Reichstag
The Reichstag at the end of the nineteenth century
Building information
Town	Berlin
Country	Germany
Architect	Paul Wallot
Construction start date	9 June 1884

The Reichstag building. The dedication "DEM DEUTSCHEN VOLKE", meaning "To the German people" or "For the German people", can be seen on the architrave.

The Reichstag building in Berlin was constructed to house the Reichstag, the first parliament of the German Empire. It was opened in 1894 and housed the Reichstag until 1933, when it was severely damaged in a fire supposedly set by a Dutch communist, Marinus van der Lubbe,^[1] who was later beheaded for the crime, although it was probably the Nazi Party who committed the crime in an attempt to flush out Communism. That verdict has been a subject of controversy over the years. The National Socialist German Workers Party used this event as casus belli to begin a purge of "traitors" in Berlin and to ban the KPD, the German Communist Party. The Reichstag building again became the seat of the German parliament in 1999 after a reconstruction led by internationally renowned architect Norman Foster. Download high resolution version (976x718, 175 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... This article is about the capital of Germany. ... Paul Wallot (June 26, 1841 Oppenheim am Rhein - August 10, 1912) was a German architect, best known for producing the Reichstag. ... is the 160th day of the year (161st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1884 (MDCCCLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... This article is about the capital of Germany. ... The Reichstag (German for Imperial Diet) was the parliament of the Holy Roman Empire, the North German Confederation, and of Germany until 1945. ... The House of Representatives Chamber of the Parliament of Australia in Canberra. ... For German colonial territories, see German Colonial Empire. ... The Reichstag fire was a pivotal event in the establishment of Nazi Germany. ... Mugshot of van der Lubbe Marinus (Rinus) van der Lubbe (13 January 1909 – 10 January 1934) was a Dutch council communist accused of, and eventually executed for, setting fire to the German Reichstag building on February 27, 1933, an event known as the Reichstag fire. ... National Socialism redirects here. ... This article is about the form of society and political movement. ... The National Socialist German Workers Party (German: , or NSDAP, commonly, the Nazi Party), was a political party in Germany between 1920 and 1945. ... Casus belli is a modern Latin language expression meaning the justification for acts of war. ... For other uses, see Night of the Long Knives (disambiguation). ... The Communist Party of Germany (in German, Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands – KPD) was formed in December of 1918 from the Spartacist League, which originated as a small factional grouping within the Social Democratic Party (SPD) opposed to the First World War on the grounds that it was an imperialist war in... The restored Reichstag in Berlin, housing the German parliament. ...

Today's parliament of Germany is called the Bundestag. The Reichstag as a parliament dates back to the Holy Roman Empire and ceased to act as a true parliament in the years of the Nazi regime (1933–1945). In today's usage, the German term Reichstag or Reichstagsgebäude (Reichstag building) refers to the building, while the term Bundestag refers to the institution. Type Lower house President of the Bundestag Dr. Norbert Lammert, CDU since October 18, 2005 Members 614 Political groups Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union of Bavaria Bloc (226) Social Democratic Party of Germany (222) Free Democratic Party (61) The Left. ... The Reichstag (German for Imperial Diet) was the parliament of the Holy Roman Empire, the North German Confederation, and of Germany until 1945. ... This article is about the medieval empire. ... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ...

History of the building

Construction of the building began only well after 1871. Previously, the parliament had assembled in several other buildings in the Leipziger Straße in Berlin; but these were generally considered too small, so in 1872 an architectural contest with 103 participating architects was carried out to erect an all-new building. Work did not start until ten years later though, due to various problems with purchasing property for the new building and arguments between Wilhelm I, Otto von Bismarck, and the members of the Reichstag about how the construction should be performed. Wilhelm I of Germany Wilhelm I, (March 22, 1797 - March 9, 1888), German Emperor (Kaiser), ruled January 18, 1871-1888 and king of Prussia, ruled 1861-1888. ... Bismarck redirects here. ...

