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A strictly modular floor plan concept
After the Reichsbank headquarters (now part of the Foreign Ministry), which was begun in 1933, the Reich Aviation Ministry was the second major construction project of the Nazi state in Berlin. Like the latter, it was embedded in the job creation programmes following the "Machtergreifung". All departments of the new ministry, including the still disguised command staff of the air force, which had been banned by the Treaty of Versailles, were to be brought together here under the leadership of Hermann Göring (1893-1946).
The new office had already taken over the building complex south of Leipziger Strasse, where the Ministry of Labour and the Reichswehr Ministry had previously been located, in May 1933. However, it was not until the beginning of December 1934 that the planning contract was awarded to the architect Ernst Sagebiel (1892-1970), who had joined the NSDAP and SA in 1933.
His concept envisaged a seven-storey "spine" running in a north-south direction (horizontal in the drawing), from which flatter wing buildings branched off to the street and garden sides, enclosing differently shaped courtyards.
A strictly modular floor plan concept
After the Reichsbank headquarters (now part of the Foreign Ministry), which was begun in 1933, the Reich Aviation Ministry was the second major construction project of the Nazi state in Berlin. Like the latter, it was embedded in the job creation programmes following the "Machtergreifung". All departments of the new ministry, including the still disguised command staff of the air force, which had been banned by the Treaty of Versailles, were to be brought together here under the leadership of Hermann Göring (1893-1946).
The new office had already taken over the building complex south of Leipziger Strasse, where the Ministry of Labour and the Reichswehr Ministry had previously been located, in May 1933. However, it was not until the beginning of December 1934 that the planning contract was awarded to the architect Ernst Sagebiel (1892-1970), who had joined the NSDAP and SA in 1933.
His concept envisaged a seven-storey "spine" running in a north-south direction (horizontal in the drawing), from which flatter wing buildings branched off to the street and garden sides, enclosing differently shaped courtyards.
Demolition and new construction go hand in hand
In February 1935, the clearance of the densely built-up plots along Wilhelmstraße began. A building volume totalling 260,000 m3 had to make way for the new building: "... the self-confident decisiveness that allows an entire street to disappear (...) is impressive and of testimonial significance", was how the periodical Bauwelt was to celebrate the uncompromising demolition in 1936, in keeping with the spirit of the times.
The new building was also started without delay in February 1935 on eight different sites facilitated by the consistent modularisation of the floor plan: with a few exceptions, the entire skeleton construction was based on a three-metre grid. This meant that prefabrication could be limited to a few types and, above all, construction could begin at any point at the same time.
The photograph shows the southern section of the building site on the corner of Wilhelmstraße and Prinz-Albrecht-Straße (since 1951: Niederkirchnerstraße): Demolition and new construction go hand in hand.
Demolition and new construction go hand in hand
In February 1935, the clearance of the densely built-up plots along Wilhelmstraße began. A building volume totalling 260,000 m3 had to make way for the new building: "... the self-confident decisiveness that allows an entire street to disappear (...) is impressive and of testimonial significance", was how the periodical Bauwelt was to celebrate the uncompromising demolition in 1936, in keeping with the spirit of the times.
The new building was also started without delay in February 1935 on eight different sites facilitated by the consistent modularisation of the floor plan: with a few exceptions, the entire skeleton construction was based on a three-metre grid. This meant that prefabrication could be limited to a few types and, above all, construction could begin at any point at the same time.
The photograph shows the southern section of the building site on the corner of Wilhelmstraße and Prinz-Albrecht-Straße (since 1951: Niederkirchnerstraße): Demolition and new construction go hand in hand.
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The skeleton construction: in-situ concrete in series, occasionally steel
The majority of the supporting structure is constructed as a reinforced concrete skeleton with Pohlmann ceilings. The government architect Pohlmann had already submitted patents for this type of ceiling around 1900 a reinforced concrete ribbed ceiling in which the formwork was lined with reed mats before concreting to improve the insulation. In addition to a construction site photo from 1935, the illustrations show the structure as well as an example of a Pohlmann ceiling that was uncovered (at another location).
