Potsdam between shifting ideologies Selective deconstruction and reconstruction in two systems Architectural History Thesis TU Delft AR2A011 2020 / 2021 Q3 Frederic Hormesch 5147298
Cover: [Computer centre on the left, Marstall on the right, the Chapel of Reconciliation in the centre. Here the Garnisonkirche is being reconstructed]. (2016). https://digitalcosmonaut.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/rechenzentrum-potsdam-germany-deutschland-ddr-garnisonskirche-baustelle-903x600.jpg Contents
04 1. Introduction
05 2. Political background and architectural conception of the GDR 2.1 Formation and fall of the GDR 2.2 Historiography and self-conception of the GDR 2.3 Architecture in the GDR: Between expression and fundamental needs
09 3. Urbicide and its consequences in former GDR territories 3.1 Urbicide in the GDR 3.2 Urbicide since the reunification
11 4. Potsdam between heritage and reorientation 4.1 Potsdam’s feudal heritage 4.2 Potsdam in the context of the GDR 4.3 Rebuilding gets started 4.4 New problems and political redirection 4.5 The reunification and the revival of opulence
16 5. Potsdam Alter Markt and Garnisonkirche – reflecting shifting ideologies 5.1 Stadtschloss during the GDR 5.2 Reconstruction of the Stadtschloss 5.3 Garnisonkirche during the GDR 5.4 Reconstruction of the Garnisonkirche
24 6. Conclusion
26 References
28 llustrations
1. Introduction
This paper examines how the political and ideological background of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) influenced architecture and urban planning, as well as the upswing of selective reconstruction and demolition in the former GDR following the German reunification. The thesis departs from the hypothesis that the frequent change of political and economic systems in post-war Germany was accompanied by an urbicide of architectural heritage and the selective use of historical legacy to satisfy their ideological demands. I am going to trace the political circumstances during the period of the GDR and after the reunification and consider how ideological changes have affected the image of cities. Therefore, the following questions arise which I am going to answer in this paper. What were the main reasons a building has been demolished or reconstructed, and additionally, did the reasoning differ in the two consecutive political systems? How influential was the political will for this, and how did it take part in architectural developments? To what extent do these selective demolitions and reconstructions describe or overwrite history? To answer these questions, the political past and the historic narratives of the German Democratic Republic as well as the reunified Federal Republic of Germany will be described on the basis of a literature study. In order to address these topics with built, reconstructed and demolished case studies. I am going to examine the city of Potsdam, and two specific sites within it, which have experienced the multi-faceted political and ideological circumstances of post-war Germany. The structure of this paper consists of four chapters. In the first I will examine the formation of the GDR, its historiography and self-conception. In the second chapter I will trace how this influenced architecture and urban planning through the lens of the concept of urbicide. The third chapter traces these mechanisms of change in the city of Potsdam, specifically in the inner city, with a focus on demolitions and reconstructions around Alter Markt and the Garnisonkirche, which will be addressed in greater detail in the fourth chapter.
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2. Political background and architectural conception of the GDR
2.1 Formation and fall of the GDR
After the surrender of the German Wehrmacht and the end of the Second World War in 1945, Germany was occupied and administered by the four victorious powers until 1949, when they withdrew and paved the way for Germany's independence. France, Great Britain and the United States merged their occupation zones and permitted the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany. The Soviet occupation zone did not follow this approach, due to the irreconcilable differences between the political and economic systems of the victorious powers. As a result, Germany was a divided country from 1949 to 1990. While at the beginning there were still efforts to establish a united Germany, increasing tensions, for example over the Marshall Plan, which the Soviet occupants did not support because they would have had to adopt a capitalist 1. Founding of the GDR during the Volksratsitzung. 