In 1882, another architectural contest was held, with 189 architects participating. This time the winner, the Frankfurt architect Paul Wallot, would actually have his plan executed. On 9 June 1884, the foundation stone was finally laid by Wilhelm I. Before construction was completed in 1894, Wilhelm I died (in 1888, the Year of Three Emperors). His successor, Wilhelm II, objected to parliament as an institution to a much greater extent. The original building was most acclaimed for the construction of an original cupola of steel and glass, an engineering masterpiece of the time. For other uses, see Frankfurt (disambiguation). ... Paul Wallot (June 26, 1841 Oppenheim am Rhein - August 10, 1912) was a German architect, best known for producing the Reichstag. ... is the 160th day of the year (161st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1884 (MDCCCLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Wilhelm I of Germany Wilhelm I, (March 22, 1797 - March 9, 1888), German Emperor (Kaiser), ruled January 18, 1871-1888 and king of Prussia, ruled 1861-1888. ... The year 1888 is commonly called Year of Three Emperors (Dreikaiserjahr) in Germany. ... Wilhelm II of Prussia and Germany, Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert von Hohenzollern (January 27, 1859 - June 4, 1941) was the last German Emperor (Kaiser) and the last King (König) of Prussia from 1888 - 1918. ... Cupola of St Peters Basilica, Rome In architecture, a cupola consists of a dome-shaped ornamental structure located on top of a larger roof or dome, often used as a lookout or to admit light and provide ventilation. ...

In 1916 the iconic words "DEM DEUTSCHEN VOLKE" ("To the German people") were carved above the main facade of the building, much to the displeasure of the Kaiser who had tried to block the adding of the inscription due to its democratic significance. After World War I had ended and the Kaiser had abdicated, during the revolutionary days of 1918, Philipp Scheidemann proclaimed the institution of a republic from one of the balconies of the Reichstag building on 9 November. The building continued to be the seat of the parliament of the Weimar Republic (1919–1933), which was still called Reichstag. “The Great War ” redirects here. ... Look up abdication in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Philipp Scheidemann (26 July 1865 – 29 November 1939) was a German Social Democratic politician, who proclaimed the Republic on 9 November 1918, and who became the first Chancellor of the Weimar Republic. ... Look up republic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Anthem Das Lied der Deutschen Germany during the Weimar period, with the Free State of Prussia (in blue) as the largest state Capital Berlin Language(s) German Government Republic President  - 1918-1925 Friedrich Ebert  - 1925-1933 Paul von Hindenburg Chancellor  - 1919 Philipp Scheidemann(first)  - 1933 Kurt von Schleicher (last) Legislature...

Third Reich

After Adolf Hitler had been appointed Reichskanzler (German chancellor) on 30 January 1933, the building was set on fire on 27 February 1933, under circumstances still not entirely clear (see Reichstag fire). This proved to be a valuable excuse for the Nazis to suspend most human rights provided for by the 1919 constitution in the Reichstag Fire Decree. Hitler redirects here. ... The head of government in Germany has traditionally been called Kanzler (Chancellor). ... is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Reichstag fire was a pivotal event in the establishment of Nazi Germany. ... Nazism in history Nazi ideology Nazism and race Outside Germany Related subjects Lists Politics Portal         Nazism or National Socialism (German: Nationalsozialismus), refers primarily to the ideology and practices of the Nazi Party (National Socialist German Workers Party, German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP) under Adolf Hitler. ... A German newspapers final issue, announcing its own prohibition (Verbot) by the police authorities on the basis of the Reichstag fire decree The Reichstag Fire Decree (Reichstagsbrandverordnung in German) is the common name of the decree issued by German president Paul von Hindenburg in direct response to the Reichstag...

During the 12 years of National Socialist rule, the Reichstag building was not used for parliamentary sessions. Instead, the few times where the Reichstag convened at all, it did so in the Krolloper building, a former opera house opposite the Reichstag building. This applies as well to the session of 23 March 1933, in which the Reichstag disposed of its powers in favour of the Nazi government in the Enabling Act, another step of the so-called Gleichschaltung, the legal steps through which the Nazis seized power. The building (which was unusable after the fire anyway) was instead used for propaganda presentations and, during World War II, for military purposes. It was also considered to be turned into a Flak Tower, due to its general similarity, but was found to be structurally unsuitable. The National Socialist German Workers Party (German: , or NSDAP, commonly, the Nazi Party), was a political party in Germany between 1920 and 1945. ... 1900 1938 Krolloper was an opera building in Berlin, opposite of the Reichstag. ... is the 82nd day of the year (83rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Enabling Act (Ermächtigungsgesetz in German) was passed by Germanys parliament (the Reichstag) on March 23, 1933. ... The German word Gleichschaltung Ⓗ Ⓘ (literally synchronising, synchronization) is used in a political sense to describe the process by which the Nazi regime successively established a system of totalitarian control over the individual, and tight coordination over all aspects of society and commerce. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... One of six Flak towers built during World War II in Vienna. ...

