Unification of the GDR and the FRG, historical facts. German Democratic Republic (GDR): history, capital, flag, coat of arms. The unification of the GDR and the FRG, historical facts Dresden was in the GDR or the FRG

The Internet is full of photos and posts from Dresden. This is not surprising, because Dresden is one of the most visited German cities by tourists. But few tourists go beyond the limits of the tourist reservation - the old city and the Neustadt beer district, so all these photos and reports look banal and repetitive. Today I will try to show a completely different Dresden that you are used to seeing. Today's post is dedicated to the Dresden architectural heritage of the GDR - panels and skyscrapers, of which there are countless in this beautiful city. And what is most surprising - they not only do not violate the urban picture, but rather decorate it. But let's look at everything with our own eyes ...

01. The first three photos were taken from the observation platform located at the upper station of the Dresden cable car. From this observation deck you can see the whole of Dresden at a glance. And its territory is very extensive, because in terms of the area it occupies, Dresden is the fourth city in Germany after Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne.

02. On the outskirts of Dresden during the GDR, huge residential areas of high-rise buildings were built. In the distance in the photo is one of the largest such areas - Prolis. The area is very specific, built according to Soviet patterns and is currently populated mainly by the unemployed and poorly educated population. With the cheapness and wide choice of housing that prevails in Dresden, only a person who is consciously close to that social environment can rent an apartment in Prolis. If you want to bring an original and non-popular photo report from Dresden - go to Prolis, the final tram 1, 9 and 13. Just do it during daylight hours and I recommend taking pictures of people discreetly, there they are mmm .... a little irritable.

03. Block arrays are built up not only on the outskirts of the city, but also on its entire center, which this photograph clearly demonstrates. Concrete blocks of high-rise buildings and spiers of cathedrals form here a single urban landscape and it is surprisingly harmonious.

04. Let's move to the city center and take a closer look at it from a height. The tourist reserve, that is, the territory of the old city, is outlined by the bell towers of the cathedrals and the tower of the city hall (the rightmost one). There is an observation deck at the top of the town hall tower, but in recent years the town hall has been under reconstruction and there was no access to the top. I'm going to visit Dresden this spring. I will have to check if the observation deck has been opened, the views from it should be amazing.

05. And this is the area next to mine. I photographed, by the way, from the top floor of the central institute building. This is the GDR zone. Three skyscrapers in the distance are university dormitories, the previous shot was taken from the balcony of one of them.

06. In the foreground is another university dormitory, one of the few that has not been sanitized. Projects for its reorganization are already under consideration, and now work should begin. Actually, there are two twin buildings, but the angle turned out so that one twin hid behind the second.

07. Another view from the top floor of the institute building. I was very lucky with the weather that day.

08. A careful look will notice a golden dome in the photo. Meanwhile, our excursion is teleported to the balcony of the upper floor of the right skyscraper.

09. From this photo you will not immediately understand that it was taken in Germany. The Russian Orthodox Church organically fits into the surrounding landscape, only emphasizing the flavor of this area.

10. The Orthodox church was built in 1872-1874 in the Russian-Byzantine architectural style, you can read more about it on Wikipedia.

11. This is a student area located between the two largest educational institutions of the city - the Technical University and the Institute of Technology and Economics. On the right in the photo is a sanitized student hostel, on the left is an ordinary residential building behind which the institute buildings and a student canteen with a red triangular roof are visible.

12. Beautiful church, I would like to add a couple of photos of the interiors, but when they see the camera, the temple workers become mmm ... irritable, like the inhabitants of Prolis.

13. Another complex of skyscrapers is also student dormitories. All of them were twins, built according to the same project, but during the renovation they were approached creatively and now they have become the decoration of the area.

14. They are the same but from a different angle. Beauty!

15. These twins are also student dormitories located in the very center of the city. In one of them I lived a happy four years.

16. But let's go back to the top floor of the institute building and look out the window from the back of the building. What do we see?

17. This is probably what a utopian socialist city would have looked like if communism had been built :)

18. Beauty!

19. A commuter train, which had just left the building of the main station and was heading towards the national park "Saxon Switzerland", got into the frame.

