The dark history of the Gauforum in Weimar: An architect of terror

The dark history of the Gauforum in Weimar: An architect of terror

The Gauforum in Weimar is an important, never-finished National Socialist architectural ensemble and is the focus of the current exhibition “The Gauforum in Weimar – a legacy of the Third Reich”. The show shows the origins and the urban planning measures of the National Socialists, who wanted to make Weimar a central place in the history of the NSDAP. The curator of the exhibition is Dr. Christiane Wolf, supported by Dr. Norbert Korrek and Dr. Justus Ulbricht.  University of Weimar reports that...

The choice of Weimar as the location for the Gauforum was not a coincidence. The city was considered the cultural center of Germany and was the venue for the first NSDAP party rally after its re-admission in 1930. Adolf Hitler also gave several public speeches in Weimar. Due to his imprisonment, he was only allowed to perform there and in Braunschweig. This historical significance and the presence of right-wing conservative groups were decisive in the decision to build a center of power for the NSDAP here.

Origin and dimensions

The construction of the Gauforum began with the laying of the foundation stone of the “Hall of the People’s Community” on May 1, 1937, carried out by Rudolf Heß. It is estimated that around 40,000 people took part in this event. The Gauforum was conceived as a prestige project that was intended to illustrate the National Socialists' claim to leadership. It included administrative buildings for the Gau leadership as well as large parade areas and an oversized tower that was supposed to carry a globe with bells ringing. The plan called for the tower to be two-thirds higher than the current buildings in the area around the city.

In order to build the Gauforum, an entire district had to be demolished. Over 150 residential and commercial buildings in the northern Jakobsvorstadt were demolished and the rivers in the area, including the Asbach, were diverted. Expropriation measures were taken to create the construction site. The entire building represented a massive facility that not only documented the NSDAP's symbolic claim to power, but also profoundly changed the city's existing infrastructure.

The influence of Fritz Sauckel

Fritz Sauckel, who was appointed Gauleiter in 1933, played a crucial role in the development of the Gauforum. During his term in office, the Reich Governor's Office was planned to move to the southern wing of the Gauforum. Oversized offices, like the one for Sauckel on the first floor, underlined the representative character of the building project. All buildings except the hall were completed by 1943. The construction work not only produced an impressive structure, but also used prisoners from the Buchenwald concentration camp for forced labor.

The Gauforum experienced a special highlight when Sauckel celebrated his 45th birthday in the hall. The hall, which was supposed to offer standing room for 20,000, remained unused until the end of the war and was renamed Karl-Marx-Platz in 1945. After the war, parts of the facility were repurposed, and today's use includes, among other things, a shopping center that is housed in the former hall area. The Thuringian State Administration Office has its headquarters in the listed buildings of the Gauforum. The opening of a museum on forced labor under National Socialism is being planned in 2024 and will be looked after by the Buchenwald and Mittelbau-Dora Memorials Foundation. Weimar under National Socialism documents that...

The demolition of the Hotel Elephant in 1937 to make room for a luxurious suite for Adolf Hitler clearly shows how much the Nazis wanted to redesign the cityscape of Weimar for their own purposes. The impressive balcony, which served as a speaker's stand, as well as additional decorations give an idea of ​​how the National Socialists viewed their power. During Hitler's visits to Weimar, the population showed their enthusiasm with chants and marches, which further strengthened his ambitions to rule. The Memorials Foundation reflects that...