Hall of Fame (Berlin)

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Ground floor plan after renovation by Friedrich Hitzig 1877–1880
Floor plan of the upper floor after the renovation by Friedrich Hitzig 1877–1880
Section through the courtyard and the hall of fame after the renovation

The Hall of Fame in Berlin-Mitte was a permanent exhibition for the glory of Prussia in specially converted for this purpose armory diagonally opposite the Berlin City Palace . It existed from 1891 to 1945. The exhibits were destroyed by the effects of the war, redistributed, stored in stores or deliberately destroyed.

prehistory

On the occasion of his 78th birthday, Kaiser Wilhelm I decided to build a hall of fame for the designers of Prussian history, the formerly smiled at "Brandenburg sand can" through armament, skillful alliance policy, the luck of the war, but also a liberal immigration and settlement policy and the promotion of Culture and science had created one of the leading states in Europe.

On March 22, 1875, the Emperor gave the order in which, besides the Berlin City Palace located armory into a "pantheon of Brandenburg-Prussian Army" convert. The building, which had previously been used as the arsenal of the Prussian army, had to be cleared and refurbished for visitor traffic. After initial resistance, the order became law, which Wilhelm signed on March 17, 1877. According to the plans of the architect Friedrich Hitzig , the renovation work began on August 1, 1877, which ultimately cost 4.33 million marks . In the following years the Zeughaus developed into one of the most popular museums in Berlin.

Reinhold Begas : War Science , 1887, marble

investment

The French artillery captured in the Franco-Prussian War stood in the atrium of the armory , and French flags hung on the walls. In the center was the colossal figure of a 4.50 m high Borussia by Reinhold Begas from 1885 (today in the Lapidarium on the Landwehr Canal ; a copy from 1980 is in the Prussian Park ). To the left and right of the outside staircase sat two Roman warriors, who also came from Begas and his students and one of whom was completely destroyed. In addition, there are two triangular reliefs in limestone with the depictions of "Sea War" and "Land War" in the stringer. The outside staircase led to the hall of fame in the north wing of the armory, which consisted of the central ruler's hall and two general halls on the side.

The ruler's hall

The official guide through the Hall of Fame (1940) stated:

“The Hall of Fame takes up the full north broadside of the upper floor. The middle is a high-vaulted domed room, the prince's hall, to which the general halls are attached to the right and left. "

The names of the Brandenburg-Prussian troop leaders who remained in independent command from the enemy from the Thirty Years' War to the World War are inscribed on the marble pillars on honor plaques . The plaques of honor begin in the western Feldherrenhalle opposite the painting Crossing the Curonian Lagoon. The number of those killed in the world war is greater than the total loss in the wars of previous centuries. The plaques for those who died in the World War were unveiled in 1934 as a foundation of the Reich Association of German Officers . They occupy the pillars around the ruler's hall and the walls under the paintings in this room.

(All of the following quotes are from the official guide through the Hall of Fame, 1912):

The bronze door of the Hall of Fame with allegorical reliefs of the life and death of a warrior was created by Otto Lessing in 1881 and has been preserved in the original square to this day. The 3.90 m tall goddess of victory is by Fritz Schaper (1885).

“In the center of the domed hall , the original death mask of the Reich President General Field Marshal von Hindenburg has been resting on a pedestal made of dark Fichtelgebirge marble since January 1935 . The death mask, removed from Professor Thorak , is placed here on the instructions of the Führer and Reich Chancellor . "

Mural

The allegorical paintings in the dome were created by Friedrich Geselschap .