1949 economic system, ultimately led to the separation. When the Western powers then made efforts to establish a distinct German state in their occupation zones and therefore introduced a new currency, the Soviet occupiers felt compelled to respond. They reacted with the introduction of their own currency which paved the way for the separation of Germany. The founding of the Federal Republic of Germany followed on 23 May 1949 with the enactment of the constitution. In October of the same year, East Germany followed this example again, the Volkskongress (People's Congress) passed the constitution and thus the founding of the GDR. (Malycha, 2011b) While the Western powers pursued an establishment of democratic political- and a capitalist economic system, the GDR followed the model of the Soviet Union, both politically and economically. Although “democracy” was part of its name, it was a dictatorship in which practically all power was concentrated in a single party, the Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands (SED) and its leaders. Economically it defined itself as a socialist state, thus taking a counter-position to the democratic and capitalist Federal Republic of Germany (FRG). At the beginning of the 1980s, the already tense economic situation in the socialist GDR became more and more precarious, materials as well as everyday items became scarce. At the same time, the population became increasingly dissatisfied, restricted rights such as the freedom to travel and the freedom to choose a profession led to internal conflicts and dwindling support for the SED 2. A protest of the peaceful revolution regime among the population. One consequence of this discontent was that in that led to the end of the GDR. 1989 1989 many citizens took the opportunity to flee to West Germany via Hungary, which was dismantling its border fortifications at the time. Further pressure was exerted by the occupation of the FRG embassy in Prague, which also led to violent clashes between the state and its citizens. In autumn 1989, these protests
5 reached a clima in mass demonstrations for democratic reforms. he fleeing to est ermany continued during this time as isa free tra el to echoslo a ia was once again possi le. nly a few days later echoslo a ia also allowed further tra el to est ermany as a result of which the was forced to grant freedom of tra el which led to the fall of the erlin all. eanwhile political discussions arose a out democratic reforms in the ut also a out a possi le reunification with est ermany. n the first free elections were held and most parties had pre iously spo en out in fa our of a reunified ermany. his foundation stone for the reunification was a result of a peaceful re olution of the citi ens and ultimately ended the dictatorship. he final reunification of the two erman states was completed in cto er . alycha a
2.2 Historiography and self-conception of the GDR
articularly in the early years of the it was important to distinguish itself from est ermany and demonstrate autonomy which resulted in its own narrati e of the recent past that formed the asis of legitimacy for its e istence. o this end the de eloped its own historical image with which it could present itself as a guilt free resistance state after the second orld ar. he state s predefined anti fascism made it possi le to a oid any confrontation with its own history and its participation in ational ocialism and at the same time ga e it a historical identity as a resistance fighters and ictors o er itler s ermany. Although the deeds of the ational ocialists were condemned and e en higher ran ing accomplices were prosecuted and sentenced the declared themsel es innocent and whitewashed of the crimes of the ational ocialists. u se uently the did not see itself as the successor state of the ational ocialists and the hird eich nor as the heir to the russian state ut as a counter position to the ederal epu lic of ermany which in turn accused it of eing in the legacy of ational ocialism. rom this counter position it drew its raison d'être its political legitimacy and large parts of its identity ut also made it possi le to largely a oid a serious confrontation with the econd orld ar. ller . his image of history naturally also had an influence on architecture and ur an planning which due to the destruction of the war had great potential for redesign and reorganisation in a socialist and anti fascist sense.
2.3 Architecture in the GDR: Between expression and fundamental needs
he was strongly ideologically ound to the o iet nion especially immediately after its foundation. n order to represent socialism in the cities the authorities drew up guidelines and specifications that were supposed to
6 em ody this ideology. n the course of time the e act formulations changed o er and o er again which resulted in a large ariety of laws and guiding principles. n the early phase of the for e ample this was e pressed in the search for an architectural style called “socialist realism” which was to e de eloped and anchored on the asis of national traditions. oln r n a delegation tra elled to the o iet nion to isit cities such as oscow and ie and to e informed and educated a out the reconstruction process. uring this stay they were also confronted with the o iet models of ur an planning which they translated almost word for word into erman. ith their return these guidelines ecame the first leading principles of ur an planning Die sechzehn Grundsätze des Städtebaus the si teen principles of ur an planning . Although these principles were rather aguely formulated they demanded among other things that city centres should pro ide space for political demonstrations and parades ut also encouraged to continue national and local construction traditions. lusemann he unification of these goals seems contradictory. n particular the continuation of a tradition in relation to the remodelling measures that were planned at the ur an planning