Could these walls whisper tales from the 17th century? Welcome to the Zweifelshof. It stands as a heritage building in Müllekovena district of Troisdorf. Though I cannot spin a detailed narrative about the Zweifelshof itself, the former government district in Bonn was plain. It attested to Bonn’s temporary nature as a capital city.
The post-War new builds are testimony to the democratic new beginning. They likewise break with the pathos of the Third Reich. A new culture of political communication arose. Everything was close at hand. Cross-party dining at the local Italian restaurant was part and parcel of the fledgling democracy.
Why not take a glance behind the scenes of Bonn as West Germany’s political hub? Wander around the park of Palais Schaumburg and past the “Chancellors’ trees”. Visit the Federal Chancellors’ former residence and reception building. Sense history in the making in the plenary chamber of the Bundesrat. It was here that notable laws were enacted.
Suffused with light and clear, the Federal Chancellors’ former residence and reception building symbolizes transparency and openness. In 1963-4, architect Sep Ruf designed the modern building on behalf of Federal Chancellor Ludwig Erhard. It has been heritage-listed since 2001. An exhibition at this historical site narrates the building’s history. How did the various heads of government use the residence and the study there?
As one of five constitutional organs of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Bundesrat is a central site of democracy. From 1949 until the relocation to Berlin in 2000, it was based in Bonn. There, representatives of the federal states decided on whether to approve bills of parliament.
Visit the former Bundesrat in the historical chamber. Gain an impression of the setting where the German Basic Law was enacted. Our exhibition at this historical site presents the players who were involved in drafting the Basic Law in 1948-9. The exhibition shows how it evolved further until 1990.
“A Rhenish savings bank could just as easily be at home here,” remarked Helmut Schmidt. He said it when he started work in the new Federal Chancellery as the incoming Federal Chancellor. The first cabinet meeting in the new building took place on 7 July 1976. It was here that, under Chancellor Helmut Kohl, the decisive talks were held in the run-up to German Reunification in 1989-90.
Palais Schaumburg is the Bonn office of the Federal Chancellor. The building was constructed in 1858. It can look back on a colourful history. It was a millionaire’s villa, a prince’s palace, quarters for soldiers, and the office of the Federal Chancellor.
Why not travel back in time into Bonn’s past as the capital city? The Path to Democracy starts at the Haus der Geschichte. It leads you, by means of signs, an online pathfinder or a historical guidebook, to the key sites of democracy in the former capital city of Bonn.
In 90-120 minutes you can find out more about the Bundesrat. You can also learn about the Federal Press Conference, Villa Hammerschmidt, the Parliamentary Council and other significant historical sites in the former government district in Bonn. The Zweifelshof may not have been at the heart of these political events, but it stands as a reminder of the area’s rich history.