(1879/83) Triumphal procession with the three parts "The start of war", "Submission of the enemy" and "Wreath of the triumphant" (in the dome, 4 m high, 70 m long)
“The muse of heroic song , the lion as a symbol of strength at your side, heralds hero's fame. Float ahead of you, flocked around the winner of the sea battle, tine and trombone blowers. Then follows the winner in the field battle, crowned by the goddess of victory and surrounded by trophy-carrying warriors, flower-scattering and singing genii. The goddess of war blows about on horseback, surrounded by warriors, lifting a crown as a prize. The muse of history approaches, pensively, time with the rolling wheel next to it; she looks to the conquered, over whose heads fate breaks the staff. In the midst of a group of lamenting and prisoners a serious figure, the tragic poetry , walks and closes the procession. "
(1883/90) The War (east, right of the entrance)
“ Pulled by furies , the goddess of war rushes into hostile land on a high wagon , next to her the gentleness and justice, each begging for mercy, this one scale in her hand, whose tongue she holds on to the saying inter arma silent leges . Hunger and death, struggle and plague, as ghostly horsemen, accompany the war fury to which everything is subject, the mighty power of the giants as well as the cunning power of vice represented by the seven-headed dragon. "
(1883/90) establishment of the empire (north, opposite the entrance)
“In the splendor of the rising sun, guided by geniuses , a figure strides out of clouds, in imperial robes and surrounded by angels with the symbols of rule, order and justice, strength, wisdom and faith. Groups on both sides face the apparition. Female figures with the coats of arms of the German states receive the emperor, first Bavaria on the right , Alsace-Lorraine in a mourning veil on the left , brought in by a laurel-adorned hero with the features of the Crown Prince, later Emperor Friedrich. In the background on the right are Bismarck , Moltke and Roon as heroes of the imperial concept and the military force . "
(1883/90) Reception of the heroes in Valhalla (south, left of the entrance)
"The heroes of German history who worked on the expansion of the old empire and Prussia, as the forerunner of the new empire, rally around the genius of immortality: Hermann the Cheruscan , Charlemagne , Arnulf of Carinthia , Friedrich Barbarossa , Friedrich II. , Heinrich the Finkler , Otto the Great , Heinrich VI. , as well as behind on high round seats the Great Elector , Friedrich Wilhelm III. , Derfflinger , Joachim Hans von Zieten , Seydlitz , Blücher , Scharnhorst , Gneisenau and Theodor Körner . Greetings and thinking about the future, they greet the heroes brought in by battle maids, among them Kaiser Wilhelm I, the founder of the new empire, and his son, Kaiser Friedrich III, who was captured at an early age.
(1883/90) Peace (west, above the entrance)
“With the peace palm, a radiant genius approaches the earth, proclaims peace, and angels continue to proclaim the message. Warriors return, with them the goddess of victory and poetry. The arms are laid down and those returning home are greeted by the people, jubilant at the victory, full of sadness for the fallen and full of joy at the beginning of the peaceful work. On the right, in a mourning veil, stands a widow with her children: weeping for her fallen husband, she brings the palm tree to those returning home. On the left a virgin and children praise the Almighty with singing and playing the violin. "
Between the paintings, in the spandrels, the four ruler's virtues are depicted: justice, strength, moderation and wisdom.
(1880/87) Frederick I was crowned king in 1701 by Anton von Werner
“The constantly growing size of the Kurbrandenburg state, its increasing reputation in Europe led to the elevation to the Kingdom of Prussia. On January 18, 1701, the coronation took place in the castle church in Königsberg. This was preceded by the foundation of the Black Eagle Order , the highest honor of the Prussian crown. "
(1880/82) Silesia pays homage to Frederick the Great in 1741 by Wilhelm Camphausen
“ Frederick II had won Silesia in the First Silesian War by defeating Mollwitz and thereby enforced the right of inheritance withheld from the House of Brandenburg by Austria. The estates and members of parliament gathered in Breslau to pay their hereditary homage to the old Brandenburg Kurschwert (November 7). However, this sword was not there. The king took off his sword and asked to swear the oath on the sword with which he had conquered Silesia. "
(1880/82) Appeal “To my people”, March 17, 1813 by Georg Bleibtreu
“Europe was under French rule, Prussia was reduced by half. The hour of liberation struck when Napoleon's campaign against Russia had failed. The war alliance was concluded; Tsar Alexander came to Breslau. There, Friedrich Wilhelm III. the ' Appeal to my People ' (March 17th), which, after the boundless mistreatment of Prussia, ushered in a patriotic upswing like no other in world history. All men capable of arms sought military service, including old people and children, and even women. Craft shops and schools became empty, poor and rich, high and low, lined up in rank and file; those who could not go along sacrificed their wealth. - The picture shows the inspection of the Prussian troops by King Friedrich Wilhelm II. In the presence of the Russian Tsar Alexander I. "
(1880/83) Imperial proclamation at Versailles. January 18, 1871 by Anton von Werner
“The brotherhood in arms of the tribes allied under Prussia's leadership had proven their worth in tremendous battles and long hardships. Now the old wish of the Germans for a united kingdom could become a reality. The first of the nation gathered in the Palace of Versailles to proclaim the Prussian King as German Emperor. In a document that the great chancellor read out, the ruler announced to the German people and the whole world that he was assuming the imperial dignity, with the awareness of the duty to faithfully protect the rights of the empire and its members, to keep the peace to secure the independence of Germany and to strengthen the strength of the people. - The enthusiastic assembly, first and foremost Grand Duke Friedrich von Baden , paid homage to the emperor with stormy acclamation. "
(1886) Battle of Königgrätz by Emil Hünten , see: Battle of Königgrätz (painting)

