Misplaced Pages

#16983

66-628: Originally located in the Berlin Palace , the Archive moved into a prestigious new building erected specifically for it in Berlin-Dahlem . It was built between 1914-1924 following a design by Eduard Fürstenau  [ de ] . The building was renovated and expanded in 1999. The address is Archivstraße 12-14, D - 14195 Berlin, Germany The origins of the Archives can be directly traced back to 1282, when

132-458: A pastiche of former architectural styles, would be an unwelcome symbol of Germany's imperial past, and would be unacceptably expensive for no definite economic benefit. Opponents also argued that it would be impossible to accurately reconstruct the exterior and interiors of the building as neither detailed plans nor the necessary craft skills were available. Others disputed this, claiming that sufficient photographic documentation of both existed when

198-514: A collection of official papers under the auspices of the Margrave of Brandenburg was first documented. Formal organization of the stocks occurred in 1468, and in 1598 the Elector of Brandenburg appointed Erasmus Langenhain "Registratura Archivorum" to bring systematic order to the sovereign's documents, official records and files. Today's GStA PK traces itself back to this professional tradition. In

264-521: A cultural museum and forum. An architectural competition was held, and in 2008 the jury chose the submission by the Italian architect Franco Stella . Some of the internal spaces in Stella's design follow the exact proportions of the original state rooms of the palace; this would allow for their reconstruction at a later date should this be desired. The reconstruction also reproduces the original metre-thick width of

330-666: A decision as to its future. Demolition started in February 2006 and was completed in 2009. The demolition was lengthy because of the presence of additional asbestos, and because the palace acted as a counterbalance to the Berliner Dom, across the street, on the unstable grounds of the Museum Island. East Germans resented the demolition, especially those for whom the Palace of the Republic had been

396-493: A place of fond memories, or who felt a sense of dislocation in a post-Communist world. From 2008, until the commencement of construction in 2013, the large area of the original Schlossplatz became a grassed field, laid out on minimal lines, with wooden platforms. At the same time, the Berlin Monument Authority (Landesdenkmalamt) undertook extensive archaeological excavations. Parts of cellars that had been situated in

462-578: A vital part of urban identity and historical memory. An important driving force behind the reconstruction was businessman Wilhelm von Boddien . In 1992, he and Kathleen King von Alvensleben founded, what evolved to be the Berlin City Palace Sponsoring Association – which became the most influential lobby group. The Association accumulated plans that had been believed lost, and funded a research project at Technische Universität Berlin to measure surviving photos and drawings of

528-456: Is Alexanderplatz with the prominent Fernsehturm (TV tower), Germany's highest building, and the large railway station with connections to many subway ( U-Bahn ), tramway ( Berlin trambahn ), city trains ( S-Bahn ) and buses. There are some important streets which connect Mitte with the other boroughs, e.g. the boulevard Unter den Linden which connects Alexanderplatz to the west with Brandenburg Gate and runs further as Straße des 17. Juni to

594-575: Is one of the two boroughs (the other being Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg ) which were formerly divided between East Berlin and West Berlin . Mitte encompasses Berlin's historic core and includes some of the most important tourist sites of Berlin like the Reichstag and Berlin Hauptbahnhof , Checkpoint Charlie , Museum Island , the TV tower , Brandenburg Gate , Unter den Linden , Potsdamer Platz , Alexanderplatz ,

660-695: Is the name of the biggest urban park in Mitte, located in the same-named locality . Tiergarten Park was established as a hunting ground in the 16th century by the Prussian kings. Today it is enclosed by densely built-up areas by Hansaviertel and Moabit in the north, the Government District in the east and the City West and the Embassy Quarter in the southwest. Many cultural monuments and memorials are located in

726-619: Is thought to have been repairable, the palace was demolished in 1950 by the East German authorities following much criticism. In the 1970s, the Palace of the Republic was constructed on its site. After controversial public discussions, in 2002 the Bundestag decided to demolish the Palace of the Republic in order to make place for a partial reconstruction of the Berlin Palace. Located on Spree Island,