20. And these twin high-rise buildings are ordinary residential buildings. Not only are they tall in themselves, they also stand on a hill. The views from there must be breathtaking. Well, let's check... and the teleport takes us to the upper balcony of the right one.

21. The view from the balcony is really amazing.

22. How beautiful this city is surrounded by greenery!

23. The expression "immersed in greenery" here acquires a completely literal meaning. The green sea completely swallowed up the city streets, the railway overpass, houses and squares of the city. The skyscrapers and roofs of high-rise buildings resemble islands in this vast green ocean stretching to the horizon.

24.

25. A look from the back side at three skyscrapers - student dormitories from the eighth photo. From the balcony of the middle one, I filmed the area with the Russian Orthodox Church, which is in the photographs above. The two identical buildings at the bottom of the photo are the buildings of the SLUB Land Library, familiar to every student of Dresden. At the height of the session, this library becomes a second home for thousands of students.

26. What I love Dresden for is its diversity. Here, in an amazing way, many historical eras are combined, and so harmoniously that each of these eras does not lose its atmosphere and originality. As a result, a walk through the districts of the city turns into a journey through time through the rich history of this great city.

27. In the next post, I will continue to explore the city from a height and show the high-rise Dresden in a more versatile way.

As everyone knows, in February 1945, the Anglo-American aviation subjected the city of Dresden, a major cultural center, the former capital of the electorate of Saxony, "Florence on the Elbe" to a massive bombardment. As a result, the historical center, the Old Town,. In the 1950s the ruins were dismantled, with the exception of the skeletons of a few historical buildings. They will stand in mothballed form throughout the entire era of the GDR.
As a monument to the war, it was decided to leave also the ruins of the most beautiful church in the city - Frauenkirche.
This is what they looked like in 1957:

Only at the very end of the 20th century will the man-made miracle of the reconstruction of the historical center of Dresden begin, the largest restoration project in Europe since the revival of Warsaw and Gdansk.

A real miracle of architecture, similar to a huge stone bell, the Frauenkirche was built in the Baroque style at the direction of the Saxon Elector and King of Poland Augustus the Strong in 1726-1743.
This is how it looked at the end of the 19th century:

Entire generations of Dresdeners remembered her quite differently.
Frauenkirche in 1967:

This was the view of the center of Dresden in 1957:


On the left we see the ruins Dresden castle residence.
Another view from 1957:

Gradually, the place of the former Old Town was filled with new buildings. The former New Market Square (Neumarkt) around the ruins of the Frauenkirche remained undeveloped. View in 1960:

One of the surviving churches near the castle (forgot its name), 1960:

Panorama of the historical center of Dresdan in 1960:

The state of the Dresden Castle was not much different from the state of the Royal Castle of Königsberg in the first post-war years. But Dresden was mothballed in time and was not allowed to be pulled apart into a brick, moreover, they did not blow up the remains.
Residence Castle and Taschenberg Palace in 1967:

View of the castle in 1969:

Construction of a modern cultural palace in the heart of Dresden's Old Town, 1967:

Residence Palace in 1980:

Panorama of the historical center of Dresden in 1980:

The ruins of the Frauenkirche in 1980:

1982:

Not that the GDR authorities were opposed to the restoration of historical sights, they restored some of the pearls of Dresden very well: the Zwinger palace ensemble and the Opera, for example. However, further work on the revival of the Old City was clearly not included in their immediate plans.
Everything changed in 1989. The people of Dresden decided that they wanted to return the Saxon capital to its former beauty and grandeur at all costs. The fact that they had to rebuild the long-defunct Old Town did not bother them. And the fact that the rebuilt will be a complete fake and remake. They were not embarrassed by the disastrous economic situation of eastern Germany after reunification, that huge funds could be spent on solving social problems. It is unlikely that they then thought that the invested costs would then pay off a hundredfold with millions of tourist flows. No, they just wanted to return their city in all its glory and be proud of it. For them, this was the same important spiritual task as for the Poles the restoration of medieval Warsaw after the war.

