Early work for the Nazi party
Speer's membership to the Nazi party lead to his first architectural projects. Speer was first ask to design the renovation for the home of Karl Hanke, a Nazi official in Berlin. Speer impressed other Nazi officials and key figures with in the party, through Hanke he was given the more challenging task of rebuilding the party headquarters in Berlin.
Not long after Hitler came to power in 1933, Speer was invited by Joseph Goebbels to rebuild the propaganda Ministry in Berlin. Speer finished the work in just two months. In July 1933 he was asked to design the decoration for the Nazi Party Rally at Nuremberg. He design of a gigantic eagle that dominated the Zeppelin Field where the rally was held impressed Hitler himself. Speer was gaining a reputation not only as a creative architect but also as an efficient organiser.
Not long after Hitler came to power in 1933, Speer was invited by Joseph Goebbels to rebuild the propaganda Ministry in Berlin. Speer finished the work in just two months. In July 1933 he was asked to design the decoration for the Nazi Party Rally at Nuremberg. He design of a gigantic eagle that dominated the Zeppelin Field where the rally was held impressed Hitler himself. Speer was gaining a reputation not only as a creative architect but also as an efficient organiser.
The Nuremberg Rally site, the 'Germania' project and the new Reich Chancellery
The Nuremberg Rally site 1934: In January 1934 Hitler gave Speer his first major commission, to build the permanent reviewing stand for the Nuremberg Rally. Speer used the Pergamon Altar of ancient Greeks as inspiration, to design a massive stone structure some 400 metres long and 24 metres high on the Zeppelin Field at Nuremberg Speer was also given the task to design and assist in the creation for the September 1934 rally. The reviewing stand would accommodate around 340000 spectators, with the construction of stand being finished before the rally in September.
Speer also planned aspects of the design of the rally. To create a dramatic effect, Speer surrounded the field with 130 anti-aircraft searchlights casting massive beams of light some 8000 metres into the sky.
Later the same year, Speer was given the task of designing new and permanent structures at Nuremberg, a complex set of buildings at the 16.5km Nuremberg Party Raly site. Speer planned for a huge horseshoe-shaped Great Stadium and an equally impressive Congress Hall, both designed on the classical model of ancient Greece. Speer wrote in his autobiography, 'Inside the Third Reich', "Hitler wanted the biggest of everything to glorify his works and magnify his pride.' 'These monuments were an assertion to his claim to world domination long before he dared to voice any such intention to his close associates." [1]
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[1] A.Speer, Inside the Third Reich, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 1970, p.115.
The 'Germania' project 1937-1942: Hitler, with his interest in architecture, dreamed of rebuilding Berlin to a new capital of his new thousand year Reich. This new city would be called Germania and, in January 1937, Albert Speer was given the monumental task of translating Hitler's dream into reality. Speer worked on designs and constructed a huge scale model of the buildings for the new Berlin. Key nodal points, such as the railway station would be moved so that people arriving into the city would come upon a wide and very long avenue running north-south. Working from Hitler's sketches and their very frequent meetings, Speer designed two great buildings and that were to dominate this avenue. At one of the avenue was to be an Arch of Triumph, a stone monument higher than the Eiffel Tower, with the names of the 1.8 million Germans who died in the First World War. At the far northern end of the avenue, some six kilometres away, stood one of the largest buildings in the world, The Great Hall crowned with the world's largest dome over, 200 metres in diameter. Along the great north-south avenue, as well as along the intersecting east-west avenue, a complex series of government buildings, theaters, offices and residences would be built.
Neither the massive stadium and congress Hall along with the Germania project were ever started being constructed.
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The New Reich Chancellery 1938-1939: Hitler's official residence was the Chancellery building on the Wihelmstrasse in Berlin. Hitler referred to this building as "fit for a soap company" and in January 1938 gave Speer instructions for a new Reich Chancellery. Speer had been given just a year for the creation of a new chancellery building, within a year Speer had designed a massive new complex in neo-classical style. The building was completed on time in January 1939. Speer designed impressive entry points and great big long halls. Hitler's own office was 400 metres square with 9-metre-high ceilings. The New Reich Chancellery impressed international guests and was a clear illustration of Germany's power and presence in Europe.
Beneath the Chancellery building a number of air raid shelters and bunkers were constructed and it was in his own bunker deep beneath the Chancellery garden that Hitler committed suicide in April 1945. Above, the Allied bombing had reduced his Chancellery to ruin.
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Speer also planned aspects of the design of the rally. To create a dramatic effect, Speer surrounded the field with 130 anti-aircraft searchlights casting massive beams of light some 8000 metres into the sky.
Later the same year, Speer was given the task of designing new and permanent structures at Nuremberg, a complex set of buildings at the 16.5km Nuremberg Party Raly site. Speer planned for a huge horseshoe-shaped Great Stadium and an equally impressive Congress Hall, both designed on the classical model of ancient Greece. Speer wrote in his autobiography, 'Inside the Third Reich', "Hitler wanted the biggest of everything to glorify his works and magnify his pride.' 'These monuments were an assertion to his claim to world domination long before he dared to voice any such intention to his close associates." [1]
[See Button bellow for link to Gallery]
[1] A.Speer, Inside the Third Reich, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 1970, p.115.
The 'Germania' project 1937-1942: Hitler, with his interest in architecture, dreamed of rebuilding Berlin to a new capital of his new thousand year Reich. This new city would be called Germania and, in January 1937, Albert Speer was given the monumental task of translating Hitler's dream into reality. Speer worked on designs and constructed a huge scale model of the buildings for the new Berlin. Key nodal points, such as the railway station would be moved so that people arriving into the city would come upon a wide and very long avenue running north-south. Working from Hitler's sketches and their very frequent meetings, Speer designed two great buildings and that were to dominate this avenue. At one of the avenue was to be an Arch of Triumph, a stone monument higher than the Eiffel Tower, with the names of the 1.8 million Germans who died in the First World War. At the far northern end of the avenue, some six kilometres away, stood one of the largest buildings in the world, The Great Hall crowned with the world's largest dome over, 200 metres in diameter. Along the great north-south avenue, as well as along the intersecting east-west avenue, a complex series of government buildings, theaters, offices and residences would be built.
Neither the massive stadium and congress Hall along with the Germania project were ever started being constructed.
[See Button bellow for link to Gallery]
The New Reich Chancellery 1938-1939: Hitler's official residence was the Chancellery building on the Wihelmstrasse in Berlin. Hitler referred to this building as "fit for a soap company" and in January 1938 gave Speer instructions for a new Reich Chancellery. Speer had been given just a year for the creation of a new chancellery building, within a year Speer had designed a massive new complex in neo-classical style. The building was completed on time in January 1939. Speer designed impressive entry points and great big long halls. Hitler's own office was 400 metres square with 9-metre-high ceilings. The New Reich Chancellery impressed international guests and was a clear illustration of Germany's power and presence in Europe.
Beneath the Chancellery building a number of air raid shelters and bunkers were constructed and it was in his own bunker deep beneath the Chancellery garden that Hitler committed suicide in April 1945. Above, the Allied bombing had reduced his Chancellery to ruin.
[See Button bellow for link to Gallery]