SECTION 10

#1733085954017

792-833: The Centre Pompidou in Paris. The Berlin City Palace Sponsoring Association ( Förderverein Berliner Stadtschloß ) argued for the complete external reconstruction of the City Palace, as they considered it the only option that would restore the aesthetic and historic ensemble of Berlin's heart; it also rejected suggestions that the proposed meticulous reconstruction would be an unauthentic "Disney" replica, as most centuries-old stone buildings are, by dint of aging and repair, at least partial reconstructions; and arguing that

858-656: The GDR Archives maintained in Merseburg were also brought back to Berlin and the historic record was again complete. Approximately 35,000 linear meters of archives with a library service of some 185,000 volumes and 200 periodical subscriptions. The archives include: 52°27′40.55″N 13°17′33.47″E  /  52.4612639°N 13.2926306°E  / 52.4612639; 13.2926306 Stadtschloss, Berlin The Berlin Palace (German: Berliner Schloss ), formally

924-721: The Royal Palace (German: Königliches Schloss ) and also known as the City Palace (German: Stadtschloss ), is a large building adjacent to Berlin Cathedral and the Museum Island in the Mitte area of Berlin . It was the main residence of the House of Hohenzollern from 1443 to 1918. Expanded by order of Frederick I of Prussia according to plans by Andreas Schlüter from 1689 to 1713, it

990-638: The Victory Column and the centre of former West Berlin in Charlottenburg , or Karl-Marx-Allee from Alexanderplatz to Friedrichshain and the eastern suburbs. The former Mitte district had been established by the 1920 Greater Berlin Act and comprised large parts of the historic city around Alt-Berlin and Cölln . Brandenburg Gate was the western exit at the Berlin city boundary until 1861. Between 1961 and 1990,

1056-530: The Weimar Republic , parts of the Stadtschloss were turned into a museum, while other parts continued to be used for receptions and other state functions. Under Adolf Hitler 's National Socialist (Nazi) Party , which laid to rest monarchist hopes of a Hohenzollern restoration, the building was mostly ignored. During World War II, the Stadtschloss was twice struck by Allied bombs : on 3 and 24 February 1945. On

1122-499: The largest in the world . The palace was originally built in the 15th century, but had changed in form throughout the next few centuries. It bore features of the Baroque style; its shape, which had been finalized by the mid-18th century, is for the most part attributed to German architect Andreas Schlüter , whose first design is likely to date from 1702, even though the palace incorporated earlier parts as seen in 1688 by Nicodemus Tessin

1188-474: The Eosander Portal, the originals (like many of the exterior designs), having vanished after the demolition of the City Palace. These were soon followed by the mounting of the reconstructed plaques with the words of Frederick II, Elector of Brandenburg , and Frederick I of Prussia , the first Prussian king. The surrounding area around the Berlin Palace which included the granite Adlersäule (Eagle Pillar),

1254-499: The Palast der Republik was found to be contaminated with asbestos and was closed to the public. After reunification, the Berlin city government ordered the removal of the asbestos, a process which was completed by 2003. In November 2003, the German federal government decided to demolish the building and leave the area and the adjacent Marx-Engels Platz (renamed Schlossplatz) as parkland, pending

1320-700: The Schlossplatz is planned the Denkmal für Freiheit und Einheit ( Monument to Freedom and Unity ). In early April 2023, the Große Cartouche (Great Seal), was mounted on the center of the Eosander Portal, marking the completion of the façade decorations on Portal III. Mitte (Berlin) Mitte ( German: [ˈmɪtə] ) is the first and most central borough of Berlin . The borough consists of six sub-entities: Mitte proper , Gesundbrunnen , Hansaviertel , Moabit , Tiergarten and Wedding . It

1386-556: The Stadtschloss as the Empire's centre of power. In conjunction with Germany's defeat in World War I , Kaiser Wilhelm II was forced to abdicate, both as German Emperor and as King of Prussia. In November 1918, during the immediate vacuum of power following the abdication of the Kaiser, Spartacist leader Karl Liebknecht declared a German socialist republic from a balcony of the Stadtschloss. It

SECTION 20

#1733085954017

1452-761: The Tiergarten Park, like the Siegessäule , the Soviet War Memorial and a historic rose garden. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe , the biggest victim group of the Nazi dictatorship, is located on the east side of the park, near the Brandenburg Gate and near the place where Hitler's New Reich Chancellery once was. The Kulturforum was built in the 1950s and 1960s at the edge of West Berlin , after most of

