Bye-bye Berlin Palace!

The DDR replaces a baroque masterpiece with a car park

Started in the 15th century and subject to continuous alteration, Berlin’s City Palace served as the residence of the Hohenzollern family, who began as Electors of Brandenburg, later became Kings of Prussia, and finally German Emperors. Remodelled in 1700, the palace in the historic heart of Berlin was widely regarded as a masterpiece of European baroque architecture and dominated the city centre. Although the building suffered severe bomb and fire damage during the Second World War, individual wings remained largely intact, and hosted a number of exhibitions in the late 1940s. The SED leadership ruling the DDR decided to demolish the building in order to erase what they saw as a symbol of Prussian militarism. It was to be replaced by a parade ground so that – in the words of Walter Ulbricht – it would provide the venue to demonstrate the “fighting spirit of our people and their will to rebuild”.

Despite protests in both East and West Germany and abroad, demolition work began on 7 September 1950 and lasted six months. The cleared area then saw almost two years of use as a venue for rallies and parades but also as a car park. In the mid-1970s, the DDR built the Palace of the Republic, which accommodated not only the East German Parliament but also a range of official receptions and cultural events, a bowling alley, a disco and even a post office. Finding the palace to be riddled with asbestos, the new government of reunified Germany took the decision to demolish Erich Honecker’s creation and replace it with a further new building with a façade that resembled the original baroque edifice. Built between 2013 and 2020, the new palace is home to the Humboldt Forum, which serves as a universal museum housing a range of exhibitions.