15504-488: The words of one observer, "5,000 new scholarships for graduates, and double that number were being awarded three years later". Grants were introduced for pupils from lower income groups to stay on at school, together with grants for those going into any kind of higher or further education. Increases were also made in educational allowances, as well as spending on science. In 1972, the government allocated 2.1 million DM in grants to promote marriage and family education. Under

15640-569: Was a German politician and statesman who was leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) from 1964 to 1987 and served as the chancellor of West Germany from 1969 to 1974. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1971 for his efforts to strengthen cooperation in Western Europe through the EEC and to achieve reconciliation between West Germany and the countries of Eastern Europe . He

15776-434: Was active in creating a degree of rapprochement with East Germany , and also in improving relations with the Soviet Union, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and other Eastern Bloc (communist) countries. Brandt introduced his Ostpolitik gradually starting in 1967 with the establishment of diplomatic relations with Romania and making a trade agreement with Czechoslovakia. In 1968 he restored diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia. However

15912-552: Was again elected to the Bundestag, but as a delegate from North Rhine-Westphalia , and remained in the Bundestag as a delegate from that state until his death in 1992. In 1950, Brandt, while a member of the Bundestag and the editor-in-chief of the Berliner Stadtblatt , received a secret payment of about 170,000 Deutsche Mark from the U.S. government (equivalent to €460,386 in 2021). From October 1957 to 1966, Willy Brandt served as Governing Mayor of West Berlin , during

16048-666: Was carried out, together with the introduction of postgraduate support for highly qualified graduates, providing them with the opportunity to earn their doctorates or undertake research studies. A law on individual promotion of vocational training came into force in October 1971, which provided for financial grants for attendance at further general or technical teaching establishments from the second year of studies at higher technical schools, academies and higher education establishments, training centres of second degree, or certain courses of television teaching. Grants were also made in certain cases for attendance at training centres located outside

16184-754: Was celebrated for the construction of the line and by 29 December 1849 the entire route was opened to traffic. It connected in Gunterhausen with the Main-Weser Railway and in Kassel with the Carl Railway. Between Guntershausen and Bebra it follows the Fulda Valley. Sections of track were opened as follows: The route is now used by several Intercity lines. Willy Brandt Willy Brandt ( German: [ˈvɪliː ˈbʁant] ; born Herbert Ernst Karl Frahm ; 18 December 1913 – 8 October 1992)

16320-564: Was determined, by statutory regulation issued in February 1970, the category of persons most seriously disabled "to whom, with regard to maintenance aid, an increased demand (50% of the appropriate rate) is being conceded, and, within the scope of relief in special living conditions: a higher rate of nursing aid". In 1971, the retirement age for miners was lowered to 50. An April 1972 law providing for "promotion of social aid services" aimed to remedy, through various beneficial measures (particularly in

16456-539: Was elected to the West German Bundestag (the federal parliament) in the 1949 West German federal election as a SPD delegate from West Berlin, serving there until 1957. Concurrently, he was elected as an SPD representative to the Abgeordnetenhaus (the state-level parliament) of West Berlin in the 1950 West Berlin state election , and served there through 1971. In the 1969 West German federal election he

16592-605: Was expanded. Federal grants were increased, especially for the Cancer Research Centre in Heidelberg, while a Federal Institute for Sport Science was set up, together with the Institute for Social Medicine and Epidemiology in Berlin. In addition, funding for new rehabilitation facilities was increased. The Pension Reform Law (1972) guaranteed all retirees a minimum pension regardless of their contributions and institutionalized

16728-833: Was extended to those who previously had to be helped by their relatives. From 1971, special subventions were provided to enable young farmers to quit farming "and facilitate their entry into the non-agricultural pension system by means of back payments". The Third Modification Law (1974) extended individual entitlements to social assistance by means of higher-income limits compatible with receipt of benefits and lowered age limits for certain special benefits. Rehabilitation measures were also extended, child supplements were expressed as percentages of standard amounts and were thus indexed to their changes, and grandparents of recipients were exempted from potential liability to reimburse expenditure of social assistance carrier. The Third Social Welfare Amendment Act (1974) brought considerable improvements for

16864-437: Was indexed to 75% of the respective assessment level for pension insurance, while voluntarily insured employees were granted a claim to an allowance towards their sickness insurance from their employer. This law also introduced a new type of sickness insurance benefit, namely facilities for the early diagnosis of disease. Apart from the discretionary service of disease prevention which had existed since 1923, insured persons now had

