Reich Chancellery

The Reich Chancellery was the authority of the Chancellor of the German Empire from 1871 to 1945. Since 1875 they had their headquarters in the so-called "Old Reich Chancellery " in Berlin's Wilhelmstrasse 77, the former palace of Prince Anton Radziwill, also called " Radziwill Palace ", " Palais Schulenburg "or" the Chancellor's palace called ". The Reich Chancellery was established in 1871 at the urging of Otto von Bismarck in this building. The Authority was primarily responsible for the transport of the Chancellor with the other imperial and state organs. The line was for a Secretary of State.

Description

The building of the Old Reich Chancellery was built in 1738/1739 by Carl Friedrich Richter. 1869, the Palais von Bismarck was acquired for purposes of the Prussian state government. In 1875 the Empire of the building, which was used in the future as a residence and office of the respective Chancellor. In the years 1875-1878 took place inside the building is a reconstruction, designed by Wilhelm Neumann. From 1878, Bismarck took advantage of the palace as a residence and the Authority " Central Bureau of Chancellor " newly founded moved with him the palace. Bismarck also suggested renaming the palace in front of the Reich Chancellery.

In 1878 was held in the ballroom, in the middle of the upper floor, the Congress of Berlin, who negotiated a settlement of the previous crisis in the Balkans under the mediation of Bismarck. The Berlin Conference (1884/1885), which regulated the colonial division of Africa, took place at this location.

Between 1928 and 1930, the extension was built by the architect Eduard Jobst Siedler and Robert Kish.

The Chancellor's palace served 1932-1933 as a temporary official residence of President Paul von Hindenburg, because at that time Hindenburg apartment in the Presidential Palace ( Wilhelmstrasse 73) has been renovated.

In the years 1934/1935 took place a renewed conversion and a redeployment of the living and working spaces for Adolf Hitler, the so-called "leaders Apartment ', by Paul Ludwig Troost, Gerdy Troost and Leonhard Gall. The state rooms for the reception of guests were moved from the first floor to the ground floor. Housed in the old Corps de Logis ( Mittelbau ) of the palace beside the porch on the garden side of the salon as well as the newly added " hall building " with a large dining room for diplomatic receptions and a conservatory. The Cabinet Room was moved from the extension (1930 ) back into the conference room on the first floor of the central building. After the construction of the New Reich Chancellery, the Cabinet Room was relocated there, and conference room remained unused and birthday gifts was only for the annual placing of Hitler used. In addition, there were on the first floor Hitler private study, his bedroom with bathroom and room of Eva Braun. Under the cultivation hall, an air -raid shelter was built in the garden already.

According to the plans of Hitler's house architect Albert Speer was the 1935-1943 New Reich Chancellery along Vossstrasse; a new building, which should be reflected with its monumental dimensions of 421 meters in length the claim to power of National Socialism. The official inauguration of the unfinished parts of building took place on 10 January 1939. In 1943 was created in the garden of the Reich Chancellery complex behind the old Reich Chancellery of the Führer's bunker.

In 1945, the Reich Chancellery was badly damaged. After the end of World War II, on 13 October 1948 was the Soviet occupying power to command, all connected to the Nazi regime building on the corner of Wilhelmstrasse and Voßstraße razed to the ground to avoid the Sanctuary. This has also been widely implemented until 1949 /50.