Still images

The first seven statues were commissioned after a competition among 23 sculptors in 1879 and were finished by 1884. The statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I was added in 1890; he had refused statues of himself in his lifetime. The eight statues have been on the bastion of Hohenzollern Castle near Hechingen since 1961 .

"The Great Elector" Friedrich Wilhelm von Erdmann Encke (1883/84)
King Friedrich I in Prussia by Ludwig Brunow (1883/84)
King Friedrich Wilhelm I by Karl Hilgers (1883/84)
King Friedrich II. Von Erdmann Encke (1886)
King Friedrich Wilhelm II. By Ludwig Brunow (1883/84)
King Friedrich Wilhelm III. by Emil Hundrieser (1884/85)
King Friedrich Wilhelm IV. By Carl Schuler (1882/85)
Kaiser Wilhelm I by Rudolf Siemering (1890/91)

  • Friedrich Wilhelm
    "The Great Elector"

  • Friedrich I.

  • Friedrich Wilhelm I.
    "The Soldier King"

  • Friedrich II.
    "The Old Fritz"

  • Friedrich Wilhelm II.

  • Friedrich Wilhelm III.

  • Friedrich Wilhelm IV.

  • Wilhelm I.
    "Wilhelm the Great"

Busts

Karl Reichsfreiherr vom Stein by Fritz Schaper
Gerhard David von Scharnhorst by Alexander Calandrelli
Otto Fürst von Bismarck by Reinhold Begas
Albrecht Graf von Roon by Alexander Calandrelli

Western Feldherrenhalle

Battle of Turin - bust of Leopold von Anhalt-Dessau

Mural

  • North face
Battle of Fehrbellin , 1675 by Peter Janssen (1884)
Crossing over the Curonian Lagoon , 1679 by Wilhelm Simmler (1886)
Battle of Turin , 1706 by Hermann Knackfuß (1887)
  • West wall
Battle of Hohenfriedberg , 1745 by Peter Janssen (1890/91)
Battle of Leuthen , 1757 by Fritz Roeber (1889/90)
  • South wall
Battle of Torgau , 1760 by Peter Janssen (1888)

Busts

Reinhold Begas : Strength 1887, marble.
Georg Freiherr von Derfflinger by Moritz Schulz
Otto Christoph Freiherr von Sparr by Carl Begas
Hans Adam von Schöning by Julius Franz
Joachim Henniges von Treffenfeld by Karl Albert Bergmeier
Kurt Christoph von Schwerin by Julius Moser
Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Dessau "The Old Dessauer" by Richard Neumann
Hans Karl von Winterfeldt by Rudolf Pohle
James Keith by Rudolf Schweinitz
Moritz Prince of Anhalt-Dessau by Rudolf Schweinitz
Friedrich Graf von Gessler by Rudolf Schweinitz
Friedrich Wilhelm Freiherr von Seydlitz by Julius Moser
Ferdinand Duke of Braunschweig-Lüneburg by Karl Albert Bergmeier
Heinrich Prince of Prussia by Max Wiese
Heinrich August Baron de la Motte-Fouqué by Max Wiese
Sebastian von Belling by Ferdinand Hartzer
Joachim Hans von Zieten by Johannes Pfuhl

Also in marble are the allegorical female figures Kraft and Kriegswwissenschaft by Reinhold Begas , both created between 1881 and 1887. They were located in the Nikolaiviertel (Spreeufer) from 1987 and were finally transferred to the large foyer of the armory on December 16, 2009 with the support of the Berlin State Monuments Office.

