Architecture in Königsberg (1919–1945)

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Architecture in Königsberg (1919–1945) lists important buildings from Königsberg 's last quarter of a century. It was under the sign of the Weimar Republic and the Nazi state .

Fir forest

The "largest and most beautiful settlement in East Prussia" was built in 1919 and was incorporated into Königsberg in 1939.

Brick expressionism

Mark of Brick Expressionism using were bricks and acute forms. The Königsberg variant was inspired by the many architectural relics of the Teutonic Order . Since Friedrich Gilly's sketches of the Marienburg there has been great interest in the architecture of the knights of the order. The national symbols, the great Gothic domes of Germany, had led to a return to the pointed arches of the Gothic.

The former Königsberg main station at the former Königsberg Reichsplatz 13/15, today Ploschtschad Kalinina, was built around 1929 in the style of brick expressionism. A large ogival window dominates the front, which is divided by eight vertical travertine pillars. The station building now serves as the Kaliningrad South Railway Station.

The Handelshof Königsberg was built in 1923 using brick expressionism. The building was rebuilt modified in the 1960s and is now home to the Kaliningrad City Council.

The state tax office at the former Königsberger Pillauer Landstrasse 3, today ul. Dmitrija Donskowo 1, was built in 1928 in the style of brick expressionism according to a design by Friedrich Lahrs . Today the building is home to the Kaliningrad Finance Authority.

The house, named after the great (and forgotten) Social Democrat Otto Braun , on 2. Fließstrasse 11/12, today ul. Sevastjanowa, was built around 1930 in brick expressionism as the SPD headquarters. On the night of July 31st to August 1st, 1932, the SPD headquarters was demolished. In the Third Reich, the Otto-Braun-Haus of the SPD became the “Brown House”. The building was simply rebuilt after the war.

The department store Kiewe & Co , also known as Wilco-Haus , was an eight-story high-rise building on Altstädtischer Markt 12-16, built in 1927/1928 based on designs by the architect Hans Manteuffel . It was the first skyscraper in Königsberg and was built to replace the demolished house where the poet Zacharias Werner was born. The department store was across from the old town hall .

The House of Technology (Königsberg) at the former Königsberger Waldburgstrasse 16 / corner Wallring 30–32, today ul. Gorkowo 2, was built around 1924/1925 in the style of brick expressionism based on designs by Hanns Hopp .

The New Israeli burial ground was located on the former Königsberger Steffeckstraße / Ratslinden, today ul. Leytenanta Katina, in Friedrichswalde , an estate district in the East Prussian district of Samland , which was later incorporated into Königsberg. The building complex consisting of a mourning hall with an entrance pavilion was built around 1927/1929 according to designs by Erich Mendelsohn in the style of brick expressionism. The entrance pavilion has been preserved and was used as a flower shop in the 1970s.

  • Handelshof

  • Central Station

  • State tax office

  • Otto Braun House

  • House of technology

bauhaus

Hanns Hopp built the East Prussian Girls' Trade School in the Bauhaus style from 1928/29 . The "Klopsakademie" has been preserved and is located in the Musikerviertel, on Brahmsstrasse between Beethovenstrasse and Schubertstrasse. The building is now home to an academy for the next generation of Russian officers.

The Prussian State Archives in Königsberg at Hansaring 31 / corner of Salzastraße, today Prospect Mira 9–11, was built around 1929/1930 in the Bauhaus style based on designs by Robert Liebenthal . The building has been preserved and now houses the Kaliningrad Library.

The Alhambra (Königsberg) was a cinema theater built in 1930. The square lighting fixture in the foyer was particularly modern. The building was on the corner of Steindamm and Wagnerstrasse.

The New Anatomy at Steindammer Wall 47 was built in 1930 in the Bauhaus style. The building was located on the Neurossgärter Kirchenberg on the corner with the Obere Laak. The building of the former anatomy has been preserved and has since been restored.

  • State Archives

  • hospital

  • Girls' trade school

  • New anatomy

Nazi era

housing

In the time of National Socialism , Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia . On the outskirts of the city, new housing developments were built from small single-family houses: Kummerau and Quednau in the north, Charlottenburg and Westend on both sides of General- Litzmann- Strasse, in Friedrichswalde , Rathshof and Juditten in the west, Rosenau and Speichersdorf in the south of Königsberg. The Schichau built in 1937 for their workers a small settlement in contienen . The party's own building works in Königsberg built an imperial war settlement for Nazi war victims . The city of Königsberg promoted housing construction through grants and through the municipal foundation for non-profit housing. Children's playgrounds and sports fields, green areas and walking paths, outdoor pools and storage areas were created. In April 1939, the urban area was again enlarged by incorporations by a total of 7,416 hectares with 13,190 inhabitants. The Königsberg district thus had an area of ​​19,281 ha. In accordance with the law of October 4, 1937 (RGBl. I, 1.054) on the “redesign of German cities”, the legal basis for state expropriations and large-scale urban planning was created. The planning for a National Socialist urban redevelopment of the Gau capital Königsberg was subordinate to the Gauleiter Erich Koch . On June 16, 1938, Mayor Hellmuth Will passed a first proposal for the renovation and expansion of the city of Königsberg. This was updated on June 30, 1939 via Gauleiter Koch and sent to the Reich capital for approval. In this proposal, Will described the urban development from the time of the Teutonic Knights to the development of Königsberg into a major city in the 19th century. He criticized the fact that the villa colony Amalienau was only for the rich, while “less efficient circles” had to live in old houses in the city center. The main task was therefore to create new, healthy living space. In five years, at least 20,000 apartments were to be built in the newly delimited urban area: Samitten was planned in the north (2 km north of the city ring at the level of Fort No. 4, now Wald) and Metgethen in the west .

