Look closely at the building before you. This is Haus Zürich. It stands as a testament to Berlin’s turbulent past and resilient spirit.
Built between 1934 and 1936, Haus Zürich was originally known as Haus der Schweiz. The Swiss bank Leu, the Swiss bank and the Swiss Federal Railways commissioned Swiss architect Ernst Meier-Appenzell for the building. They wanted a clean facade. They desired an arcade and rectangular windows. The result was a monumental building.
Why did the Swiss companies invest here? They held considerable sums of German Reichsmarks. Transferring the money to Switzerland would have incurred significant losses. Instead, they bought land at Unter den Linden and Friedrichstrasse. They constructed a six-story building. It was intended as a financial investment. It served representative purposes. The location was prime. It was “at the first business location of the Reich capital”.
Notice the lettering “Haus der Schweiz” once prominently displayed. There was also a Wilhelm Tell figure. But it wasn’t Tell himself. It was his son Walther, armed with a crossbow and apple. This was supposedly a builder’s trick. The Nazis didn’t want to tolerate a representation of the freedom fighter and Swiss national hero. They permitted his son. Swiss national pride was respected.
In the shops on the ground floor, the Swiss Tourist Office opened a branch. Citizens booked train journeys to Switzerland. Imagine the hustle and bustle. People planned their escapes or vacations.
During the Second World War, the area suffered severe damage from Allied bombings. Haus der Schweiz was hit on April 9 and 10, 1941. A British RAF bomber raid impacted many areas. More bombs struck on February 3, 1945. This US air strike caused serious damage to adjacent buildings. The Hotel Viktoria, next to the Swiss House, was destroyed.
Yet, Haus der Schweiz survived relatively intact. Its modern construction method was the key. It became one of the only buildings in the area to withstand the bombing of Berlin. After the war, the blackened facade stood as a mute reminder of the destruction.
When Berlin was divided, the DDR government expropriated many surrounding buildings. The Swiss house remained Swiss property. The DDR government did not want to mess with Swiss banks. However, they used the house. The Ostberliner Sparkasse, the German Foreign Trade Bank, and a HO food market moved into the shops. The upper floors housed the “Coordination and Control Center for Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management”.
In 1994, a Swiss jeweler opened a branch in the renovated building. The Haus der Schweiz, now Haus Zürich, has been listed as a historic monument. It received a new interior design.
Haus Zürich stands as a symbol of Swiss neutrality. It also represents Berlin’s endurance. It has witnessed war, division, and reunification. It is a landmark. It connects us to the past. It reminds us of the stories etched into the city’s very foundation.