1518-613: The US sector of Allied-occupied West Berlin . In 1946 it became the main archive for West Berlin's government and included partial stocks from the historic collection. In 1963, these came under the jurisdiction of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation and the Archive was again named the "Privy State Archives". From 1978-1979 the Königsberg collection was relocated to Berlin. After German Reunification , from 1993 to 1994,

1584-598: The Younger . It was the principal residence and winter residence of the Hohenzollern kings of Prussia from 1701 to 1918. After the unification of Germany in 1871, it also became the central residence for the German Emperors, who also served as the kings of Prussia. After the proclamation of the Weimar Republic in 1918, the palace became a museum. In World War II, the building was heavily damaged by Allied bombing. Although it

1650-497: The allegation that the present time can only represent itself in its own architectural language, is simply ideology. The Sponsoring Association also drew attention to the observation in the Venice Charter that "historic edifices have a material age and an immaterial significance": an importance that transcends time and that, provided sufficient documentation for a truly authentic copy exists, justifies their reconstruction to preserve

1716-507: The architect Andreas Schlüter to execute a "second plan" in the Italian manner. Schlüter's first design probably dates from 1702; he planned to rebuild the palace in the Protestant Baroque style. His overall concept in the shape of a regular cube enclosing a magnificently ornamented courtyard was retained by all the building directors who succeeded him. In 1706, Schlüter was replaced by Johann Friedrich Eosander von Göthe , who designed

1782-594: The area's East Berlin portion was surrounded by the Berlin Wall on the north, south and west. There were some border control points, the most notable of which was Checkpoint Charlie between Kreuzberg and Mitte, which was operated by the United States Army and was open to foreigners and diplomats. Two other checkpoints were at Heinrich-Heine-Straße/ Prinzenstraße east of Checkpoint Charlie, open to citizens of West Germany and West Berlin and on Invalidenstraße in

1848-424: The borough had a population of 322,919, of whom 144.000 (44.5%) had a migration background. In the former West Berlin areas of Wedding, Gesundbrunnen and Moabit, foreigners and Germans of foreign origin compose nearly 70% of the population, while in Mitte proper the share of migrants is relatively low. The immigrant community is quite diverse, however, Turks , Africans , Eastern Europeans and East Asians form

1914-477: The bronze Rossebändiger (Horse Tamers), and the Neptunbrunnen ( Neptune Fountain ), collectively called the Schlossplatz, were planned to be redesigned by 2023 in a modern way, that will still be able to bring back the mentioned original items surrounding the palace if desired. These terrace designs ended up being implemented in a more modernistic design, different than the more ornate original design. In front of

1980-600: The building. Some parts of it were in fact repaired and used from 1945 to 1950 as an exhibition space. A secret 1950 GDR Ministry of Construction report, only rediscovered in 2016, calculated that reconstruction of the damaged Palace could be achieved for 32 million East German marks . But in July 1950 Walter Ulbricht , the new General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany , announced

2046-475: The castle chapel a parish church, richly endowing it with relics and altars. Pope Nicholas V ordered Stephan Bodecker , then Prince- Bishop of Brandenburg , to consecrate the chapel to Erasmus of Formiae . On 7 April 1465, at Frederick's request, Pope Paul II attributed to St Erasmus Chapel a canon law College named Stift zu Ehren Unserer Lieben Frauen, des heiligen Kreuzes, St. Petri und Pauli, St. Erasmi und St. Nicolai . This collegiate church became

Prussian Privy State Archives - Misplaced Pages Continue

2112-416: The construction of the "Humboldtforum", as the new palace was titled. The foundation stone was finally laid by President Joachim Gauck in a ceremony on 12 June 2013 which heralded the launch of a €590 million reconstruction project. In 2017, there was a debate whether to feature a cross on the dome of the palace, in relation to adhering historical accuracy or secularism. Afterwards, a statue of Antinous

2178-559: The demolition of the palace. Despite objections, its removal commenced in September 1950, the process taking four months and consuming 19 tons of dynamite. So solid was its construction that the dome and its entire mount remained intact even after the rest of the building fell to the ground. Only one section was preserved, a portal from the balcony from which Karl Liebknecht had declared the German Socialist Republic. In 1964 it

