Nostalgie in Oost Berlin.
Palasthotel was a hotel belonging to the Interhotel-chain and situated in the Mitte-district of Berlin, at Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 5, right behind the Berliner Dom and close to the river Spree.[1] It was built on a design by Ferenc Kiss between 1976 and 1979.[2] The hotel had 600 rooms with 1,000 beds and a conference hall with about 2,000 seats. It was closed for all East German guests, as one had to pay in a hard currency instead of the local East German mark. Between 1990 and 1992 the hotel was owned by Interhotel AG. In 1992, the hotel was closed due to the Asbestos that was used in the construction. It was demolished in 2000[3] to make room for the new DomAquarée, which houses a hotel of the Radisson group and was opened in 2003. [4]
The hotel must not be confused with the original Palasthotel built by Ludwig Heim at the Leipziger Platz from 1892 to 1893. It was destroyed during the second World War.
Miscellaneous
- The Palasthotel was an important part of the Stasi-surveillance of all foreigners that entered the GDR. At all times there were four Stasi-officers employed in monitoring the hotel. Using cameras and microphones they kept the receptionhall, elevators, corridors and several rooms under strict surveillance. 25-30 rooms in the hotel were technically equipped so necessary monitoring of especially "interesting" guests could take place. Video- and taperecorders were placed in the "Stasi-suite"; room 51.01/51.03 on the fifth floor.[5]
- On the eight floor, room 80.26/80.27, was the office of Herbert Rübler. From here he carried out his work; organising commerce between the DDR and the west.[6] He was found dead in the same hotel in May 1989.[7]
- It was referred to as "Valuta-hotel" and "Stasi-nest".[2]
- It was used by the topfigures in the SED and for receiving distinguished guests from abroad.[8]
- Famous guests include:Karl-Eduard von Schnitzler, Alexander Schalck-Golodkowski, Udo Lindenberg, Bruce Springsteen and Katja Epstein.[9]
- The hotel plays an important part in the German novel "Wie es leuchtet" (Fischer 2004) by Thomas Brussig.
Literature
- Anne Holper, Matthias Käther, DDR-Baudenkmale in Berlin-Berlins Osten neu entdeckt, 2003.[1]
- Kristie Macrakis, Seduced by Secrets: Inside the Stasi's Spy-Tech World, Cambridge University Press; 1 edition (March 21, 2008).
References
- ^ http://www.ddr-wissen.de/wiki/ddr.pl?Palasthotel,_Berlin
- ^ a b http://www.baunetz.de/meldungen/Meldungen_Startschuss_fuer_DomAquaree_in_Berlin_8243.html
- ^ http://www.berlinonline.de/berliner-zeitung/archiv/.bin/dump.fcgi/2001/0115/none/0122/index.html
- ^ DDR-Lexikon: Palasthotel, Berlin
- ^ http://wissen.spiegel.de/wissen/dokument/dokument.html?id=52397644&top=SPIEGEL
- ^ http://wissen.spiegel.de/wissen/dokument/dokument.html?id=52397644&top=SPIEGEL
- ^ http://www.welt.de/print-welt/article262492/Tod_aus_dem_Osten.html
- ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2001/mar/10/johnhooper
- ^ http://www.cyberday.de/kolumne/ausgabe_25.htm
52°31′10″N 13°24′10″E / 52.51944°N 13.40278°E / 52.51944; 13.40278
