Albert Speer - Die Nue Reichskanzlei - Munchen 1943 [Album concerning the Third Reich Chancellery - Adolf Hitler's headquarters].

Albert Speer - Die Nue Reichskanzlei - Munchen 1943

Zentralverlag der NSDAP., Franz Eher Nachf., GMBH

Printed by S.M. Muller & Sohn

Album with numerous black and white illustrations, technical construction drawings and integrated plans, as well as color illustrations of the New Chancellery of the Third Reich designed by Hitler's architect, Albert Speer, who was also one of the main leaders of the Reich.

Publisher's hardcover, cloth spine with titling. Front cover with embossed title and "crow" - emblem of Nazi Germany.

Block consistent, small soiling of the cover and pre-title page otherwise very good condition overall.

Number of pages : 131 + fold-out building plans

Format : 28 x 37 [cm]

Historical note :

The new Reich Chancellery was built after Adolf Hitler took power, who decided that the old building did not deserve to be the headquarters of the head of state. He entrusted the construction project to Albert Speer, stipulating, however, that the building was to be monumental and inspire appropriate awe in visitors. Work according to the final design began in January 1938, and the building complex of the new Chancellery was constructed in nine months.

The Chancellery complex consisted of a courtyard of honor and a surrounding edifice, which included a mosaic hall, a grand hall (about 145 meters long), a government meeting room and Hitler's office (about 400 m² in area). All were exaggeratedly vast. The facade of the Chancellery was 421 meters. Underneath the complex was built a large, two-story hospital bunker later named Voßbunker, whose perfectly camouflaged exits and exits led directly to Voßstrasse. The left wing of the facility was enclosed by two residential blocks inhabited by RSD officers and soldiers of the LSSAH and later the FBB, as well as Hitler's orderlies, aides and secretaries. Garages were placed under the blocks. At the back of the whole was a garden bordering the Reich Foreign Ministry's garden.

Although the complex built by Speer met the conditions set for it, its use was incidental. No meetings were held in the monumental government meeting room. Most of the time, the chancellery shone empty. The degree of its use only increased in January 1945, when Hitler returned permanently to Berlin and finally hid in his bunker. As a result of combat operations in April 1945, being under direct fire, the complex was destroyed.

Itis interesting to note that in 2015 three sculptures from the Chancellery were found in Germany: the Arno Breker Die Wehrmacht statue and bronze statues of two horses by Josef Thorak, which were placed in front of the Chancellery building.