New city center in the north

Königsberg, urban planning 1941, “The new city center”.

The area around the Königsberger Nordbahnhof was to become the new city center. A new administrative forum was to be built there, consisting of buildings of the Reich authorities, the party, the labor front, the Wehrmacht and a state hall with a capacity of 20,000 people. A 2 km long and around 80 m wide road was to be laid on the embankment of the old town pond from the time of the order and connect the Gauhalle and the fairground with the Gausportfeld. The Hufenallee should be extended and serve as a new east-west axis, which should run as a northern tangent to the inner city ring. This axis should start from Königsberger Tiergarten and lead over Erich-Koch-Platz (previously Walter-Simon-Platz, today, Stadium Baltika ) to Adolf-Hitler-Platz (previously Hansaplatz, now Platz des Sieges). From there it was supposed to lead over the large parade street (then Wrangelstraße / Wallring, today Cernjachovsker-Straße) to the Gausport area Karoliner Hof (then Königsberg horse racecourse ). For this, the old East Fair and part of the northern Tragheim had to be removed. In addition, a new, 55 m wide north-south axis was to be built. This should cross the east-west axis. This should connect the new parts of the city and the new city center in the north with the old Königsberg center and the main train station in the south. Buildings for the administration, the Reichsbahndirektion, a town hall, a higher regional court, a general command, a chamber of industry and commerce as well as buildings for the maintenance were to be built on the axes. The Königsberger Schlossteich was to be divided and partially filled in to build the new Gauforum. The Gauforum could have been seen from many places in Königsberg. In addition, it would have been reflected in the ponds. Furthermore, there would have been a direct line of sight to the east wing of the palace.

Albert Speer received these plans and requested more detailed information. He received this on June 14, 1940 and agreed to it. Therefore, on June 27, 1940, he wrote to Hans Heinrich Lammers that he should give Adolf Hitler the plans for signature. As a result, on July 12, 1940, Hitler issued the "Führer's Decree on urban development measures in the city of Königsberg."

“The basic urban plans were seen by the Führer and approved in principle ... The Führer will particularly promote the city of Königsberg as an eastern city. He hesitated for a long time whether he should prefer to promote Danzig or Königsberg, but finally decided on this city because of the more eastern location of Königsberg. It also says that the Führer plans a special east building program for the Pregelstadt ... A theater will be built there based on plans drawn up by the Führer ... He also intends to donate an important gallery to the city of Königsberg. "

- Albert Speer

The council for the redesign of the city created the plan for the new city center in Königsberg in July 1941 . The east-west axis from the 1941 plan took into account Adolf Hitler's planned theater. A straight boulevard was to run from the theater to behind the city ponds. The large axes were flanked by large blocks of houses that were shaped into projections and recesses and designed with risalits . From west to east this street led to the large Adolf-Hitler-Platz, previously Hansaplatz, today Platz des Sieges .

building

The stadium on Erich-Koch-Platz (formerly Walter-Simon-Platz) was given a main grandstand based on the model of the Zeppelin main grandstand with a monolith crowned by an imperial eagle .

The Raiffeisenhaus at General-Litzmannstrasse 27-33 in Vorderhufen was built in 1936/37 according to designs by the architects Siegfried Saßnick and Helmut Flotow. The facade of the Raiffeisenhaus was finished with a yellowish fine plaster, while the base and window frames were made of dark gray artificial stone. The building has been preserved and now houses an office of the Kaliningrad city administration.

The memorial for the Sturmabteilung consisted of six 5 m high monoliths made of bricks, which were arranged in a circle. The individual monoliths were connected with relief work - eagles (outside) and swastikas (inside). It was in the green between the main train station and the Friedländer Tor. Today the Russian-Polish Friendship Monument is in its place .

The Evangelical Christ Church in Rathshof was built from 1936/37 to designs by the architect Kurt Frick . The ruins of the former Christ Church were rebuilt in the post-war period in the style of socialist classicism to become the “cultural palace of the wagon builders”.

The Nordstern insurance company was built in 1936 based on designs by Siegfried Saßnick . Today the building houses the Hotel Moskva .