Eastern General Hall

Mural

General Reille brings Emperor Napoleon's letter to King Wilhelm I on the battlefield of Sedan . Mural by Carl Steffeck
Battle of Königgrätz, the king presents the Crown Prince with the order Pour le Mérite , mural by Emil Hünten
  • South wall
Battle of the Nations near Leipzig , 1813 by Werner Schuch (1888)
  • East wall
Battle of Belle Alliance , 1815 by Georg Bleibtreu (1888)
Storming of the Düppeler Schanzen , 1864 by Ernst Roeber (1888)
  • North face
Battle of Königgrätz , 1866 by Emil Hünten (1886)
Storming of St. Privat , 1870 by Georg Bleibtreu (1887)
After the Battle of Sedan , 1870 ( General Reille brings Emperor Napoleon's letter to King Wilhelm on the battlefield of Sedan ) by Carl Steffeck (1884)

Busts

Gebhard Leberecht Prince Blücher of Wahlstatt by Johannes Pfuhl
Louis Ferdinand Prince of Prussia by Otto Büchting
Wilhelm René de l'Homme de Courbière by Ludwig Brodwolf
Friedrich Adolf Count von Kalckreuth by Heinrich Pohlmann
Ludwig Graf Yorck von Wartenburg by Alexander Tondeur
Friedrich Wilhelm Graf Bülow von Dennewitz by Otto Büchting
August Count Neidhart von Gneisenau by Wilhelm Engelhard
Emanuel Graf Tauentzien von Wittenberg by Otto Büchting
Friedrich Graf Kleist von Nollendorf by Julius Franz
Friedrich Count von Wrangel by Heinz Hoffmeister
August Graf von Werder by Max Klein
August von Goeben by Heinz Hoffmeister
Helmuth Graf von Moltke by Karl Begas
Edwin Freiherr von Manteuffel by Max Klein
Friedrich Karl Nikolaus, Prince of Prussia by Karl Begas
Friedrich Wilhelm, Crown Prince of Dt. Empire and of Prussia by Reinhold Begas

Also in marble are the allegorical figures Loyalty and Enthusiasm by Fritz Schaper (not preserved).

source

  • The Armory - The Hall of Fame. Official leader, 1940.

literature

  • Karl Emil Otto Fritsch : The project of an interior redesign of the Berlin armory. In: Deutsche Bauzeitung , Volume 10, 1876, No. 41 (from May 20, 1876), p. 207 f.
  • Deutsche Bauzeitung , Volume 15, 1881, No. 3 (from January 8, 1881), p. 19. (Note on the commissioned artists)
  • Friedrich Hitzig : The reconstruction of the armory in Berlin. In: Deutsche Bauzeitung , Volume 15, 1881, No. 67 (from August 20, 1881), p. 373 f. (Part 1) / No. 69 (of August 27, 1881), p. 383 f. (Part 2) / No. 71 (of September 3, 1881), p. 395 f. (Part 3) / No. 77 (of September 24, 1881), pp. 427-430. (Part 4)
  • The renovation of the armory in Berlin. In: Centralblatt der Bauverwaltung , 3rd year 1883, No. 11 (from March 17, 1883), p. 93 f. (Part 1) / No. 12 (of March 24, 1883), pp. 101-104 (Part 2) / No. 13 (of March 31, 1883), pp. 116 f. (Part 3)
  • Monika Arndt (ie Monika Schulte-Arndt or Monika von Wilmowsky): The “Hall of Fame” in the Berlin armory. A self-portrait of Prussia after the founding of the empire. (= The Buildings and Art Monuments of Berlin , Supplement 12.) Gebr. Mann, Berlin 1985, ISBN 3-7861-1426-9 .
  • German Historical Museum (ed.), Regina Müller: The Berlin armory. The building history. Brandenburgisches Verlagshaus, Berlin 1994, ISBN 3-89488-055-4 , pp. 165-207.
  • Ulrike Kretzschmar (ed.): The Berlin armory. From the arsenal to the German Historical Museum. Prestel, Munich et al. 2006, ISBN 3-7913-3356-9 .
  • Ludwig Pietsch : The new Prussian rulers and generals hall . In: The Gazebo . Issue 15, 1881, pp. 244–248 ( full text [ Wikisource ]).

Web links

Commons : Ruhmeshalle Berlin  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files