Architecture of the Reichstag

Like many buildings in Berlin the Reichstag has a long, intricate history. Parliament had little power during the German Empire. When Germany became a republic in 1919 however, this building was at the center of activity. Adolph Hitler dissolved the German parliament in 1933. This led to a series of violent protests which led to the burning of part of the Reichstag building on 27 February, 1933. Hitler blamed the communists, and this helped the Nazi party win a majority in the elections. It later turned out that the burning of the Reichstag was the work of a lone arsonist: Dutch communist Marinus van der Lubbe. A month later, Hitler was made Germany's dictator. The building we see today was not the first Reichstag. Germany's turbulent formation was reflected in the necessity for the government to move from one place to another as needs dictated. Construction of today's building was held up by land disputes, and delayed so long that the architectural contest had to be held a second time. Paul Wallot won, and designed the building to reflect Italian renaissance, Gothic, and baroque styles. But he also wanted to make it uniquely German. Unfortunately, there was no Germanic style of architecture so he incorporated regional touches to distinguish it from the other great building of Europe from which it is drawn. But the controversy didn't end there. Wallot faced continued pressure and opposition to his design. When it was finished, it was a masterpiece with four towers 46 meters high symbolizing the four German Kingdoms united and a central cupola 75 meters tall to honor the head of state, then Kaiser Wilhelm II. Of course, opposition followed -- this time from the very person the building was meant to honor. Wilhelm II hated the cupola. He saw it as a symbol of parliament, rather than a reflection of himself. Wilhelm believed in a military government, and the parliament was of little use to him. To drive this point home, the opening ceremonies on 5 December, 1894 were reminiscent of a military parade with even some members of parliament wearing Prussian uniforms. By 1892 the Kaiser has started referring to the place as the Government Ape House. Another German leader also loathed the Reichstag building for what it symbolized: Adolph Hitler. But he did admire its architecture. It is said that familiarity breeds contempt, and the politicians who labored in the Reichstag's halls had become too familiar with their surroundings. They spent much of the next decade trying to interfere with the decorations inside and out, including the sculptures on the towers, the horse statues on the east side, and the west side's statue of Germania. Their meddling grew so tedious that for 20 years Wallot tried to put up a sign reading "Dem Deutschen Volke" (The German People.) He was blocked at every turn, and the Kaiser eventually banned the sign outright as an assault on his sovereignty. It wasn't until December, 1916 that the sign was finally cleared by parliament -- 32 years after construction began. After that last glimmer of hope, the building appeared doomed. Wars and politics took a toll on it. By the end of World War II it was nothing more than a badly damaged shell of stone. It was very nearly torn down for safety reasons. But when Germany reunited in 1990, there was once again a chance for re-birth. Rather than simple restore the building to its original state, it was transformed into a modern parliament building. The stone shell would serve as the basis, but an open glass and steel design would expand the available space and serve as a symbol that Germany finally had an open and free government of the people.

An inscription on the building reads, "Dem Deutschen Volke", meaning "To The German People." Many have mistakenly thought this was an anti-Semetic slogan. In reality, it was put up in 1916 long before Adolph Hitler and the Nazi Party came to power, and was created by the S.A. Loevy company -- a Jewish firm.
1848 - The National Assembly meets in the Paulskirche in Frankfurt.
1849 - The National Assembly flees to Stuttgart.
1867-1871 - Parliament of the North German Confederation meets in Berlin at the Prussian Herrenhaus at 3 Leipzigerstraße.
1871 - Out of space for all the representatives of the now united Germany, parliament meets down the street at 75 Leipzigerstraße.
1871 - The politicians are unhappy, and 70 days later move into a renovated porcelain factory nearby.
9 June, 1884 - Kaiser Wilhelm I lays the foundation of the present-day Reichstag.
5 December, 1894 - The Reichstag opens.
1904 - Interior and exterior decoration of the Reichstag is completed.
9 November, 1918 - Soldiers and workers ("Reichswehr" or Government Resistance) take over the Reichstag and trash the place. This spurred fears that the communists would try to form a Soviet republic, the president of the Social Democrats declared Germany a republic from the balcony of the Reichstag.
19 January, 1919 - Still occupied by the soldiers and workers, the national assembly votes to make Germany a Parliamentary Democracy.
13 January, 1920 - 42 people are killed when guards open fire on a crowd of demonstrators. 80,000 people had gathered and tried to storm the building.
30 January, 1933 - Adolph Hitler named Chancellor of Germany.
31 January, 1933 - Adolph Hitler dissolves the parliament.
27 February, 1933 - The Reichstag is severely damaged in a fire.
July, 1933 - With all other political parties outlawed, the Nazis take control of the Reichstag.
January 1934 - Marinus Van der Lubbe is executed for burning the Reichstag.
1934 - Adolph Hitler's architect, Albert Speer, starts work on a design for a new government building -- one that will be 290 meters tall. World War II prevents his plans from becoming reality.
1941 - The Reichstag building becomes the headquarters for the Luftwaffe (German air force.) All of the windows are later removed and the building turned into a fortress.
2 May, 1945 - The Soviets take Germany, and the flag of the USSR is hoisted over the Reichstag.
1948 - Now a shattered, burned out hulk of its former self, scarred from war and politics, Trümmerfrauen (Rubble women) start to clean up the building.
1956 - The severely damaged cupola is demolished.
1956 - The German government decides to re-build rather than raze the Reichstag.
1964 - Parts of the Reichstag re-open for party functions, but parliament continues to meet in Bonn.
1971 - The Reichstag becomes a history museum.
3 October, 1990 - The Reichstag becomes the centerpiece of reunification celebrations.
4 October, 1990 - A unified German parliament meets in the Reichstag for the first time in 57 years.
1995 - A new cupola is built for the Reichstag.
1995 - The artist Christo wraps the Reichstag in fabric. This serves his goal as an artist, and also provides workers with the cover they need to build the new Reichstag.