kunsttexte.de/ostblick 3/2019 - 1 Ja!oda ?a5@ska-Kaczko &ublic .uildin!s and Brban &lannin! in "da#sk/$anzi! fro% 193321913 Few studies have discussed the Nazi influence on ar- formation of a Nazi-do%inated Denate that carried chitecture and urban lanning in "dańsk/Danzig.1 Nu- out orders fro% .erlin. /he Free Cit' of $anzi! was %erous &olish and "erman ublications on the city’s formall' under the 7ea!ue of Nations and unable to history, %onu%ent reservation, or *oint ublications run an inde endent forei!n olic') which was on architecture under Nazi rule offer only !eneral re- entrusted to the Fe ublic of &oland. However) its %arks on local architects and invest%ents carried out newl' elected !overn%ent had revisionist tendencies after 1933. +ajor contributions on the to ic include, a and i% le%ented a Jback ho%e to the FeichK %ono!ra h b' Katja .ernhardt on architects fro% the a!enda <0ei% ins Feich=. 4ith utter disre!ard for the /echnische 0ochschule $anzig fro% 1904–1945,2 rule of law) the new authorities banned o osition .irte &usback’s account of the restoration of historic and free ress) sought to alter the constitution) houses in the cit' fro% 1933–1939,3 a reliminary %ar!inalized the Volksta!) and curtailed the liberties stud' b' 4iesław "ruszkowski on unrealized urban of &olish and 8ewish citizens) the ulti%ate !oal bein! lanning rojects fro% the time of 4orld 4ar 66)1 their social and econo%ic exclusion. 6n so doin!) the which was later develo ed b' &iotr Lorens,3 an ex- Free Cit' of $anzi! sou!ht to beco%e one with the tensive reliminary stud' and %ono!ra h b' 8an Feich. $aniluk) who offers an insi!ht into construction in- 4ith successful efforts for the consolidation of Nazi vest%ents b' the Nazi &art' and the 4ehrmacht.9 6n- structures and a !rowing number of %e%bers, a large dividual a ers are also available, b' :nna &erz on number of art' offices were launched across the the architecture of the 'outh hostel at .iskupia ";rka Free Cit' of $anzig. 6nitially, however, robably due to <.ischofsberg=)> b' 8a!oda Za5@ska-Kaczko on the financial reasons, architecture ranked low on the Nazi seaside bathing beach,A and b' 8acek Friedrich, who a!enda. &art' !atherings were held in cafLs, offers interpretations of selected construction ro- canteens, and sports arenas. /e% orary offices were jects.9 established in rented flats, which in turn were decor- Bntil 1930) the Nazi &art' was on the frin!es of ated with lacards, banners, and the ima!es of the olitical life in the Free Cit' of $anzi! <Freie Dtadt Führer.12 :t the sa%e time) articular weight was !iv- $anzi!=.10 6n the autu%n of 1930) in the da's reced- en to the visual side of art' rallies, speeches, and ing the arlia%ent <Volksta!= election) :dolf 0itler arades. a ointed :lbert Forster the "auleiter of the Free Cit' of $anzi!.11 : %an still under thirt' and the "da#sk/$anzi! fro% 193321939 Feichsta! +e%ber fro% .avaria s earheaded the /he Nazi &arty’s rise to ower in the cit' aved the unification of feudin! factions) which secured an wa' for %ajor initiatives that were funded b' "er- electoral success Gsu ort !oin! u fro% 1H to %any.13 "auleiter :lbert Forster acted as the arty’s 19HI. /hree 'ears later) the Nazi &art') at superior to the &resident of the Denate GHermann lo!!erheads with the %inorit' Denate Ga local Fauschning) re laced b' :rthur "reiser in 1934)) all executive bod' with additional owers as a Nazi organizations, and Nazi-controlled directors at %unici al officeI) insti!ated a sna election) which ublic institutions; he also used his informal connec- the' won after a owerful ca% ai!n with 31H of the tions to ush forward architectural invest%ent ro- vote G2Ath +a' 1933I. :s a result) the Nazi &art' won jects. 6nvest%ent lans for the cit' of "dańsk/Danzig the Volksta! %a*orit') which also led to the were designed to address real and enduring needs ?a5@ska--aczko &ublic .uildings and Brban &lanning in "dańsk/$anzi! fro% 1933–1945 kunsttexte.de/ostblick 3/2019 - 2 such as the availabilit' of land for develo %ent and a Führer’s bust) the lafond featuring swastika- !rowing de%and for residential housin! or better pub- e%blazoned %ouldings. Dculpted ele%ents were lic transport.11 /hat said) the' also reinforced the rovided b' Franz Lehmann-Sie!