Hotel Kaiserhof (Berlin)

The Kaiserhof Hotel was the first luxury hotel in Berlin. It stood at the Wilhelm Platz 3-5 against the Reich Chancellery in the former government district. The hotel was opened completely destroyed by several bombings in October 1875, and on 23 November 1943.

History

Was built Berlin's first Grand Hotel of the Berlin Hotel AG was founded in 1872 (later Berlin hotel company). The Berlin architects von der Hude & Hennicke carried out the order from 1873 to 1875. Just a few days after its opening in October 1875 a major fire destroyed the house. The reopening took place in 1876.

The imperial court had 260 rooms, this had a modern and luxurious amenities on: So the imperial court was the first hotel in Berlin, the equip its rooms with electricity, private bathrooms, and even phones. Furthermore, there was steam heaters, pneumatic lift and ultra-modern for its time gas stoves. The power came from the second Berlin power plant in the Wall Street, which was built by Siemens & Halske. Attached to the hotel was a private Romanesque café, could linger in the guests and visitors. The hotel also ran a so-called urban kitchen, so a catering service, the individual foods, but also all the menus for larger parties provided outside the home.

In 1878, the imperial court was the scene of Bismarck initiated by the Berlin Congress. As of 1907, the Imperial Court to the Hotel Adlon is a serious competition that gradually the rank of " first hotels on the block," it was expired at the Pariser Platz.

What is the significance and popularity of the hotel had, can also be seen that the metro station on October 1, 1908 opened Spittelmarktlinie under the Wilhelmplatz the name " Kaiserhof " received (now Metro Station Moor Road ).

The glorious years of the hotel with state guests and sumptuous receptions went to the economic crisis of the early Weimar Republic will soon be over.

The Aschingers AG acquired a majority stake in 1924 at the Berlin hotel company, which also ran the Baltic Hotel. However, the imperial court worked in deficit and brought the company into financial difficulties. A sale of the hotel to the German Reich failed 1926. Through the acquisition of the Hotel -Aktiengesellschaft, the Group secured Aschingers other hotels in the luxury category as the Bristol Hotel, Bellevue and the Central Hotel. Through financial reallocations within the Group hotel operations AG took over the hotel in Berlin society. An expansion by increasing the building was provided to the architect Hans Poelzig provided detailed plans.

The founding of the German Luft Hansa Aktiengesellschaft took place in the imperial court in January 1926. It emerged from the fusion of the " Junkers aviation " and " Aero Lloyd ".

In the 1920s operators sympathized with the right-wing nationalist currents and opened their house for groups that opposed the Weimar Republic. An outward sign of this was also black -white-red flag, which was held the black-red- golden hoisted. At the same time the hotel but also served as the meeting place of the liberal- bourgeois " SeSiSo clubs ", later the Solf Circle emerged from the. Viktoria von Dirksen, the second wife of the diplomat Willibald von Dirksen held in the hotel " Thursday soirees " for the " National Club ", where Adolf Hitler took part. In 1931 a meeting was held German industrialist with Hitler instead of in the suite. 1932 Hitler moved then all in this hotel. From here, he conceived and coordinated his campaign. The top floor of the hotel was the provisional party headquarters of the NSDAP.

The naturalization of Adolf Hitler for his candidacy in the presidential election in 1932 also took place in the Hotel Kaiserhof, where he was named in a ceremony on February 25, 1932 Government of the Free State of Brunswick. This was the stateless at this time on its own initiative towards Hitler by naturalization are nationals of the member States of the Weimar Republic.

Also, other officials of the National Socialists were living at the hotel. Hermann Göring celebrated in April 1935 at the Kaiserhof sumptuously his marriage to his second wife Emmy sun man. A memoir of Joseph Goebbels to the " fight time " to the " seizure of power" was the ambiguous title From Kaiserhof to the Reich Chancellery ( just briefly about the Wilhelm Platz).

In November 1943, the imperial court was hit in an air raid by the Royal Air Force by several aerial bombs and badly damaged. The ruin was demolished later.

On the plot North Korea built in 1974 be embassy building in the GDR. Since the resumption of diplomatic relations with the Federal Republic of Germany 2001, here is again the message of North Korea.

Gallery

Reception room for meetings with business partners, visitors or friends

Luxurious bedroom in the upper price class, 1904

View of the restaurant of the hotel, which was located in the covered courtyard

The ballroom