The Marie-Elisabeth-Lüders-Haus is a unique government building located on the banks of the Spree River in the heart of Berlin, in close proximity to other important state institutions such as the Reichstag building and the Federal Chancellor’s Office. The building is part of the symbolic architectural ensemble ‘Ribbon of the Federation’ (German: Band des Bundes), whose idea is to unite the former parts of the divided Berlin. Its patron, Marie-Elisabeth Lüders (1878-1966), was a pioneer in German politics – she was the first woman in the country to obtain a doctorate in political science and worked for women’s rights and social reform.
The building, which opened in 2003, was designed by German architect Stephan Braunfels. In 1993, he won a competition to design the Marie-Elisabeth-Lüders-Haus and the neighbouring Paul-Löbe-Haus building. His vision delighted the jury with a distinctive and modern design that emphasises the democratic nature of the state and serves as a model for other buildings in this part of Berlin. The building has simple, even ascetic lines and a ridged structure with open courtyards. The combination of concrete walls and glazed facades allows for optimum illumination of the interiors, while the striking eaves give the whole building an individual character. The 36-metre high tower dominates the mass of the building, and the central hall, which can accommodate up to 1,200 people, has been adapted for public events. The glass rotunda, the heart of the parliamentary library, is located on an east-west axis.
Ansgar Koreng, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Marie-Elisabeth-Lüders-Haus is the information and documentation centre of the Bundestag. It houses the parliamentary library, the archives and the press documentation department – the first time in history that all these functions have been housed in a single building. Previously, the Bundestag Library occupied eight different buildings in Bonn. The library in the rotunda, one of the largest of its kind in the world, can hold 1.4 million volumes and numerous periodicals. The book collection, comprising 22,000 current publications, is organised according to traditional fisked catalogues, preserved until 1986. A transport system allows books to be delivered quickly to readers, and storage facilities are located in the building’s basement. The rotunda space is lit by four lower towers that house the catalogues and archives.
The building also houses the Press Documentation Department, which has been supporting parliamentarians since 1999 by collecting archival press cuttings (23 million from 1949 to 1999) and an extensive collection of caricatures. There are also special collections dedicated to the work of the Bundestag, including documentation of laws, recordings, photographs and transcripts. All materials are available online. The Public Hearing Room is a square space of 290 square metres, used mainly for hearings of committees of inquiry. Outside the windows, the Reichstag building can be seen from here, symbolically linking the place of public debate with the main venue for state decision-making.
The building hides not only government functions but also various works of art. It houses, among others, Maurizio Nannucci’s Blue Ring, an 80-metre-long neon installation encircling the rotunda’s vault, alluding to the tension between freedom and equality. The works also include a cross of neon ribbons by Frenchman François Morellet, and black rectangles by Julia Mangold. A symbolic monument ‘Miracolo – L’idea di un’immagine’, a sculpture of a rider on horseback, commemorating human steadfastness, is placed on the outer staircase above the banks of the Spree. In addition, inside the rotunda is a fragment of the Berlin Wall, a reminder of the dramatic division of the city. The building is also decorated with paintings and sculptures by numerous German and international artists, further emphasising its modern and inclusive character.
The Marie-Elisabeth-Lüders-Haus is not only a building with unique architecture, but also a symbol of German unity and openness. Together with the other buildings of the Federation Ribbon, it connects the formerly divided parts of Berlin, providing a lasting symbol of reconciliation and a future built together.
Source: bundestag.de, berlin.de
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