# BEAUTIFUL - pre WW2 - Germany - Berlin Hamburg Bremen Frankfurt Dresden



## erbse (Nov 8, 2006)

*Berliner Dom*

Just two watercolors (paintings) by Wolfgang Tritt:

Showing the Dom (Berlin cathedral) from the river Spree











The Dom as seen from the historic boulevard of Unter den Linden


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## Darryl (Jan 14, 2007)

erbsenzaehler said:


> C'mon this is slightly more interesting than all those ordinary, humdrum and boring threads about the 861'902'629th Sout American city or whatever around on cityscapes.


You would think so, right?!!

How many Brazil threads can a person look at??!! I have nothing against Brazil, in fact I'm going to travel to Rio this year, but do we really need 15 simultaneous threads about Brazil in Cityscapes and Skyline Photos?????????????

I think there is an incredible disinterest in Germany on Skyscrapercity. German threads die quickly. 

Don't let that discourage you though Erbsenzaehler! Some of us are paying attention, and I really appreciate your contributions.


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## erbse (Nov 8, 2006)

Thanks for the credits 

Well it's just that, as the shortcut 'SSC' implies, this is a forum dedicated to skyscrapers. So people aren't really going ahead to look at some historical architecture shots, no matter if it's about Germany. It just seems this isn't the right place for such things (yet).

Look at the Frankfurt-thread around here e.g., it shows that people are interested in Germany - it got many replies in a quite short time. But that is due to the fact that Frankfurt has a skyline, I presume. If a Berlin-thread gets many replies it's probably because some people traveled to it and want to remember or they plan to or whatever. 
This forum is too fast moving to discuss issues like classical architecture decently.

I recommend this SSC-section, it might be a more proper one. But nevertheless, I won't get tired to play the attention hoe on here  Since there isn't such an international audience on Euroscrapers.

By the by, honestly spoken, I'm pretty glad I don't have to scroll 6 pages of "Z0mG, woooW, uber-amazing!!!11" at this thread :colgate:


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## Svartmetall (Aug 5, 2007)

^^ That is very true. You only need to look at the rankings of "skylines" to realise that people only like three things in general.

#1. Glassy buildings
#2. Tall buildings
#3. Lots of them.

A skyline made up of midrise classical flat blocks and churches doesn't seem to fill people with the same level of interest. 

Oh and I agree with you Erbs - I get bored of the postcard perfect modern city photos, I've given up commenting on them.


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## Phthalm (Jun 27, 2007)

Varsben said:


> Warsaw was destroyed during the war in ca 85%. Half of its pre-war 1.3 million inhabitants were killed. It probably suffered in proportion the most of all capitals.
> 
> The street as you see it in the picture, ceased to exist by the end of 1944, after the fall of the Warsaw Uprising against German occupying forces. Hitler gave the order to "erase from the face of the Earth once and for all" Poland's rebellious capital.
> 
> ...


It´s so sad to hear. I knew that Warsaw sustained massive damage during WW2, but I did´t realize it was quite that bad. I´m glad Poland is going strong again though and even if it´s not the same as it used to be I´m also happy that Warsaw is getting it´s former glory back as one of the greatest cities in Europe.


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## Ribarca (Jan 28, 2005)

So many great buildings but much more importantly lives lost all over Europe. It's a shame most German big cities are pretty ugly now. I'm personally against reconstruction though. I rather see this money flowing to other countries who's cities were hugely damaged while they had no involvement at all. I personally grew up in one of those cities in Holland where there was only post-war depressive architecture while all the old buildings were gone due to WWII damage.


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## city_thing (May 25, 2006)

I think we should all give a big thanks to Erbsenzaehler for getting all of the pictures for us. He's obviously put in a lot of effort. Three cheers for Erbsenzaehler! Awesome work 

It's so sad that so many countries lost such wonderful buildings during the wars, that were soon replaced with hideous monstrosities and backwards urban planning. It's also sad that people still hold bad feelings towards Germany. Being Jewish, my family fled Europe for Great Britain at the start of WW2, and lost quite a lot. But I understand that was a different generation, but that doesn't give me any reason to hate any modern day Germans. I loved my holiday in Germany, I've never seen a country so actively opposing any sort of racism, Nazism, and intolerance. It's a great country with great people, they don't deserve any kind of hatred towards them.

And I'm sorry Erbsenzaehler, but I kind of liked Alexanderplatz


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## Taipei Walker (Mar 7, 2005)

Great thread, German cities before WW2 looked abslutely gorgeous! Keep up your work!


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## bosman (Mar 8, 2007)

Thanks for these interesting photos. I've always wondered about the economics or desire of that time to build such beautiful buildings and cities. Why was it that so much detail and attention could be paid to building construction at that time, but can't seem to be nowadays? Was it that even though it was considered expensive at that time to build buildings like this, you had to because any simple, cheaper version would not be allowed as it wouldn't have fit in? Or was this type of construction not considered all that expensive? Can we build like this today, and just choose not to because we prefer tall, glassy things?

I read in another thread here that a developer plans to build a much smaller version of Lyon in Dubai (or somewhere near there). I guess that's one example where this type of architercture will be built, but that's very rare these days...


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## Audiomuse (Dec 20, 2005)

Really amazing pictures... Breaks my heart.


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## Kaiser (Oct 16, 2005)

^^ Same here


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## WhiteMagick (May 28, 2006)

These pictures sincerely break my heart. German cities were an architectural paradise and eye candy before the war. Ah well. This is what you get when you choose war.


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## Giorgio (Oct 9, 2004)

Truth be told, most of Europe was absoloutely beautiful before WW2. 
Its a shame that so many cities have had their character ruined either directly or indirectly because of WW2.


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## erbse (Nov 8, 2006)

Let's face some destruction again. 
Berlin's Brandenburger Tor in ashes. Taken from a panorama installation which was placed in front of the rebuilt gate some years ago.


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## erbse (Nov 8, 2006)

*Berlin* again. This time I'm going to show you some historical bridges of the city -
some of them survived 'til today, but most of them are (probably) gone forever.
As well as their surrounding buildings, places and the former urbanity.

(Sidenote: You can look at the URLs to check what these bridges are called)



























































































Glienicke Bridge (Glienicker Brücke) - connects Berlin and Potsdam. Historically important during the cold war
(spy exchanges), fortunately still standing


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## Justme (Sep 11, 2002)

Berlin lost so many stunning bridges! Very sad. The first one, the Kaisersteg and the other iron one near Friedrichstrasse station should be rebuilt. They were magnificient.


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## Alemão Xucro (Dec 13, 2007)

Very, very interesting thread. about the discussion on Brazil topics, I agree with you. Actually, I only visit, and I'm embarrassed to admit, european historical cities or southern brazilian cities. anyway, this a forum about urbanism in general, not only about skyscrapers, despite the name.


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## Shezan (Jun 21, 2007)

what a shame about the distroyed buildings of Berlin :bash:


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## Urbandeco (Jan 18, 2005)

*people or cities*

I think what is sadder is the loss of life in Europe over the current state of German cities. It is forever a scar and something we cant forget.


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## Bond James Bond (Aug 23, 2002)

Wow, great thread! Such a shame so much was lost.


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