Germania: Hitler’s plans for the New Berlin, 1937-1942
Hitler dreamed of rebuilding Berlin to an enormous and grand design. Hitler was convinced Berlin would be the capital of the world and needed the architectural qualities to fit. This new city would be called Germania and Speer was given the task to interpret Hitler’s dream.
In 1937 Speer was officially commissioned as Inspector General of Buildings for the renovation of the Federal Capital.
Speer worked on the designs and constructed a huge scale model for the New Berlin. Speer’s plans for Berlin were to be more grand and larger than Champs Elysees in Paris.
From Hitler’s sketches and talks with Speer there would have been two dominate buildings. One being the Arch of Triumph made out of stone and would be designed larger than the Eiffel Tower. It would also have all the men's names who died in World War I, engraved on it. The second would be the Great Hall, some six kilometers away. The Great Hall would be crowned with the largest dome in the world, over 200 meters in diameter.
There would be a complex series of government buildings, theatres offices and residences. There would also be 400 streetlights that Speer designed. Hitler believed that his vision and the grandness of New Berlin would surpass both Vienna and Paris.
Hitler dreamed of rebuilding Berlin to an enormous and grand design. Hitler was convinced Berlin would be the capital of the world and needed the architectural qualities to fit. This new city would be called Germania and Speer was given the task to interpret Hitler’s dream.
In 1937 Speer was officially commissioned as Inspector General of Buildings for the renovation of the Federal Capital.
Speer worked on the designs and constructed a huge scale model for the New Berlin. Speer’s plans for Berlin were to be more grand and larger than Champs Elysees in Paris.
From Hitler’s sketches and talks with Speer there would have been two dominate buildings. One being the Arch of Triumph made out of stone and would be designed larger than the Eiffel Tower. It would also have all the men's names who died in World War I, engraved on it. The second would be the Great Hall, some six kilometers away. The Great Hall would be crowned with the largest dome in the world, over 200 meters in diameter.
There would be a complex series of government buildings, theatres offices and residences. There would also be 400 streetlights that Speer designed. Hitler believed that his vision and the grandness of New Berlin would surpass both Vienna and Paris.