Expansion joints at intervals of around 36 metres divide the "backbone" into individual sections. The wind bracing of the load-bearing skeleton is provided by the wall panels of the stairwells.
Multi-storey halls with large spans interrupted the regular structure and were primarily constructed using steel frames (partly in the more efficient steel grade St 52). In the most recently constructed wings facing Leipziger Strasse, this allowed construction to continue in winter regardless of the falling temperatures.
The skeleton construction: in-situ concrete in series, occasionally steel
The majority of the supporting structure is constructed as a reinforced concrete skeleton with Pohlmann ceilings. The government architect Pohlmann had already submitted patents for this type of ceiling around 1900 a reinforced concrete ribbed ceiling in which the formwork was lined with reed mats before concreting to improve the insulation. In addition to a construction site photo from 1935, the illustrations show the structure as well as an example of a Pohlmann ceiling that was uncovered (at another location).
Expansion joints at intervals of around 36 metres divide the "backbone" into individual sections. The wind bracing of the load-bearing skeleton is provided by the wall panels of the stairwells.
Multi-storey halls with large spans interrupted the regular structure and were primarily constructed using steel frames (partly in the more efficient steel grade St 52). In the most recently constructed wings facing Leipziger Strasse, this allowed construction to continue in winter regardless of the falling temperatures.
1000 offices ready for occupancy after just eight months
Work was carried out around the clock in two 12-hour shifts. The result was breathtaking and was widely exploited by the new rulers for propaganda purposes: After just eight months of construction, the topping-out ceremony was celebrated on 12 October 1935 and the first half of the offices were occupied.
The two photos taken on the day of the topping-out ceremony show Hermann Göring and his State Secretary Erhard Milch walking off in a guard of honour and raising the topping-out crown with carpenter Franz Hecht; to the left of Göring in this photo is the architect Ernst Sagebiel.
1000 offices ready for occupancy after just eight months
Work was carried out around the clock in two 12-hour shifts. The result was breathtaking and was widely exploited by the new rulers for propaganda purposes: After just eight months of construction, the topping-out ceremony was celebrated on 12 October 1935 and the first half of the offices were occupied.
The two photos taken on the day of the topping-out ceremony show Hermann Göring and his State Secretary Erhard Milch walking off in a guard of honour and raising the topping-out crown with carpenter Franz Hecht; to the left of Göring in this photo is the architect Ernst Sagebiel.
Completion in 1936
Just over a year after construction began, the gigantic project was completed in the summer of 1936; only the artistic design was delayed until the end of the year.
The structure of the shell limestone façade, which barely gives a hint of the skeleton structure hidden behind it, was as strictly modularised as the supporting structure. In the first construction phase, for example, it is made up of just eight different panel sizes. In order to be able to provide the required quantities in such a short time, a total of 50 quarries were involved in the delivery.
Completion in 1936
Just over a year after construction began, the gigantic project was completed in the summer of 1936; only the artistic design was delayed until the end of the year.
The structure of the shell limestone façade, which barely gives a hint of the skeleton structure hidden behind it, was as strictly modularised as the supporting structure. In the first construction phase, for example, it is made up of just eight different panel sizes. In order to be able to provide the required quantities in such a short time, a total of 50 quarries were involved in the delivery.
The small meeting room - an example of a deviation from the norm
The "small meeting room" located above the pillared vestibule and the main entrance behind it is an example of those areas that deviated from the standard dimensions due to larger spans and were therefore not constructed in reinforced concrete but as steel structures. The associated steel structure is presented in more detail at "hidden structure".
The small meeting room - an example of a deviation from the norm
The "small meeting room" located above the pillared vestibule and the main entrance behind it is an example of those areas that deviated from the standard dimensions due to larger spans and were therefore not constructed in reinforced concrete but as steel structures. The associated steel structure is presented in more detail at "hidden structure".
