Posted on 08/15/2013 7:00:05 AM PDT by Olog-hai
Berlin is debating whether to protect the giant Soviet-era office blocks at Alexanderplatz. Some argue they are an important part of the city’s history, despite being old and ugly. …
For many in the city, and indeed around the world, the buildings are an important reminder of Stalinism. They loom over Berlin reminding those below about the city’s past, and are a significant part of its character. …
While some in Berlin’s political scene are pushing for that history to be protected, others are concerned that keeping some of the buildings could be a hindrance to the city’s development. …
(Excerpt) Read more at thelocal.de ...
I think we can split the baby on this one. Keep a couple of the most oppressive, overbearing buildings, level the rest.
It might be nice to keep one such ugly building as such a museum, but not blocks and blocks of them.
From what Russian friends have told me, the soviet era buildings are “self Leveling” anyway.
Take them apart and ship them here. Soviet style communism may be out of style in Germany, but it’s all the rage in Washington.
Personally, I think they should be preserved. Most of them are striped with lines of machine gun holes from WWII and they do convey the ominousness of that part of Berlin’s history.
If they are “Soviet-era” buildings, they cannot have damage from World War II. World War II predated the Soviet era in Germany.
Stalin-era buildings in Berlin would have been constructed after WWII, so they would not be pock-marked by shelling. The communist-constructed buildings are not the shabbily-constructed apartment buildings. The modern-day city government is demolishing the monstrosities, finding it a difficult task as they are over built with foot-thick concrete walls, clearly designed for military use. Overall Berlin is saddled with hideous architecture from every era like worlds fairs past. The splendid growth of trees shield our eyes from much of it.
hee hee.. good one
AND it has the added benefit of being costly as all hell
First rule of government spending- why buy one when you can buy two at twice the price
the soviet era buildings are “self Leveling”
Yep. Sort of like THIS one.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genesee_Towers
I’m glad I wasn’t the only one thinking that.
Oh, and from what I’m hearing, modern Chinese construction is similar.
I was in East Berlin in 1981 and 82. Alexanderplatz wasn't bad, but many buildings, destroyed in WW 2, had never been rebuilt. The shopping was good there too.
I have a friend who moved here from Novgorod. She lived in some of the soviet era housing and said they stuffed newspaper in cracks around the windows and doors wouldn’t open or close due to the sagging buildings.
Like the WWII flak towers that are impossible to remove within any sort of financial and logistic reality. Serves Berlin right for the U-boat pens and other monstrocities that still dot the rest of Europe. Nazis and Communists, not so different, huh?
>>Nazis and Communists, not so different, huh?
It’s interesting you bring that up. See the 2-paragraph Hayek quote on my FR profile page. It’s the 3rd one down.
It’s a great example of a qualified contemporaneous political/economic observer who very much saw exactly what you posit.
The original poster talked about the buildings around Alexanderplatz, it is not my fault they mis-identified the buildings. I have been there several times and i can assure you, the buildings in the area are pockmarked with bullet holes from WWII......
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