At least the following fact speaks of what a huge work was ahead: the restoration of the castle began in the early 90s, and it should end in 2013, that is, it took more than 20 years to complete the object in the Old Town alone!
In the yard 1990:


The slow restoration was explained not only by financial difficulties, but by the technology itself, which was aimed at restoring a genuine historical monument with maximum authenticity, and not creating its reinforced concrete dummy.
Here it must be said that after the war, the ruins of palaces, churches, historical buildings of Dresden were carefully dismantled, all the fragments were described and taken out of the city. For almost half a century, they waited in the wings before it was "time to collect stones" and then every surviving brick fell into place.
The symbol of the entire restoration campaign was the reconstruction of the Frauenkirche, without which the classical silhouette of the city was simply unthinkable. The money for it was collected nationwide:

In 1990, the dismantling of the mound from the fragments of the temple and archaeological work began.
1991:

April 1993:

In 1996, the actual reconstruction began. All the stones from the previous building that could be found and identified were put in their original place. They are easy to spot in the walls of the restored temple, since the old stones have a darker tone:

Taking into account the use of two large fragments of old walls, the restored monument cannot be called a remake or a dummy.
The restoration of the church was completed in 2005. Immediately after that, the reconstruction of entire blocks of the surrounding historical buildings began, and for this, the GDR buildings that got in the way were demolished.
However, if the restoration of the Castle-Residence and the Frauenkirche was a meticulous work with maximum historical accuracy, then the background buildings were originally planned as a remake stylized in antiquity, without trying to create the illusion of antiquity and authenticity. While almost all of the houses are designed from old photographs and paintings, they are nevertheless intentionally interspersed with cutting-edge architecture, including the infamous decon. As a result, the recreated buildings create the necessary background for genuine historical monuments, create a cozy atmosphere of the old city, but at the same time do not mislead, reminding at every step that this is not a genuine antiquity, but only an emulation of the irretrievably lost.
Based on this complex concept, the miraculous resurrection of the Old Town in Dresden took place.
Neumarkt Square became like this after the reconstruction of the historical ensemble:

The administrative center of the Dresden district. 585.8 thousand inhabitants (1970). A major economic and cultural center of the country. Dagestan's early economic growth was facilitated by its advantageous transport position on the Elba waterway from Central Europe to the North Sea and along the trade road that ran at the foot of the Ore Mountains. D. - river port, railway junction. lines and highways, airport. The city has developed highly skilled, predominantly non-metal-intensive branches of engineering, especially the electrical and electronic industries (transformers, refrigerators, heat engineering, vacuum equipment, semiconductors), instrument making, optical production, and precision engineering (X-ray machines, film and photo equipment, etc.). Light industry, the ancient production of porcelain and glassware, garments, furniture, and the food and flavor industry (especially tobacco and chocolate) are represented.

Historical reference. D. was originally a fishing village of the Serbo-Lusatian Slavs. As a city, it was first mentioned in 1216. About 1345 and about 1368 there were uprisings of craftsmen against the patriciate in Dagestan. From 1485 D. was the residence of the Albertine line of the Saxon Dukes of Wettin. Since 1806 it has been the capital of the Kingdom of Saxony. During the Napoleonic wars, there was a major battle near D. (August 26–27, 1813). During the Revolution of 1848–49 in Germany, an uprising took place in Dagestan in defense of the imperial constitution (see Vol. Dresden Uprising 1849). In 1871, Denmark, like all of Saxony, became part of the German Empire. In 1917–18, the movement against the imperialist war developed considerably in Dagestan. In September 1923, a demonstration of the “proletarian hundreds” took place in Dagestan, which laid the foundation for the upsurge of the revolutionary movement in Saxony. The bombing of the city by British and American aircraft at the end of World War II (February 1945) caused enormous destruction and death of a significant part of the inhabitants of Dagestan. After liberation by the Soviet Army (May 8, 1945), Dagestan became part of the Soviet zone of occupation of Germany. With the formation of the GDR (October 7, 1949) he became part of it.