On 7 October 1949, the GDR was founded here
It is hardly surprising that Göring's ministry was one of the Allied bombers' favourite targets. Nevertheless, the overall damage remained manageable, with only the southern stairwell being severely damaged by a direct hit.
The Soviet military administration took possession of the building. But just a few years later, it would once again become a central place in German history: On 7 October 1949, Wilhelm Pieck announced the founding of the GDR in the former "Hall of Honour" of the Reich Aviation Ministry; on 11 October, the Volkskammer (the parliament of GDR) elected him President of the GDR in this very hall; on 12 October, Pieck then swore in the members of the first GDR government under Walter Ulbricht here. The photo shows the entrance area on the day the GDR was founded.
As the "House of Ministries", the complex, located not far from what would later become the Berlin Wall, housed various government offices until the end of the GDR.
On 7 October 1949, the GDR was founded here
It is hardly surprising that Göring's ministry was one of the Allied bombers' favourite targets. Nevertheless, the overall damage remained manageable, with only the southern stairwell being severely damaged by a direct hit.
The Soviet military administration took possession of the building. But just a few years later, it would once again become a central place in German history: On 7 October 1949, Wilhelm Pieck announced the founding of the GDR in the former "Hall of Honour" of the Reich Aviation Ministry; on 11 October, the Volkskammer (the parliament of GDR) elected him President of the GDR in this very hall; on 12 October, Pieck then swore in the members of the first GDR government under Walter Ulbricht here. The photo shows the entrance area on the day the GDR was founded.
As the "House of Ministries", the complex, located not far from what would later become the Berlin Wall, housed various government offices until the end of the GDR.
1953: "Building the Republic" instead of "Flag Company"
For the young GDR, the flagship building of the Nazi state was a highly problematic legacy. However, the "denazification" was primarily limited to the removal of Nazi emblems and artwork from the exterior and interior. There was no reappraisal of the history, which could also have found expression in the building. The approach was to forget rather than to reflect.
This approach found its most visible expression in the large mural behind the pillar front at the main entrance. Since 1936, a 25 metre long stone relief "Fahnenkompanie" had glorified the Wehrmacht here. In 1950, the GDR government commissioned the artist (and resistance activist in NS times) Max Lingner to design an appropriate replacement. In September 1953, just a few months after the forecourt had become one of the main sites of the 17 June Uprising, the new mural was inaugurated: made from Meissen porcelain tiles, the large-scale panorama of an ideal socialist community now unfolded under the title "Building the Republic".
1953: "Building the Republic" instead of "Flag Company"
For the young GDR, the flagship building of the Nazi state was a highly problematic legacy. However, the "denazification" was primarily limited to the removal of Nazi emblems and artwork from the exterior and interior. There was no reappraisal of the history, which could also have found expression in the building. The approach was to forget rather than to reflect.
This approach found its most visible expression in the large mural behind the pillar front at the main entrance. Since 1936, a 25 metre long stone relief "Fahnenkompanie" had glorified the Wehrmacht here. In 1950, the GDR government commissioned the artist (and resistance activist in NS times) Max Lingner to design an appropriate replacement. In September 1953, just a few months after the forecourt had become one of the main sites of the 17 June Uprising, the new mural was inaugurated: made from Meissen porcelain tiles, the large-scale panorama of an ideal socialist community now unfolded under the title "Building the Republic".
1990s: From the headquarters of the Treuhand to the Federal Ministry of Finance
After reunification, the Treuhand, which had been founded the previous year, moved into the building in March 1991. Its task of privatising the GDR's state-owned enterprises in accordance with the principles of the social market economy or, if this did not seem possible, shutting them down, was highly controversial. The president of the Treuhand, Detlev Rohwedder, fell victim to an assassination attempt on 1 April 1991 while he was still moving in.