The building, having never been fully repaired since the fire, was further damaged by air raids. During the Battle of Berlin in 1945, it became one of the central targets for the Red Army most probably for its symbolic significance. Today, visitors to the building can still see Soviet graffiti on smoky walls inside as well as on some of the roof, discovered and preserved during the reconstructions after reunification (see below). Belligerents Soviet Union Poland Germany Commanders 1st Belorussian Front – Georgiy Zhukov 2nd Belorussian Front – Konstantin Rokossovsky 1st Ukrainian Front – Ivan Konev Army Group Vistula – Gotthard Heinrici then Kurt von Tippelskirch[3] Army Group Centre – Ferdinand Schörner Berlin Defence Area – Hellmuth Reymann then Helmuth Weidling #[4] Strength Total strength 2... For other organizations known as the Red Army, see Red Army (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Graffiti (disambiguation). ...

Cold War

When the Cold War emerged, the building was physically within West Berlin, but only a few meters from the border of East Berlin, which ran around the back of the building and in 1961 was closed by the Berlin Wall. During the Berlin blockade, an enormous number of West Berliners assembled before the building on 9 September 1948, and Mayor Ernst Reuter held a famous speech that finalised in the call, Ihr Völker der Welt, schaut auf diese Stadt! (People of the world, look upon this city!) For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... Boroughs of West Berlin West Berlin was the name given to the western part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. ... East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. ... View in 1986 from the west side of graffiti art on the walls infamous death strip Walls poster in memory of the fall. ... Occupation zones after 1945. ... is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ernst Reuter, 1950 Ernst Rudolf Johannes Reuter (born July 29, 1889 in Apenrade (today Aabenraa, Denmark); died September 29, 1953 in Berlin) was the mayor of West Berlin from 1948 to 1953, during the time of the Cold War. ...

After the war, the building was essentially a ruin. In addition, there was no real use for it, since the capital of West Germany had been established in Bonn in 1949. Still, in 1956, after some debate, it was decided that the Reichstag should not be torn down, but be restored instead. Unfortunately, the cupola of the original building, which had also been heavily damaged in the war, was demolished. Another architectural contest was held, and the winner, Paul Baumgarten, reconstructed the building from 1961–1964. Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. ...

The artistic and practical value of his work was the subject of much debate after German reunification. Due to the provisions set forth for Berlin by the Allies in the 1971 Four Power Agreement on Berlin, the Bundestag, the parliament of West Germany of that time, was not allowed to assemble formally in West Berlin (even though East Germany was in violation of this provision since it had declared East Berlin its capital anyway). Until 1990, the building was thus used only for occasional representative meetings and for a widely lauded permanent exhibition about German history called Fragen an die deutsche Geschichte (Questions on German history). The Four Power Agreement on Berlin[1] was signed on 3 September 1971 by the foreign ministers of the four powers, United Kingdom, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, France, and the United States. ... Type Lower house President of the Bundestag Dr. Norbert Lammert, CDU since October 18, 2005 Members 614 Political groups Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union of Bavaria Bloc (226) Social Democratic Party of Germany (222) Free Democratic Party (61) The Left. ... This article is about the state which existed from 1949 to 1990. ... The History of Germany begins with the establishment of the nation from Ancient Roman times to the 8th century, and then continues into the Holy Roman Empire dating from the 9th century until 1806 . ...

Reunification

The official German reunification ceremony on 3 October 1990, was held at the Reichstag building, including Chancellor Helmut Kohl, President Richard von Weizsäcker, former Chancellor Willy Brandt and many others. The event included huge firework displays, and was fondly remembered by many. One day later, the parliament of the united Germany would assemble in an act of symbolism in the Reichstag building. This article is about the 1990 German reunification. ... is the 276th day of the year (277th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... The head of government of Germany is called Chancellor (German: Kanzler). ... Helmut Josef Michael Kohl (born April 3, 1930) is a German conservative politician and statesman. ... The President of Germany is Germanys head of state. ... Dr. Richard Freiherr von Weizsäcker â–¶ (help· info) (born April 15, 1920) is a German politician (CDU). ... For the Oz character, see Willy Brandt (Oz). ...

However, at that time, the role of Berlin had not yet been decided upon. Only after a fierce debate, considered by many one of the most memorable sessions of parliament, the Bundestag concluded on 20 June 1991, with a quite slim majority that both government and parliament should return to Berlin from Bonn. This article is about the capital of Germany. ... is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar. ... Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. ...

In 1992, Norman Foster won yet another architectural contest for the reconstruction of the building. His winning concept looked very different from what was later executed. Notably, the original design did not include a cupola. The restored Reichstag in Berlin, housing the German parliament. ... Cupola of St Peters Basilica, Rome In architecture, a cupola consists of a dome-shaped ornamental structure located on top of a larger roof or dome, often used as a lookout or to admit light and provide ventilation. ...