17000-513: Was introduced in 1972, along with occupational injury annuities and a special pension for long-standing insurant from the age of 63 and a pension due to "limited earning capacity" from the age of 62. In addition, a special pension benefit was introduced for workers aged 60 and above after unemployment. Under the Severely Handicapped Persons Act of April 1974, a seriously disabled person could retire early on an old age pension at

17136-472: Was introduced under the name of Vergleichmieten (comparable rents), together with the provision of "for family-friendly housing" freight or rent subsidies to owners of apartments or houses whose ceiling had been adapted to increased expenses or incomes (1970). In addition, a law for the creation of property for workers was passed, under which a married worker would normally keep up to 95% of his pay, and graded tax remission for married wage-earners applied up to

17272-445: Was made. Other reforms aimed at improving tenants' rights included protection against conversion of rental housing into condominiums, the prohibition of the misappropriation of living space, new regulation of the apartment broker system, and a fee scale for engineers and architects. In addition, the income limits for eligibility for social housing were raised and adapted in order of general income trends. A loose form of rent regulation

17408-413: Was only lawful where the landlord proved justified personal interest in the apartment. In addition, rent increases were only lawful if not above normal comparable rents in the same area. Directives on the housing of foreign workers came into force in April 1971. These directives imposed certain requirements for space, hygiene, safety, and amenities in the accommodation offered by employers. That same year,

17544-422: Was paid out in rent subsidies as in 1969, and nearly one and a half million households received rental assistance. Increases were made in public housing subsidies, as characterised by a 36% increase in the social housing budget in 1970 and by the introduction of a programme for the construction of 200,000 public housing units (1971). From 1970 to 1971, an 18.1% increase in building permits for social housing units

17680-408: Was presumably deemed to interfere with operations so that in 1878/79 the railway was lowered by about six metres and a bridge was built over it carrying Wilhelmshöher Allee. The lowering of the tracks meant that the platforms and the adjacent station had to be lowered. A retaining wall was built next to the station building and a staircase was built for passengers to pass to and from trains. In addition,

17816-466: Was raised to 16, and spending on research and education was increased by nearly 300% between 1970 and 1974. Working through a planning committee set up for the "joint task" of university development, the Federal Government started to make investment costs in 1971. Fees for higher or further education were abolished, while a considerable increase in the number of higher education institutions took place. A much needed school and college construction program

17952-559: Was resumed in a letter dated 21 November 1975, but the district of Kassel —including the urban area of Kassel—was not included initially. In 1977, the city of Kassel pressed strongly for the construction of an underground line through a station under the existing Kassel terminal station–including a tunnel under the city of Kassel. A new station building at the Wilhelmshöhe site and variants with different above ground and underground access lines were investigated. Deutsche Bundesbahn favoured

18088-647: Was significantly expanded (with total public spending on social programs nearly doubling between 1969 and 1975), with health, housing, and social welfare legislation bringing about welcome improvements, and by the end of the Brandt Chancellorship West Germany had one of the most advanced systems of welfare in the world. Substantial increases were made in social security benefits such as injury and sickness benefits, pensions, unemployment benefits, housing allowances, basic subsistence aid allowances, and family allowances and living allowances. In

18224-410: Was symbolically handed the key for the train. Other opening speeches were given by Federal Transport Minister Günther Krause , Deutsche Bundesbahn executive board chairman Heinz Dürr and Hesse Prime Minister Hans Eichel . 2,500 invited guests from politics and industry celebrated in the station, from which the public had been excluded. The five special trains left the station after three hours. Since

18360-656: Was the first Social Democratic chancellor since 1930. Fleeing to Norway and then Sweden during the Nazi regime and working as a left-wing journalist, he took the name Willy Brandt as a pseudonym to avoid detection by Nazi agents, and then formally adopted the name in 1948. Brandt earned initial fame as governing mayor of West Berlin . He served as the foreign minister and as the vice chancellor in Kurt Georg Kiesinger 's cabinet, and became chancellor in 1969. As chancellor, he maintained West Germany's close alignment with

18496-400: Was won in 1982 (according to another source: 1981) by the Berlin architect Andreas Brandt (Brandt & Böttcher bureau), Giovanni Signorini and Yadegar Asisi, who were also charged with its planning and execution. The architects' design contract was revoked in 1985 after the city determined that the transport connections were inadequate. During this phase, referred to as the preliminary project,

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