The further development was anything but straightforward. In 1993 it was already decided to demolish the building, but in 1994 the decision was made in favour of preserving it, and in 1996 restoration work began. The original room structures were freed from temporary fixtures, while representative areas were restored. The Lingner mosaic was also preserved, but opposite it today a floor monument of the same size by Berlin artist Wolfgang Rüppel commemorates the events of 17 June 1953.
The building was named after Detlev Rohwedder in 1992 and has been the headquarters of the Federal Minister of Finance since 2000.
1990s: From the headquarters of the Treuhand to the Federal Ministry of Finance
After reunification, the Treuhand, which had been founded the previous year, moved into the building in March 1991. Its task of privatising the GDR's state-owned enterprises in accordance with the principles of the social market economy or, if this did not seem possible, shutting them down, was highly controversial. The president of the Treuhand, Detlev Rohwedder, fell victim to an assassination attempt on 1 April 1991 while he was still moving in.
The further development was anything but straightforward. In 1993 it was already decided to demolish the building, but in 1994 the decision was made in favour of preserving it, and in 1996 restoration work began. The original room structures were freed from temporary fixtures, while representative areas were restored. The Lingner mosaic was also preserved, but opposite it today a floor monument of the same size by Berlin artist Wolfgang Rüppel commemorates the events of 17 June 1953.
The building was named after Detlev Rohwedder in 1992 and has been the headquarters of the Federal Minister of Finance since 2000.
About structural engineering
Arno Schleusner (1882-1951), an engineer with a wide range of interests, was responsible for the structural design. After studying civil engineering at the TH Berlin (now: University of Technology) and additional studies in mathematics and theoretical physics in Berlin, Rostock and Jena, he became an assistant to Hans Jacob Reissner (1874-1967), who was appointed Professor of Mathematics at the TH Berlin in 1913. Reissner had already been researching the fundamentals of aircraft construction at the TH Aachen since 1906. Under his influence, Schleusner took over the management of the static office of the Luft-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft, which was based in Berlin-Johannisthal and worked for the military, in 1916. In the 1920s he was then employed by large construction companies, but it was not until 1930, at the age of almost fifty, that he founded his own engineering office in Berlin.
His collaboration with Sagebiel continued with his most famous construction project: From 1936, Schleusner was one of the structural engineers for the construction of the new Tempelhof Airport. In the absence of a portrait, the illustration shows the frame systems developed by Schleusner for the steel structures in the entrance area of the Reich Aviation Ministry.
About structural engineering
Arno Schleusner (1882-1951), an engineer with a wide range of interests, was responsible for the structural design. After studying civil engineering at the TH Berlin (now: University of Technology) and additional studies in mathematics and theoretical physics in Berlin, Rostock and Jena, he became an assistant to Hans Jacob Reissner (1874-1967), who was appointed Professor of Mathematics at the TH Berlin in 1913. Reissner had already been researching the fundamentals of aircraft construction at the TH Aachen since 1906. Under his influence, Schleusner took over the management of the static office of the Luft-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft, which was based in Berlin-Johannisthal and worked for the military, in 1916. In the 1920s he was then employed by large construction companies, but it was not until 1930, at the age of almost fifty, that he founded his own engineering office in Berlin.
His collaboration with Sagebiel continued with his most famous construction project: From 1936, Schleusner was one of the structural engineers for the construction of the new Tempelhof Airport. In the absence of a portrait, the illustration shows the frame systems developed by Schleusner for the steel structures in the entrance area of the Reich Aviation Ministry.
Key data
Location: Wilhelmstraße 97/Leipziger Straße 5–7, 10117 Berlin-Mitte
Construction period: 1935/36
Structural engineering: Arno Schleusner
Overall Design: Ernst Sagebiel
Execution of construction work: Beton- und Monierbau AG, Wiemer & Trachte u. a.
Key data
Location: Wilhelmstraße 97/Leipziger Straße 5–7, 10117 Berlin-Mitte
Construction period: 1935/36
Structural engineering: Arno Schleusner
Overall Design: Ernst Sagebiel
Execution of construction work: Beton- und Monierbau AG, Wiemer & Trachte u. a.
