The imposing structure before you is the Haus des Deutschen Metallarbeiterverbandes. Its very presence speaks volumes. This isn’t just a building. It’s a testament to a powerful past a symbol of the German metalworkers’ union.
Designed by the renowned architect Erich Mendelsohn in 1929 and 1930 the Haus des Deutschen Metallarbeiterverbandes was more than just a headquarters. It was a bold statement a physical embodiment of the union’s social and political commitment. The sweeping facade the flagpole shaped like a demonstrator at the head of a protest march all speak to this. Mendelsohn who was a hugely successful architect in the 1920s employed 40 people and had clients lining up. He even used high-quality materials like Travertin limestone also used in the contemporary Shell Haus. Bronze accents further highlight the building’s importance.
The Haus des Deutschen Metallarbeiterverbandes is a masterpiece of New Objectivity. It’s devoid of ornamentation or historical allusions. Its steel skeleton is a marvel of modern engineering yet the design is far from purely functional. The steel allowed Mendelsohn to create the expressive facade with its concave inward curve. The horizontal lines of the massive window bands were intentional. Mendelsohn believed that horizontal lines offered relief from the stresses of modern life.
Construction wasn’t without its challenges. A strike by construction workers delayed completion. The building finally opened in 1930. However its triumph was short-lived. After the Nazis seized power in 1933 they banned the unions. The Haus des Deutschen Metallarbeiterverbandes became the seat of the Nazi German Labour Front. Mendelsohn himself was forced into exile. His construction foreman Ernst Sagebiel on the other hand joined the Nazi party.
World War II brought further devastation. Bombing left the building almost completely burned out in 1945. Yet it wasn’t forgotten. The IG Metall painstakingly rebuilt the Haus des Deutschen Metallarbeiterverbandes from 1948 to 1952. A major restoration in 1989 returned it to its 1930 glory. Today you see this remarkable building almost exactly as it was when first unveiled. It remains a union hall the home of the IG Metall district office for Berlin Brandenburg and Saxony. It stands as a potent symbol of resilience and the enduring power of the labor movement.