Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Restored Façade
Despite extensive
renovations, small bullet
holes from World War II
are still visible in the
building's façade.
Installation
“Der Bevölkerung”
Hans Haacke's work of
art “To the People” is a
counterpoint to the porti-
co inscription opposite.
Restaurant Käfer
This luxury restaurant next to the cupola on the
Reichstag's roof offers an excellent view of the his-
torical centre of Unter den Linden. It is very popular
and you may well have to wait for a seat
(see p101).
Memorial by
Dieter Appett
Unveiled in 1992, the
memorial commemorates
97 Social Democratic and
Communist Reichstag
delegates who were
murdered under the
Third Reich.
The German Flag
The giant German
flag was first raised on
the occasion of the offi-
cial national celebrations
of German reunification
on 3 October 1990.
Platz der Republik
Celebrations often
take place on the lawn in
front of the Reichstag,
most recently in 1996,
when the building was
wrapped up by Christo.
The Reichstag
Fire
When the Reichstag
went up in flames on
27 February 1933, the
Dutch Communist van
der Lubbe was arrested
and charged with arson.
It is, however, much
more likely that the
Nazis had started the
fire themselves. Adolf
Hitler used the Reich-
stag fire as a pretext
to get the “Enabling
Act” passed by parlia-
ment. This allowed him
to dispose of all his
opponents, marking the
beginning of a 12-year
reign of terror.
Memorial for Victims of the Wall
Opposite the southern side of the Reichstag,
a memorial recalls the Berlin Wall, which ran only
a few steps away from this spot. One of the
crosses commemorates Chris Gueffroy: shot in
February 1989 when trying to escape, he was
one of more than 100 people who died at the Wall.
Berlin governmental buildings
see pp40-1
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