In addition, the Hotel Continental was built in the suburbs.

Based on designs by Kurt Frick and Dipl.-Ing. Heinz Bahr, the East Prussia Hall (Königsberg) was built in 1938 at Horst-Wessel-Park near the youth hostel for strength through joy . It was about 100 m × 50 m in size and had 92,000 m 3 of enclosed space. It was made entirely of wood and offered seating for 6,000 people on chairs and 3,000 people at tables. In winter she was given a figure skating rink, which was also used for ice hockey. Major events for professional and amateur boxers also took place here.

  • East Prussia Hall, entrance

  • Christ Church 1940

bunker

The Lasch bunker is located on Paradeplatz and was built in 1939. The bunker was named after Otto Lasch , who headed the city's defense in the battle for Königsberg . The facility consists of a corridor with 21 rooms.

Roads and bridges

The Reichsautobahn Berlin – Königsberg ran from 1938 in East Prussia as a one-way connection from Elbing to Königsberg. There it ended at Reichsstraße 128 , a few kilometers before the Palmburger Autobahn bridge - once Germany's largest reinforced concrete girder bridge. The remains of the Pregelbrücke, which was blown up in 1945, are reminiscent of the Reichsautobahn Elbing-Königsberg. This should originally lead to Insterburg ; however, only a small section of Königsberg's eastern bypass with the Pregel Bridge was completed by 1941. The broken concrete slabs have stood in the river since the blast. Later a second carriageway was built next to it.

  • Palmburger Bridge

  • Berlinka off Kaliningrad (2008)

literature

  • Baldur Köster = Балдура Кёстера: Königsberg: Architecture from the German era = " Здания Кёнигсберга " . Booklet VII. The architectural and art monuments in Königsberg. Husum Druck- und Verlagsgesellschaft, Husum 2000, OCLC 237377396 .
  • Markus Podehl: Architektura Kaliningrada: how Königsberg became Kaliningrad. Materials on the art, culture and history of East Central Europe, 1 . Herder Institute, Marburg 2012, OCLC 816472756 .
  • Bert Hoppe: On the ruins of Königsberg. Kaliningrad 1946–1970 , Munich 2000.
  • Willi Scharloff: Königsberg - then and now: Pictures from a forbidden city . Rautenberg, Leer 1982.
  • Dimitri Konstantinowitsch Navalichin = Дмитрий Константинович Навалихин: K voprosu re Konstrukcii goroda Kaliningrada [On the question of the reconstruction of the city of Kaliningrad] = К вопроцу реконст . Moscow 1954.
  • Dimitri Konstantinowitsch Navalichin = Дмитрий Константинович Навалихин: K voprosu re Konstrukcii centra goroda Kaliningrada [On the question of the reconstruction of the city of Kaliningrad] = Кикоцру реконсту цикоцрд . Moscow 1958.
  • Walter Neegeln: Königsberg 1955 . In: Merian. The monthly issue of cities and landscapes · 8th volume · Issue 12 · Königsberg , Hoffmann and Campe, 1955, pp. 88–94.

Remarks

  1. ↑ Unless otherwise stated, the article follows the work of Podehl, p. 62f: Königsberg Perspectives of the 1930s .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Königsberger Bürgerbrief 86 (2015), p. 17.
  2. ↑ Podehl, p. 52.
  3. ↑ Köster, No. 74, p. 150f: Hauptbahnhof .
  4. ↑ Köster, No. 63, p. 136f: Landesfinanzamt .
  5. ↑ Köster, No. 66, p. 141 Otto-Braun-Haus
  6. ↑ Podehl, p. 51.
  7. ↑ Köster, No. 71, p. 146f House of Technology
  8. ↑ Köster, No. 71, p. 147
  9. ↑ Marburg image index
  10. ↑ Podehl, p. 210.
  11. ^ Cemetery of the synagogue community  in the German Digital Library
  12. ↑ a b Scharloff, p. 134.
  13. ↑ Köster, No. 64, p. 138f State Archives
  14. ↑ Scharloff, p. 128.
  15. ↑ Scharloff, p. 88.
  16. ↑ Scharloff, p. 90.
  17. ↑ a b Podehl, p. 64.
  18. ↑ Podehl, p. 67.
  19. ↑ Scharloff, p. 36.
  20. ↑ Köster, No. 20, p. 72ff.
  21. ↑ Podehl, p. 132.
  22. ↑ Podehl, p. 152.
  23. ↑ a b Podehl, p. 70.
  24. ↑ Lorenz Grimoni : Königsberg's "Arena" . Königsberger Bürgerbrief 87 (2016), p. 23.
  25. ^ Herberg W .: The Pregelbrücke Palmburg, Germany's largest reinforced concrete girder bridge . In: Concrete and reinforced concrete construction . Vol. 47, No. 7 , 1952.
  26. ↑ Strunz, p. 199.
  27. ↑ a b Podehl, p. 390.