2244-470: The ground by the East German authorities in 1950. In the 1970s, the East German authorities erected a modernist parliament building on the site, known as the Palace of the Republic . After German reunification in 1990, and years of debate, particularly regarding the fraught historical legacy of both buildings, the Palace of the Republic was itself demolished in 2009. Most of the Berlin Palace's exterior

2310-709: The holdings were evacuated to abandoned mines at Stassfurt and Schönebeck between 1943 and 1944 to protect them from Allied bombing . As the Soviet Army advanced on East Prussia , the Königsberg State Archives were evacuated to Göttingen . After the war, holdings that wound up in the Soviet occupation zone were moved relatively unscathed to a newly created German Central Archive housed in Merseburg , East Germany . The original Dahlem headquarters building wound up in

2376-424: The king" containing their demands for a constitution, liberal reform and German unification. Frederick William IV emerged from the palace to accept their demands. On 18 March, a large demonstration outside the palace led to bloodshed and the outbreak of street fighting. Frederick William later reneged on his promises and reimposed an autocratic regime. From that time onwards, many Berliners and other Germans came to see

2442-643: The largest groups. The governing body of Mitte is the borough assembly ( Bezirksverordnetenversammlung ). It has responsibility for passing laws and electing the borough administration, including the mayor. The most recent borough assembly election was held on 26 September 2021, and led to a coalition between the Greens and the social democrats. ( Zählgemeinschaft ) Stephan von Dassel (Greens, 2021-2022) 30/55 28/55 28/55 32/55 The 2021 results were as follows: The borough mayor ( Bezirksbürgermeister )

2508-547: The latter occasion, when both the air defences and fire-fighting systems of Berlin had been destroyed, the building was struck by incendiaries, lost its roof, and was largely burnt out. The end of the war saw the Stadtschloss a burned-out shell of its former glory, although the building remained structurally sound and much of its interior decoration was still preserved. It could have been restored, as many other bombed-out buildings in Central Berlin later were. The area in which it

2574-649: The latter six of which were in former East Berlin. Mitte ( German for "middle", "centre") is located in the central part of Berlin along the Spree River. It borders on Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf in the west, Reinickendorf in the north, Pankow in the east, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg in the southeast, and Tempelhof-Schöneberg in the southwest. In the middle of the Spree lies Museum Island ( Museumsinsel ) with its museums, Berlin Cathedral ( Berliner Dom ) and Berlin Palace ( Berliner Schloss ). The central square in Mitte

2640-510: The main courtyard which was originally built in 1699 (Schlüterhof). The floorplan has been designed to allow future reconstruction of notable historical rooms. Part of the building houses the Humboldt Forum museum and congress complex, and was finished in 2020. The palace replaced an earlier fort or castle guarding the crossing of the Spree at Cölln , a neighbouring town which merged with Berlin in 1710. The castle stood on Fishers' Island, as

2706-412: The middle of the 17th century the holdings became a personal repository of the first King of Prussia under archivist Christoph Schönebeck  [ de ] and granted the honorific title "Privy State Archives". In 1803, the Archives were expanded with the addition of Prussian governmental, judicial and regional documents and renamed the "Prussian State Archives." Until 1883, when Brandenburg , then

Prussian Privy State Archives - Misplaced Pages Continue

2772-612: The missing link to the historical ensemble of the Zeughaus , the Altes Museum , and Berlin Cathedral , the spectacle brought the debate to a temporary climax in 1993–94. While opinion continued to remain divided, the association succeeded in winning over many politicians and other key figures to its efforts. In view of the previous opposition, including high cost, and most importantly, the psychological and political objections, successive German governments had declined to commit themselves to

2838-740: The north on the border with the West Berlin Tiergarten district (the present-day Moabit locality). The government district is located in the locality of Tiergarten around the Reichstag Building. Most institutions of the German government have their seat at the Regierungsviertel Many embassies and the Federal Ministry of Defence in the historic embassy quarter in the south of the Tiergarten Park . Großer Tiergarten