le el in which a o e all magistrals and s uares were to e created in order to e a le to hold large pu lic cele rations. he re uilding process of war damaged cities would therefore e ased on the e ample of a regional style that had already een practised for a long time efore the war. n the other hand the was a newly found state and was simply to young to ha e traditions de eloped organically especially since many cultural characteristics that could e associated with ational ocialism were not to e continued. ow e actly this tradition was to find a uilt form therefore remained open at first. alter l richt a trained carpenter and autodidact in architecture and later general secretary of the pro ided assistance in interpretation. e re ected modernist architecture as it was often uilt in est ermany at the time and called for a departure from the American Kasernenstil arrac style . oln r he national form thus also in ol ed a separation from the ederal epu lic y adopting an oppositional position to the modernist style which was seen as the em odiment of American imperialism and the capitalist economic system. n the s and s uilding acti ities changed and were increasingly characterised y a housing shortage which naturally also affected architecture and ur an planning in the . Although the granted itself e tensi e powers in a land reform that made it possi le to e propriate land financial resources and uilding materials were scarce. As a result the uilding production shifted from ela orate indi idual construction of houses to the serial production of residential uildings. his allowed to manufacture them much more economically and
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3. Model of planned Plattenbauten in Potsdam Schlaatz. n.d. Plattenbauten
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3. Urbicide and its consequences in former GDR territories 3.1 Urbicide in the GDR
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3.2 Urbicide since the reunification
Arbeiter- und Bauernstaat
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4. Potsdam between heritage and reorientation
4.1 Potsdam’s feudal heritage
4.2 Potsdam in the context of the GDR
Aufbaustädte
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12
e uildi g gets started
4. Planning scenario for the preserva- tion of the Stadtschloss. 1949 5. Planning scenario after the demolition of the Stadtschloss, the Lange Brücke now crosses the site. 1960
e ro lems a d oliti al redire tio
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6. View of the Alter Markt after the demolition of the Stadtschloss and the newly planned street course. n.d. Plattenbau
7. View of the high-rise hotel in the former pleasure garden, in the foreground a preserved colonade. 1969
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he reu ifi atio a d the re i al of o ule e
“ ” Institut für Lehrerbildung
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5. Stadtschloss and Garnisonkirche – reflecting shifting ideologies
tadts hloss duri g the
8. Military parade of Kaiser Wilhelm II in front of the Stadtschloss. 1910
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9. The Stadtschloss before its destruc- tion during the war. n.d. 10. The ruins of the building after the damage of the Second World War. n.d. ” Kulturbund Politbüro
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11. Demolition work on the Stadtschloss. Estimated 1960 12. Concrete scaffolding of the Hans Otto Theatre with graffiti:“ Here rests your festive theatre evening”. e o stru tio of the tadts hloss Estimated 1990.
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13. Decree on the designation of Pots- dam’s city centre as a redevelopment area. 1999 Mark (4/1092−B, 2005) 14. The reconstruction of the Fortuna Portal, at this time without the later built Stadtschloss. 2007 15. The fully reconstructed city palace and new parliament building of the Brandenburg State Parliament. 2016
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ar iso ir he duri g the
16. The later destroyed Garnisonkirche still completely undamaged. 1920
17. The damaged bell tower of the Garnisonkirche during the time of the GDR. 1960
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18. Adolf Hitler (left) and Paul von Hindenburg (right) on the “Day of Pots- dam”. Adolf Hitler in civilian clothes Paul von Hindenburg in military outfit. 1933 19. The same scene in different context, as artwork printed on a postcard. In the background the chancel of the Garnisonkirche. 1933 for a new dominant landmark.” 20. The remains of the bell tower after the demolition. The nave used to be on the left of the tower, the demolition gives a view of Nikolaikirche. 1968 Der Mensch bezwingt den Kosmos
21 w i ow an a trona t re ma l ri a arin in front of lanet art . e rro ndin anel ow additional ima e of fl in a e i ro ket la n e and al o a ote from arl ar . l emann it t e demolition of t e arni onkir e and t e on tr tion of t e new om ter entre a a red r ildin m oli all o ied t e r ian and ational o iali t an e tor wa remo ed from ot dam it a e and 21. View of the data centre with wall re la ed a e lar ildin of ien e w i wa al o ilt to demon trate t e mosaic on the ground floor. 1980 rema of o iali m in ontra t to it om etitor .
