The Reichstag in Berlin: Self-Representation of a New Germany
Location
CSU Ballroom
Start Date
18-4-2016 2:00 PM
End Date
18-4-2016 3:30 PM
Student's Major
World Languages and Cultures
Student's College
Arts and Humanities
Mentor's Name
Nadja Krämer
Mentor's Department
World Languages and Cultures
Mentor's College
Arts and Humanities
Description
The German reunification on October 3rd, 1990 prompted many changes among them the transferring of the seat of government from the city of Bonn to Berlin, with the Reichstag building becoming the new home of the German parliament, the Bundestag. The Reichstag building had suffered damages from the Reichstag fire in 1933, which aided Hitler in his rise to dictatorial power, and additional damage from the Allied bombing in World War II. Sir Norman Foster, a British architect, led the building’s reconstruction with the intent to convey Germany’s newfound unity without concealing the shameful past of Nazism that has marked this building. The reconstruction of the Reichstag incorporated a number of multi- dimensional designs and materials, referencing Paul Wallot’s original 1894 design with a glass cupola, a transparent material as a symbol to the public and ultimately a reflection of national identity. How does a building convey once torn country’s new identity with an open attitude about its shameful past? This project examines the meticulous planning spent to represent the people without masking or glorifying a monstrous past. As part of a faculty led MSU Study Tour, I will conduct this research through first-hand experience.
The Reichstag in Berlin: Self-Representation of a New Germany
CSU Ballroom
The German reunification on October 3rd, 1990 prompted many changes among them the transferring of the seat of government from the city of Bonn to Berlin, with the Reichstag building becoming the new home of the German parliament, the Bundestag. The Reichstag building had suffered damages from the Reichstag fire in 1933, which aided Hitler in his rise to dictatorial power, and additional damage from the Allied bombing in World War II. Sir Norman Foster, a British architect, led the building’s reconstruction with the intent to convey Germany’s newfound unity without concealing the shameful past of Nazism that has marked this building. The reconstruction of the Reichstag incorporated a number of multi- dimensional designs and materials, referencing Paul Wallot’s original 1894 design with a glass cupola, a transparent material as a symbol to the public and ultimately a reflection of national identity. How does a building convey once torn country’s new identity with an open attitude about its shameful past? This project examines the meticulous planning spent to represent the people without masking or glorifying a monstrous past. As part of a faculty led MSU Study Tour, I will conduct this research through first-hand experience.
Recommended Citation
Keener, Mikayla. "The Reichstag in Berlin: Self-Representation of a New Germany." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 18, 2016.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2016/poster-session-B/14