2904-597: The nucleus of today's Evangelical Supreme Parish and Collegiate Church ( Berliner Dom ( Berlin Cathedral )), adjoining the site of the castle. In 1538, the Elector Joachim II demolished the castle and engaged the master builder Caspar Theiss to build a new and grander palace in the Italian Renaissance style. After the Thirty Years War (1618–1648), Frederick William , the "Great Elector", embellished

2970-703: The once unified city's cultural assets had been lost behind the Berlin Wall . The Kulturforum is characterized by its innovative modernist architecture; several buildings are distinguished by the organic designs of Hans Scharoun , and the Neue Nationalgalerie was designed by Mies van der Rohe , albeit originally as a private house. Among the cultural institutions housed in and around the Kulturforum are: The present-day borough of Mitte consists of six localities: (the former Mitte borough) (the former Tiergarten borough) (the former Wedding borough) As of 2010 ,

3036-409: The only Prussian province without an own provincial archive, founded the Brandenburgian Provincial Archive , the Privy State Archives also collected all the records from that territorial and political entity. By 1901, the institution had developed precise standards for the preservation of public records that have had a pronounced effect on the archival profession. During World War II , the majority of

3102-426: The outer walls. These have been rebuilt as a sandwiched construction as follows: an inner retaining wall of concrete, followed by a layer of insulation, and an outer wall of brick, sandstone and stucco which replicates the original. Reconstruction of the Renaissance-gabled Pharmacy Wing, which connected to the Stadtschloss on the north side, would be another possible future project. German government budget cuts delayed

3168-421: The palace as a symbol of oppression and "Prussian militarism". In 1871, King Wilhelm I was elevated to the status of German Emperor ( Kaiser ) of a united Germany, and the Stadtschloss became the symbolic heart of the German Empire . The Empire was (in theory) a constitutional state, and from 1894 onwards, the new Reichstag building, the seat of the German parliament, came to not only rival, but overshadow

3234-409: The palace further. In 1688, Nicodemus Tessin the Younger designed courtyard arcades with massive columns in front. Not much is known about the alterations of 1690–1695, when Johann Nering was the court architect. Martin Grünberg continued the alterations in 1695–1699. In 1699, the Elector Frederick III of Brandenburg (who took the title King in Prussia in 1701, becoming Frederick I), appointed

3300-421: The palace to create precise architectural plans. In 1993, on the world's largest scaffolding assembly, it audaciously erected a trompe-l'œil mockup of two frontages of the Stadtschloss façade on a 1:1 scale on plastic sheeting. Privately funded by donations and sponsorship, this coup de théâtre stood for a year and half. Showing a vision of central Berlin lost for fifty years, and how the palace could provide

3366-416: The palace was converted to a museum following 1918. The ideological divide was epitomized by two opposing groups. The Association for the Preservation of the Palace of the Republic ( Verein zur Erhaltung des Palastes der Republik ) championed a renovation of the GDR building that would incorporate a re-creation of the principal western facade of the City Palace, for a multipurpose "people's center" similar to

SECTION 50

#1733085954017

3432-434: The plans envisaged the reconstruction of three sides of the palace exterior in the original style, initially without the National Kaiser Wilhelm Monument at the west front facing the river Spree , and a modernist façade facing other branch of the Spree. The identically reconstructed facades include various remnant sculptures and stones of the original palace. The inner courtyard facades are also modern, except three facades of

3498-417: The project. However, by 2002 and 2003, cross-party resolutions of the Bundestag reached a compromise to support at least a partial rebuilding of the Stadtschloss. In 2007, the Bundestag made a definitive decision about the reconstruction. According to this compromise, which had been drawn up by a commission, three façades of the palace would be rebuilt, but the interior would be a modern structure to serve as

3564-413: The south-west corner of the former Palace were discovered and it was decided these would be preserved and made accessible to visitors as an "archaeological window". Following reunification, a 20-year-long debate commenced as to whether the palace should be reconstructed, and whether this should be in part or whole. Pro-reconstruction lobby groups argued that the rebuilding of the Stadtschloss would restore

3630-401: The southern end of the Museum Island in the Spree is known. In 1443 Frederick II "Irontooth", Margrave and Prince Elector of Brandenburg , laid the foundations of Berlin's first fortification in a section of swampy wasteland north of Cölln. At the completion of the castle in 1451, Frederick moved there from the town of Brandenburg . The main role of the castle and its garrison in this period

