In the Wake of War : The Reconstruction of German Cities After World War II

In 1945 Germany's cities lay in ruins, destroyed by Allied bombers `hat left major architectural monuments badly damaged and much of the housing stock reduced to rubble. At the war's end, observers thought that it would take forty years to rebuild, but by the late 1950s West Germany's cities had risen anew. The housing crisis had been overcome and virtually all important monuments reconstructed, and the cities had reclaimed their characteristic identities. Everywhere there was a mixture of old and new: historic churches and town halls stood alongside new housing and department stores; ancient street layouts were crossed or encircled by wide arteries; old city centers were balanced by garden suburbs laid out according to modern planning principles. In this book, Diefendorf examines the questions raised by this remarkable feat of urban reconstruction. He explains who was primarily responsible, what accounted for the speed of rebuilding, and how priorities were set and decisions acted upon. He argues that in such crucial areas as architectural style, urban planning, historic preservation, and housing policy, the Germans drew upon personnel, ideas, institutions, and practical experiences from the Nazi and pre-Nazi periods. Diefendorf shows how the rebuilding of West Germany's cities after 1945 can only be understood in terms of long-term continuities in urban development. In 1945, Germany's Cities Lay In Ruins, Destroyed By Allied Bombers That Left Major Architectural Monuments Badly Damaged And Much Of The Housing Stock Reduced To Rubble. At The War's End, Observers Thought That It Would Take Forty Years To Rebuild, But By The Late 1950s West Germany's Cities Had Risen Anew. The Housing Crisis Had Been Overcome And Virtually All Important Monuments Reconstructed, And The Cities Had Reclaimed Their Characteristic Identities. Everywhere There Was A Mixture Of Old And New: Historic Churches And Town Halls Stood Alongside New Housing And Department Stores; Ancient Street Layouts Were Crossed Or Circled By Wide Arteries; Old City Centers Were Balanced By Garden Suburbs Laid Out According To Modern Planning Principles. In The Wake Of War Examines The Questions Raised By This Remarkable Feat Of Urban Reconstruction. Jeffry M. Diefendorf Explains Who Was Primarily Responsible For The Reconstruction, What Accounted For The Speed Of Rebuilding, And How Priorities Were Set And Decisions Acted Upon. He Argues That In Such Crucial Areas As Architectural Style, Urban Planning, Historic Preservation, And Housing Policy, The Germans Drew Upon Personnel, Ideas, Institutions, And Practical Experiences From The Nazi And Pre-nazi Periods. Diefendorf Shows How The Rebuilding Of West Germany's Cities After 1945 Can Only Be Understood In Terms Of Long-term Continuities In Urban Development. The First Comprehensive Book In English On Germany's Reconstruction, In The Wake Of War Examines Postwar Urban Reconstruction From Many Perspectives, Including Architecture, Historic Restoration, Housing, Town Planning And Law, And It Consistently Interprets The Features Of German Reconstruction Within The Context Of Continuous Developments In These Areas Since The 1920s. This Study Will Appeal To Architects And Urban Planners As Well As Historians. Bombs And Rubble: The Air War And Its Consequences -- The War From The Air -- Cities Of Rubble -- Work Amidst The Rubble -- Rubble Clearance And The Repair Of Utilities -- Material For Rebuilding -- Labor In The Construction Industry -- Legal And Illegal Building -- The Face Of Reconstruction: Architectural Style -- The Bauhaus And Deutscher Werkbund -- Heimatschutz And Traditional Architecture -- Nazi Architecture And Neoclassicism -- Postwar Architecture -- The Face Of Reconstruction: The Role Of Historic Preservation -- Principles Of Historic Preservation -- Modernizing Cities -- Determined Preservationism -- Modernization And Preservation -- The Housing Problem -- Cooperative Housing -- Housing Policy Under The National Socialists -- Postwar Housing -- Town Planning To 1945 -- Planning Traditions Before 1933 -- Urban Planning During The Third Reich -- The Representative Cities Program -- From Representative Cities To Reconstruction -- Reconstruction Planning -- Planning And Planners After 1945 -- The Postwar Planners -- Planning Models -- The Extremes -- Pragmatic Planning -- Traffic Planning -- Reconstruction And Building Law -- The Framework: Building Law And Proposals For Reform To 1945 -- The Postwar Debate: Defining The Scope Of A New Building Law -- Opposition To The New Laws: Property Rights And Politics -- The Strugle For A National Building Law -- Politics, Democracy, And The Law -- Organizing Reconstruction -- The Role Of The Allied Occupation Governments -- State And National Reconstruction Agencies. Jeffry M. Diefendorf. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 365-392) And Index. Introduction Bombs and Rubble: The Air War and Its Consequences The War from the Air Cities of Rubble Work Amidst the Rubble Rubble Clearance and the Repair of Utilities Material for Rebuilding Labor in the Construction Industry Legal and Illegal Building The Face of Reconstruction: Architectural Style The Bauhaus and Deutscher Werkbund Heimatschutz and Traditional Architecture Nazi Architecture and Neoclassicism Postwar Architecture The Face of Reconstruction: The Role of Historic Preservation Principles of Historic Preservation Modernizing Cities Determined Preservationism Modernization and Preservation Conclusion The Housing Problem Cooperative Housing Housing Policy under the National Socialists Postwar Housing Town Planning to 1945 Planning Traditions before 1933 Urban Planning during the Third Reich The Representative Cities Program From Representative Cities to Reconstruction Reconstruction Planning Planning and Planners after 1945 The Postwar Planners Planning Models The Extremes Pragmatic Planning Traffic Planning Conclusion Reconstruction and Building Law The Framework: Building Law and Proposals for Reform to 1945 The Postwar Debate: Defining the Scope of a New Building Law Opposition to the New Laws: Property Rights and Politics The Struggle for a National Building Law Politics, Democracy, and the Law Organizing Reconstruction The Role of the Allied Occupation Governments State and National Reconstruction Agencies The National Associations and Their Affiliates Organization at the Town Level Traditional Practice Extraordinary Agencies Conclusion Conclusion Notes Works Cited Index This is the first comprehensive study of the rebuilding of West Germany's cities following the Second World War. Most major urban centres had been reduced to rubble by the end of the war, yet they were rebuilt faster than anyone thought possible. Diefendorf presents a wealth of material on all aspects of reconstruction - from the bombing itself and removal of debris, to urban planning, architecture, and execution. Using the designs of city planners, the author examines continuities in urban planning and architecture that lead back into the Nazi era and before. The text is accompanied by numerous photographs selected from hundreds in Diefendorf's collection