Planning and architecture. D. is one of the most beautiful German cities. Its appearance is largely determined by parks and bridges across the Elbe, connecting the left-bank part of the D. - Altstadt (Old Town - the historical core of the city) - with Neustadt (New Town). Neustadt was built up mainly in the 19‒20 centuries, has a radial-circular layout in the central part; its center is Einheit (Unity) Square, which adjoins the business districts. On the right bank of the Elbe there are restored architectural monuments: the Japanese Palace (1715‒1741, architects Z. Longlyun, J. de Bodt, M.D. Pöppelman), as well as the Pilnitz palace and park complex (1720‒24, architects M.D. Peppelman, Z. Longlyun). Altstadt has had a relatively regular network of streets since the Middle Ages; its center is the Postplatz square, located between the new buildings (on the site of the destroyed quarters) and the main architectural monuments grouped along the Elbe. Among them: the Electors' Castle (later than the kings, founded around 1200, built in the 15‒19th centuries, being restored); in the baroque style - the Zwinger palace ensemble (from pavilions united by galleries on 3 sides of the courtyard; 1711‒1722, architect M. D. Pöppelman; restored in 1955‒62, see fig. ill.) and the Hofkirche church (1738‒56, architect G. Chiaveri; restored, see ill.). The Zwinger is closed by the Art Gallery building (1847‒49, architect G. Semper; completed in 1856, architect M. Henel; restored). The socialist reconstruction of Dagestan began with the construction of Altmarkt Square (1953–56, architects J. Rascher, G. Müller, and G. Guder) and a number of streets (Ernst Thalmann Strasse and others). The ensemble of multi-storey buildings was erected in the Prager Strasse area (architect P. Snigon and others). The following were built: the Printing House (1960–68) and the Palace of Culture (1970) by architects W. Hensch and H. Löschau. The state art collections of Dagestan include Dresden art gallery, Historical Museum, Porcelain Collection, "Green Vault" (collection of Saxon jewelry), Museum of Folk Art, etc.

Educational institutions and scientific institutions. Technical University, Higher Transport School, Medical Academy, Higher School of Music, Higher School of Fine Arts, Pedagogical Institute. major libraries. D. - Center for Nuclear Research (atomic reactor in Rossendorf near D.).

Lit.: Unter der Fahne der Revolution. Die Dresdner Arbeiter im Kampf gegen den 1. Weltkrieg, Dresden, 1959; Löffler, F., Das alte Dresden, 4. Aufl., Dresden, 1962.

Great Soviet Encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1969-1978 .

See what "Dresden (a city in the GDR)" is in other dictionaries:

- (Dresden), a city in the GDR, the center of the district of the same name. First mentioned in 1216. Since 1485 the residence of the Saxon Dukes of Wettin. Since 1806 the capital of the Kingdom of Saxony. A major cultural and artistic center. Dresden is one of the most beautiful... Art Encyclopedia

This term has other meanings, see Dresden (meanings). City of Dresden Dresden Coat of arms ... Wikipedia

I Dresden (Dresden) district in the southeast of the GDR, in the basin of the upper reaches of the river. Elbe. The area is 6.7 thousand km2. Population (1969) 1.9 million people; in the administrative districts of Bautzen, Niski, Kamenz (Oberlausitz) in a small number, except for the Germans, live ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

- (Dresden) a city in the GDR, adm. c. env. Dresden. 491.7 t. (1961). Large prom. center (precision engineering, instrument making, optical production, as well as the historically established production of porcelain and glass). D. originally a Serbo fishing village ... ... Soviet historical encyclopedia

Today we will continue our virtual tour of Dresden and see the city from the height of the Frauenkirche bell tower, walk around the historic suburb, more or less survived during the war, take a look at the Volkswagen plant, where the Phaeton luxury model is produced.

The interior of the Frauenkirche is certainly impressive. A special entrance was made to climb the bell tower, and if you come to the opening itself (in my opinion, at 10 am), then you can stay there almost alone for some time.

And here is the view from the bell tower.

The scale of the ongoing reconstruction is clearly visible. Of course, it is amazing how scrupulously the Germans approach the restoration of the destroyed city. Much has been irretrievably lost, both because of the scale of the losses and because of the post-war order of priorities: there was no time for beauty, especially considering that Dresden was part of the GDR, with all the ensuing architectural consequences.

And this is how Dresden looked 70 years ago, after the Anglo-American bombing.

Someone's cozy terrace.

Some kind of installation, I did not understand.

Let's take a little walk around the city. "St. Petersburg Street" in Dresden (like Dresdenskaya Street in St. Petersburg) appeared after these two cities became sister cities.

Ideal road: cars have only one lane, between the bike path and the tram line.

