Reflections on the Reichstag

 Reflections on the Reichstag

The Reichstag stands out across the Berlin relatively low skyline with its glass dome atop the rebuilt Reichstag and the home of the German Parliament, the Bundestag. 

It is an ‘accidental’ building designed by British architect, Norman Foster, whose winning design had 27 alterations, the most contentious the return of the dome before being adopted. 

The dome which had been seen to represent the Monarchy was seen as inappropriate but in a vote of the Bundestag the decision was made to have the dome incorporated into the design of the building. It sours above the Bundestag chamber breathing in air and lighting the proceedings. 

It is a chamber that houses the political spectrum from the extreme right, to the extreme left with the middle ground, referred to as the traffic light coalition occupied by the SPD, Liberals and Greens who form the governments of the German Republic. It’s a tenuous coalition and certainly a source of discussion given the Liberal Party has the Finance Ministry and the Greens the environment. It may not end well for the Liberals or the Greens as each are having to play hostage to the other’s agenda! 

The tour of the Reichstag provided an insight into its history including the liberation of Berlin from the Nazis by the Russians. The tagging by Russian soldiers on the walls of the Reichstag with expressions of  victory, has been conserved and forms part of the history of the building. Ironically the Russian invasion of Ukraine has been justified as having to liberate the country from the Nazis. Many Russians are reminded through annual re-enactments of the WW2 sacrifices made by Russia in liberating Berlin as justifying their war with Ukraine. 

The French artist, Christian Boltanski, in one of many art works on display,  provides a ‘Archive of German Members of Parliament (1999) in the basement directly underneath the Bundestag chamber. The 5000 metal boxes are labeled with the names of all members of the Reichstag and German Bundestag democratically elected between 1919 and 1999. Each member is provided with same amount of space, including Adolf Hitler. However those murdered by the Nazis are recognised by a black label - ‘Victims of National Socialism’. A single black box represents  the period, 1933 - 1945 during which time there was no democratically elected German Parliament.

‘Germany’s recent history is inscribed into the very fabric of the Reichstag Building. The traces of the past can still be seen. They just have to be found and interpreted’. This is Berlin!