3696-428: The talents of Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff , Carl von Gontard and many others. The final stage was the erection of the dome in 1845, during the reign of Frederick William IV . The dome was built by Friedrich August Stüler after a design by Karl Friedrich Schinkel . The Stadtschloss was itself the epicenter of the Revolution of 1848 in Prussia. Huge crowds gathered outside the palace to present an "address to

3762-420: The unity and integrity of the historic centre of Berlin, which includes the Berliner Dom , the Lustgarten , and the museums of Museum Island . Opponents of the project included those who advocated the retention of the Palast der Republik on the grounds that it was itself of historical significance; those who argued that the area should become a public park; and those who believed that a new building would be

3828-408: The western extension of the palace, doubling its size. In all essentials, Schlüter's balanced, rhythmic composition of the façades was retained, but Göthe moved the main entrance to the new west wing. Frederick William I , who became king in 1713, was interested mainly in building up Prussia as a military power, and dismissed most of the craftsmen working on the Stadtschloss. As a result, Göthe's plan

3894-480: Was added to the State Council Building , with an altered cartouche, where it forms the main entrance. The empty space where the Stadtschloss had stood was named Marx-Engels-Platz and used as a parade ground. From 1973 to 1976, during the government of Erich Honecker , a large modernist building was built, the Palast der Republik (Palace of the Republic), which occupied most of the site of the former Stadtschloss. Shortly before German reunification in October 1990,

3960-418: Was an attempt to steer the German revolution towards a communist Germany and stood in contrast to the proclamation of a republic that Philipp Scheidemann of the Social Democratic Party had made a few hours earlier from a balcony of the Reichstag building . The duelling proclamations underscored that the more than 400 years of royal Hohenzollern occupation of the Berlin Palace had come to an end. During

4026-456: Was installed on the palace façade in the Schlüterhof courtyard. However, the cross was installed on the top of the dome on 29 May 2020. On completion in 2020, the building housed a museum containing collections of African and other non-European art, as well as two restaurants, a theatre , a cinema, and an auditorium. In July 2022, the bronze reliefs originally made by Otto Lessing in 1897 and mounted in 1903 were reconstructed and mounted on

SECTION 60

#1733085954017

4092-435: Was located was within the Soviet zone , which became the German Democratic Republic . The building was used for a Soviet war movie ("the Battle of Berlin") in which the Stadtschloss served as a backdrop, with live artillery shells fired at it for the realistic cinematic impact. The new socialist government declared the Stadtschloss a symbol of Prussian militarism, although at that time there appeared to be no plans to destroy

4158-434: Was only partly carried out. The palace was namely the original location for the Amber Room in the Catherine Palace of Tsarskoye Selo near Saint Petersburg , but Peter the Great of Russia admired it during a visit, and in 1716 Frederick William I presented the room to Peter as a gift. Nevertheless, the exterior of the palace had come close to its final form by the mid-18th century. Interior decoration continued, engaging

4224-402: Was reconstructed beginning in 2013 to house the Humboldt Forum museum. The east façade of the reconstructed palace incorporates a modernist design, while the new interior combines both historicist and modernist elements. Architect Franco Stella oversaw the project and the exterior reconstruction was completed in 2020, with the last decoration being mounted in 2023. The palace is now again among

4290-410: Was thereafter considered a major work of Prussian Baroque architecture . The royal palace became one of Berlin’s largest buildings and shaped the cityscape with its 60-meter-high (200 ft) dome erected in 1845. Used for various government functions after the abolition of the monarchy in the 1918 revolution , the palace was damaged during the Allied bombing in World War II , and was razed to

4356-481: Was to establish the authority of the margraves over the unruly citizens of Berlin, who were reluctant to give up their medieval privileges to a monarchy. In 1415 King Sigismund had enfeoffed the Hohenzollern princes with Brandenburg, and they were now establishing their power and withdrawing privileges which the cities had attained in the Brandenburg interregnum of 1319–1415. In 1454 Frederick II, after having returned via Rome from his pilgrimage to Jerusalem , made

#16983