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Back to the origins

Historic reconstruction in in contemporary history

In Berlin-Mitte, modern architecture is in an ongoing conflict with historicizing reconstructions. From 1976 onwards, the Berlin Cathedra was reconstructed, and on the occasion of Berlin’s 750th anniversary in 1987, the GDR realized historicizing buildings in the quarter Nikolaiviertel. How we deal with our cultural heritage and historicization is always the result of political decisions and debates.

The Palace of the Republic that was demolished in 2006 was not only the political centre of the GDR for decades, but also a meeting point and a destination for outings. The idea was that discotheque, ice-cream parlour, restaurant and halls for events should represent the cosmopolitan, modern Socialist zeitgeist. Nowadays, this is the site of the Humboldt-Forum – a partial reconstruction of the Stadtschloss (city palace).

Historic Berlin-Mitte

Heinz Hausdorf, n.t.

Lithograph, undated (circa 1980)

Taken over from the rooms of the Berlin Stadthaus (city house), circa 1993