Before reconstruction began, the Reichstag was wrapped by the Bulgarian artist Christo and his wife Jeanne-Claude in 1995, attracting millions of visitors. The project was financed by the sale of parts of the wrapping material during and after the event. Christo and Jeanne-Claude. ... Christo (born Hristo Yavashev, Bulgarian: Христо Явашев) and Jeanne-Claude are an artistic couple practicing environmental, installation art. ... Jeanne-Claude Denat de Guillebon (born June 13, 1935), also known simply as Jeanne-Claude, is married to environmental artist Christo. ...

During the reconstruction, the building was first almost completely gutted, taking out everything except the outer walls, including all changes made by Baumgarten in the 1960s. Although not undisputed for its lack of respect for the building's original design and furniture, the reconstruction is widely regarded as a success. The Reichstag is one of the most visited attractions in Berlin, not least because of the huge glass dome that was erected on the roof as a gesture to the original 1894 cupola, giving an impressive view over the city, especially at night.

Reichstag dome

Inside Norman Foster's Dome, panoramic view, 2004.

Main article: Reichstag dome

The Reichstag dome is the iconic large glass dome at the top of the building. The dome has a 360 degree view of the surrounding Berlin cityscape. The main hall of the parliament below can also be seen from the cupola, and natural light from above radiates down to the parliament floor. A large sun shield tracks the movement of the sun electronically and blocks direct sunlight which might blind those below. Construction work was finished in 1999 and the seat of parliament was transferred to the Reichstag in April of that year. The dome is open to anyone without prior registration, although the waiting queues can be very long, especially in summer. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1802x206, 107 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1802x206, 107 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... For other uses, see Dome (disambiguation). ...

Notes

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Gallery

A sketch of the Reichstag at the time of its opening in 1894 A picture of the German Reichstag. ...	Memorial to the 96 Reichstag members of the opposition parties killed by the Nazis. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 678 KB) Summary en: Memorial in front of the Reichstag, Berlin. ...	Graffiti inside the ruins of the Reichstag. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (668x657, 77 KB) Description: Graffiti left by Russian soldiers covers the pillars inside the ruins of the German Reichstag building, 3 July 1945 Source: IWMCollections IWM Photo No. ... For other uses, see Graffiti (disambiguation). ...	Reichstag in 1945. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (670x674, 81 KB) Description: The Reichstag after the allied bombing of Berlin, 3 June 1945 Source: IWMCollections IWM Photo No. ...
Inside the cupola Download high resolution version (1000x750, 192 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...	building site Reichstag Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 535 pixel Image in higher resolution (1140 × 762 pixel, file size: 308 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Reichstag building Metadata...	On top of the Reichstag building, 2006. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2032 × 1524 pixel, file size: 829 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Reichstag building Metadata This file contains...	Reichstag building at night, 2002. Download high resolution version (900x600, 126 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...
One of the great windows located in one of the 4 corner-risalites, April 2002. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 527 pixel Image in higher resolution (2187 × 1440 pixel, file size: 244 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Reichstag main entrance (April 2002). ...	The Reichstag building, June 2003. Photo of Reichstag building at Berlin (taken June 7, 2003 by djmutex), herewith licensed under File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...	Panorama of the Reichstag Building, July 2006 Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 326 pixel Image in higher resolution (2501 × 1020 pixel, file size: 1. ...	Spiral walkway up to top of dome at Reichstag Image File history File links Size of this preview: 400 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (512 × 768 pixel, file size: 142 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Reichstag building ...
Reichstag dome at night Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (888x565, 201 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank Reichstag building ...	Reichstag in Winter	Plenary Chamber of the Bundestag Type Lower house President of the Bundestag Dr. Norbert Lammert, CDU since October 18, 2005 Members 614 Political groups Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union of Bavaria Bloc (226) Social Democratic Party of Germany (222) Free Democratic Party (61) The Left. ...
Dem Deutschen Volke (To the German People) Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 541 pixelsFull resolution (2460 × 1664 pixels, file size: 293 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) The facade of the Reichstag. ...

See also

• Reichskanzlei
• Christo and Jeanne-Claude

The Imperial Chancellory (German Reichskanzlei) is the traditional name of the office of the German Chancellor. ... Christo and Jeanne-Claude. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Reichstag

• Website of Berlin
• Website of German parliament
• Panorama Reichstag - Interactive Panorama from the Platz der Republik
• Wrapped Reichstag
• Photo of the Reichstag from 1993
• Photos of the Reichstag from 1989 and Photos of the 1945 Battle for the Reichstag.

• Reichstag building is at coordinates 52°31′07″N 13°22′34″E / 52.5186, 13.376 (Reichstag building)Coordinates: 52°31′07″N 13°22′34″E / 52.5186, 13.376 (Reichstag building)

Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...