Museum "Green Vaults" - the famous collection of jewels in Dresden, the former princely treasury of the Wettins, covering the period from the Renaissance to classicism.

There was a serious debate about this sculpture, and the decision to dismantle it was considered: it seemed to someone that her hand symbolized a Nazi gesture. Fortunately, common sense prevailed and the sculpture remained in its place.

German Museum of Hygiene - was founded as a national hygiene training center in 1912 by the German entrepreneur and manufacturer Karl August Lingner. In the museum, one could gain knowledge about human anatomy, about healthy eating, personal hygiene and maintaining health. Since 1933, the museum has been creating an exposition dedicated to the preservation of the purity of the Aryan race and racial hygiene in the spirit of the National Socialist ideology that prevailed in the country.

Dresden is quite a green city, but, like in Berlin, there are very few people in parks and squares. Perhaps this is due to the peculiarity of the mentality - to work during working hours, and not to walk in the parks :-) Maybe this feature makes Germany the number 1 economy in Europe.

One of the factories of the Volkswagen concern is located in Dresden, where only one model is produced - luxury Phaetons. The building itself is called "Glass Manufactory" and has a completely cosmic architecture; its construction cost the company 180 million euros.

Bicycle parking in front of the building.

A prototype, somewhat reminiscent of the VW Scirocco.

Handsome "Phaeton". Although sales of this model somehow did not go in Russia, which is not surprising, because few people are ready to pay more than 4.5 million rubles. for Volkswagen, albeit a premium level.

Factory foyer. Tours of the plant, including assembly lines, begin every hour.

Layout and interactive map. Directly not a factory, but a real museum.

The main feature is transparency. As planned by the architects, the building has transparent walls. Here, for example, is a warehouse for finished products.

Assembly line.

Body shop.

General plan from the back.

On the roads in Dresden, "Phaeton" has never met, and in general, expensive cars are rare there. But there are plenty of bicycles. In this photo, there are probably more of them than pedestrians.

Monday, working day, half-empty roads.

Let's look at one of the low-rise districts of the city that survived during the war.

Albrechtsberg Castle is one of the three Elbe castles on the right bank of the Elbe. It was built in the style of Prussian classicism in 1850-1854 by architect Adolf Lohse, a student of Schinkel, for the Prussian prince Albrecht, the younger brother of the kings of Prussia, Friedrich Wilhelm IV and Wilhelm I. Since 1937, the castle buildings were used as barracks and stables of the SA cavalry company. Since 1943, the cellars of the castle served as a shelter during the bombing raids for children from orphanages in Dresden. After the war, units of the Red Army were quartered in Albrechtsberg, as in other Elbe castles. In 1948, the Intourist Hotel was opened in the castle, bought from the city by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the GDR. In 1951, the first palace of pioneers in the GDR was opened in the palace according to the Soviet model. Now the castle building is used for various cultural events and rented for wedding ceremonies.

On the left, Lingner Castle is the middle of the three Elbe castles. The villa, built in 1850-1853 by order of Prince Albrecht of Prussia and designed by the architect Adolf Lohse, is better known thanks to the most famous of its owners, entrepreneur Karl August Lingner (the one who opened the people's hygiene training center).

On the right is Ekberg Castle. This powerful and mysterious building was erected for almost three years, from 1859 to 1861. The customer was the merchant Johann Daniel Suche from Frankfurt am Main, the architect was the Dresden master Christian Friedrich Arnold. Suchet's love for England played a big role in creating the style of the castle, so all elements of the Tudor neo-Gothic were used in the construction. Thus, in the second half of the 19th century, the magical world of Britain arose on the banks of the Elbe.

Although the central part of Dresden was almost completely destroyed, the outskirts of the city escaped this fate, so we can still find original historical buildings.

Well, a few more shots from the central part of the city.

Dresden Station is a beautiful, monumental building. The city is a major railway junction. Railway lines of five directions converge here. By high-speed train, you can reach Berlin in 2 hours and 10 minutes.

On this train, I returned back to Prague, which I talked about in previous posts.

Kurt Vonnegut"Slaughterhouse Five, or the Children's Crusade"

David Irving"The destruction of Dresden. The largest bombing of World War II. 1944-1945"