e o stru tio of the ar iso ir he
n t e a e of t e arni onkir e ri ate in ol ement and a laim of t e lo ation al o re ede t e on rete re on tr tion of t e ildin . erea in t e a e of t e tadt lo it wa t e ort na ortal for t e arni onkir e it wa an initiall n i io re li a of t e arillon w i ad t e intention to ommemorate a former landmark of t e it . fir t initiati e i taken e en efore t e re nifi ation t e former lie tenant olonel a laar now on idered a ri t win e tremi t w o lan to a e 22. The wall mosaic at the computer centre “Man conquers the cosmos” by art of t e arni onkir e arillon re ilt and olle t donation for t i Fritz Eisel. 1973 r o e. e aim to ommemorate t e er i e and tradition of r ian oldier and to reinter ret t e arni onkir e a a la e of r ian militar tradition. ank to n mero donation in l din t o e of former mem er of t e e rma t and t e de endant of t e r ian monar rin e o i erdinand of r ia t e arillon wa om leted in and for t e time ein tand on t e ro nd of t e Bundeswehr in erlo n. e ell are dedi ated to i rankin former militar er onnel of t e e rma t de endant of r ian no ilit or itie a ni er alinin rad in today’s Russia. fter re nifi ation t e arillon wa donated to t e it of ot dam w i de ite learl ri t win nationali t in ri tion and en ra in ratef ll a e ted it and wa alread on iderin a o i le re on tr tion of t e arni onkir e. e arillon wa la ed near t e former ite of t e arni onkir e and e ame t e e t of rote t a tion and a ota e ntil it wa finall t down in . walt i wa riti i ed t e initiati e itte n w i wa alread i nifi antl in ol ed in t e re on tr tion of t e tadt lo and wit ad o a for t e arillon al o re eal it oliti al attit de . itte n 23. Max Klaar at the inauguration of the carillon after it was installed in e on tr tion of t e arillon ro ided t e im et for t e f rt er Potsdam. 1991 re on tr tion of t e arni onkir e. n t e Ruf aus Potsdam all of ot dam i ed an a eal for donation for t e re on tr tion orted amon ot er t e t en rime ini ter of randen r i ini ter of t e nterior and i o olf an er. t wa t em w o later laid t e m oli
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oundation ston o t onst u tion o t to and ay d a a o o in t oundin o t a nison i oundation otsda in o i u d a i ious s i a t y y a s a t t d o ition y t R. ti tun a nison i otsda o t n on t oundation o i ia y u su d t onst u tion and as a to a i at d su ss s t an s to o iti a su o t and i at donations. n o a t and on i t onst u tion is to ui t as 24. Construction site of the bell tower t ans d to t oundation y t ity o a . in nt reconstruction. In the background the computer centre. 2020 au o as a so in o d in t tadts oss donat d a ain . i ion u os to a t no ous ui din o t ossi . nd t a . nd t at ona o d a sid nt an a t t in i onst u tion o t to an in and is s du d o o tion y . utu o t R n nt u i as s d sin as a a o o a a tists to un t i studios and o s o s is sti un a ut it is i y t at t is R ui din i a so a to a ay o otsda s onst u tion a ti iti s n t onst u tion o t na o t a nison i is u y und d.
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6. Conclusion
nu ous o iti a an s sin t ond o d a a undou t d y t t i a in otsda . a o u an annin nts a o o d t i o iti a syst s it id o o i a oti ation and s ntationa as i ations ayin a si ni i ant o a on sid s atia annin as ts. t is not unusua o o iti a a to s to int n in u an annin as t is ation at s a a o in i t ity an d o . n otsda t t nt to i t s int ntions ta a in at ann and o at asons is at d to t o iti a syst s and t i id o o i a su st u tu . an annin in otsda as a ays n a t dious o and so ti s ont adi to y o ss ut it a a s t at ot syst s n a d in an u i id in otsda a it it t us o di nt anis s. i t R as a n o iti a syst att t d to ani st its in onst u tion and did not ain o d o itions o ui din s t at s nt d nationa ist o uda id o o i s. R as not as syst ati in its d st u tion ut a t d t o o nisation o t ity y to atin and su o tin sist nt i atisation in so as s n it t su o t o i t ind nationa ists. as study s o s o a itys a an o id o o i a y d in d and o si ni i ant a an in t is id o o y is t d in t u an n i on nt. t is a so a t at isto i a ui din s in a ti u a a not i d as n ut a and a u ut t at t y a s a s o id o o i a s ntation. o is a o d to o u y t is s a ains a tain d o int ti so i nty o t ast i a ts utu notions o t ity. on nt ation o int ti so i nty as it as s u d in t R t ou di tato s i in t R to so t nt t ou i at undin su ts in a sin u a s ti itys a . id o o i a onditions a t o ss ntia a to s o t a a an o t ity as non o t s on nt ations o o ou d a n ossi in t s ti ot o iti a and ono i syst . n t is ay n it t u an int ntions o t R no t onst u tions o t R a ana d to s nt otsda s isto y in an id o o i a y uns ti ay. o t at any a ts o otsda ’s a iod a ound t i ay a into t itys a it is to o d t at t ast a it tu a and a s o t R i s d aus on y in t is ay is it ossi to on y a o and t o n ous i a o otsda t at is a o iat to t ity s isto y and to o o t dis o d o t o iti a su st u tu s and id o o i a ounda i s.
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