%undsburg) who osition of the art' and the "auleiter in the years fol- delivered a number of co%%issions to $anzig-based lowing their rise to ower. :ccording to official ro a- Nazi structures.19 :s ointed out b' Krause in his !anda) a number of new invest%ents after 1933 were dissertation on the %akeover of the theatre in 1936, brou!ht to the cit' not so %uch b' Forster, b' the the new building was to ex ress Jthe Nazi Führer himself) which was the best evidence to rove %ove%ent’s intentions to foster cultural life in the uninterrupted unit' of "erman $anzig with the $anzig.” "auleiter Forster rendered a considerable Feich and a articular concern the Nazi art' had for service to the cit' in this respect.20 their Jfellow countrymen” <Volks!enossen=. 7ocal :lbert Forster was a self-professed devotee Jto the ress freOuently Ouoted "auleiter Forster, who ro%- %ission of %onument reservation,” which led to the ised the develo %ent of new buildings: an o era redevelo %ent of historic houses in the +ain City. house and a theatre) an indoor swim%ing ool, a rally $ubbed as Jrestoration”) the rocess had be!un well arena) art' buildings, workers’ housin! estates, and before the Nazi &art' rose to ower in the city.21 6n his a %otorway. /he re orts also laced special e% has- introduction to the album sum%arizing restoration is on the fi!ht a!ainst une% lo'%ent.13 activities fro% 1933–1939, Forster asserted that Jfro% 6n early 1934, a *ob creation ro!ra%%e Gworth 9 our rise to ower, the Nazi %ove%ent has ut a tre- %illion $anzig !ulden) was launched) which led to the %endous effort and care into fostering the cultural re- develo %ent of a new theatre building in /arg 4@- vival and restoration of $anzig) once fashioned in !low' <Kohlenmarkt=.19 Pne of the largest invest%ents stone and a former Hanseatic city.” For decades, the in Nazi-ruled $anzig) the building was develo ed to cit' had seen %isconce tions, dila idation, and ra% up sup ort fro% local elites and !ain the deface%ent of unifor% patrician faQades with nondes- Führer’s a roval. /he conce t of the building’s ex- cript extensions and %akeovers.22 .arrin! conserva- terior ca%e fro% &rofessor Ptto Kloe el,1> while the tion officers and their inventory activities,23 local archi- interior was designed b' local architects Ptto Frick tects and lecturers of the /echnische 0ochschule and Heinrich Pries.1A $ee%ed obsolete and unservice- $anzig) too) launched owerful initiatives to alter sev- able) the old Neoclassical building was de%olished. In eral dozen faQades and) artially, also interiors of 1935, a building of similar elevation and !eo%etry rivate houses in %ajor streets in the cit') including was co% leted. /hat said) it was nearly twice as large ulica $ługa <Lang!asse=) $ługi /arg <7anger +arkt=) and with a different floor plan and different fra%e (tim- P!arna <Hunde!asse=) Chlebnicka <.rotbRnkengasse=) ber fra%ing was sup lanted with a %etal fra%e filled +ariacka <Frauengasse=) Sw. $ucha <Heili!e-Geist- with bricks). /he front elevation was extended in "asse=) and $ługie &obrzeTe <Lange .rücke=.21 : width and thrust forwardN the avant-corps followed number of elevations saw their ortals shifted. /heir the Doric order; the oblate se%i-circular do%e was re- windows, too) were altered in size and co% osition, laced with an ellipsoidal one. /he interior was !ables resha ed) lasters atched or strip ed off) rovided with a spacious vestibule) the auditorium stoo s restored) and signboards and eclectic fin-de- was extended in width and de th, and a new back- siècle orna%ents cleared away. Pld and da%a!ed ar- sta!e and tra door syste% was %ounted) as well as chitectural ele%ents were often re laced with sim ler new lighting and heating syste%s. /he auditorium and %ore austere details. 6ntended as a throwback to walls were lined with blue satin, the seats were the heyda' of the cit' during the Hanseatic eriod) rovided with cobalt blue upholstery, and the balus- so%e of the% nonetheless lacked su ort in historic trade was decorated with a %eander orna%ent. Dilk icono!ra h'. $es ite their self- roclai%ed Jrestora- lush curtains and a crystal bronze chandelier G300 k! tionK <4iederherstellun!=) local architects followed their in weightI were also %ounted. /he richly decorated notions of histor' rather than the actual architecture lobb' was rovided with %arble ilasters and the fro% the era, or they did so to so%e extent at least. ?a5@ska--aczko &ublic .uildings and Brban &lanning in "dańsk/$anzi! fro% 1933–1945 kunsttexte.de/ostblick 3/2019 - 3 :s art of the restoration rocess, a small building at offered access to the courtyard. /he brick extension ulica &iwna 11 <8o engasse= was %ade over in spring was accentuated b' a illared ortico on the axis of 1939.