The rapid growth of Berlin in the German Empire involved the construction of many administrative buildings. The task of designing the courts was given to three architects and officials who wanted to demonstrate to the entire Empire the power of the imperial capital. At the beginning of the 20th century, three fabulously decorated courts of three distinct styles were built. They chose Saxon Gothic for the Wedding district, monumental Neo-Baroque for Moabit and fanciful Art Nouveau for the Mitte court. Unfortunately, truncated reconstructions of these magnificent edifices have survived to the present day.
Imperial justice
After the spectacular German victory over the French in the War of 1871, Otto von Bismarck and King Wilhelm I Hohenzollern came to their senses. The new German Empire was proclaimed at Versailles and the biggest winner of the German unification process, Prussia, dictated the appearance of the state. Berlin became the capital of the new superpower, which grew to a population of more than 2 million over the next thirty years after the establishment of the Second Reich.
The state needed new administrative edifices, so the Ministry of Public Works began to commission nationwide investments. At the end of the nineteenth century, Paul Thoemer, who held the high position of secret adviser to the Department of Justice, was given the task of designing modern court buildings for Berlin and other cities in the Second Reich. Together with the architects: Rudolf Mönnich and Otto Schmalz, Thoemer began work on the national court in the Mitte district. It is worth noting that Schmalz was not as renowned an architect as his comrades, but the history of Berlin’s courts has shown that it was his perspective on design that proved crucial.
The construction of the Landgericht (state court) in Mitte, costing more than 7.4 million German marks, began in 1896 and took eight years to complete. Originally, the building was to be a neo-Baroque colossus, but Otto Schmalz, inspired by modern Art Nouveau, proposed a compromise in style. The monumental façade on the Grunerstraße side impressed with the symmetry of its rich ornamentation. Cartouches, pilasters and parapets dominated the façade, while rustication spread below. Two massive towers with bay windows and Baroque ornaments protected the sides of the façade, and the risalit was decorated with sculptures and polychromes. The latter element was a sign of the new times, as it represented Art Nouveau flair. The same can be said of the balustrades swirling in Art Nouveau patterns. All this under the constant supervision of Prussian eagles looking down from the mansard roofs.
The incredibly ornate wrought-iron door was a large relief depicting a miniature court and the goddess of justice, Themis, seated on it. The whole is concealed under a bulging cornice. Doors on other sides of the edifice were small works of art banded with translated Latin sentences such as: “jedem das seine” (to each his due). As an aside, the same inscription, in a different context, hung on the gate of the Buchenwald camp.
Fairytale hall
The interior is already Schmalz’s complete fantasy. The solemn, somewhat intimidating architecture of the baroque façade seems to contradict the fairytale-like, serene decor inside. The 30.5 m high foyer hall welcomes you with delicate shades of pink, red and creamy white. Winding staircases surround the ballroom-like room. The expressive shapes of Art Nouveau in the form of wrought iron gates, balustrades, grilles and flattened windows are noticeable. The interior consists mainly of classical architectural elements, but with a new twist. The Gothic star vaulting is combined with warm red and gold ornaments around the edges, and the whole is crowned by a large chandelier. Interestingly, warm or cool air entered the foyer through huge grilles at the base of the staircase.
Other rooms, although more modest than the foyer, were delightful with Art Nouveau polychromes depicting plants and animals. Even the courtyards, tucked away at the back, were decorated with brick patterns and flamboyant stucco ornaments. A motif of the “Sol Iustitiae” (sun of justice), i.e. a sun bursting with heat, symbolising divine or simply judicial justice.
Kaiser Wilhelm II was not overly pleased with the rather bold interior design. The motley colours did not reflect the seriousness of the judiciary. Despite this opinion, the building took off and its functionality and size served more than just the judges. Inside there were beautiful canteens, a ballroom and, in addition to the national court, a district court was also organised in the building.
The Germans did not enjoy the beautiful building for too long, as the Second World War, which they caused, resulted in colossal damage to Berlin. The Mitte courthouse suffered significantly, and post-war reconstruction left a much more modest building. Under communism, any reference to Prussia was cut short and an architectural tragedy ensued in the 1960s. In order to widen Grunerstraße, the baroque facade was demolished. Only the side façade on the Littenstraße side, which is much poorer, remains today.
Late Gothic
Another work by the architects Thoemer and Mönnich was the district court (Amtsgericht) in the Wedding district completed in 1906. This time the focus was on neo-Gothic inspired by the Saxon Albrechtsburg Castle in Meissen. These references are particularly evident in the late Gothic domes and the accumulated decoration of the façade. The risalit is covered with masquerades and various forms of frogs, while pinnacles, turrets and other Gothic elements are also visible on the sides. Openwork ornamentation covers the large, ornate portal. The walls are also decorated with floral ornaments and the coats of arms of the former villages in the area of the present Wedding. The most important symbol of the decoration is the over three-metre-high statue of Iustitia, the Roman goddess of justice. In truth, to the more attentive viewer, a large eagle with a suspiciously round wreath in its talons will rather catch the eye. This is, of course, a Nazi symbol that replaced the original Prussian eagle in the 1930s. After the war, the bird remained in its place, but the swastika was torn from its talons.
In contrast to Berlin’s national court, the intimidating architecture of the facade also pours inside. The vast space inside is reminiscent of the hall church known from late Gothic architecture. Mighty staircases supported by bronze octagonal columns circle the square, creating a medieval labyrinth. Above visitors’ heads stretches a huge lattice vault with keystones representing the signs of the zodiac. The ubiquitous masquerades, female figures, animals and other decorations emphasise the stateliness of the interior and are intended to symbolise the triumph of law over evil. All this beauty has survived to this day, despite extensive damage during the Second World War.
The perfect baroque
The architect duo designed a dozen more courthouses and administrative edifices throughout the Reich, but in the case of Berlin, another example of their genius is worth looking at. Completed in 1906, the criminal court building (Kriminalgericht) was originally another court building in the Moabit area. The first court was built back in the 1880s, but burned down during the Second World War. The current Moabit courthouse is the fulfilment of Thoemer’s dream of an ideal baroque. The mighty building with its two towers on the sides is somewhat reminiscent of the original design of the Mitte courthouse, but in Moabit the towers do not complete the façade and the building spills out further. Classical Baroque decorations such as cartouches, pediment, dormers, pilasters, mascarons are noticeable on the façade, and the entrance is adorned by a beautiful wrought iron gate with allegories to justice. Interestingly, the sandstone used in the construction was excavated in the area of present-day Radkow.
thoemer’s “perfect baroque” also dictated the interior design. The ceiling of the entrance hall reaches as high as 29 m, and the wealth of sculptures and symbols overwhelms anyone entering the building. The colossal edifice houses dozens of courtrooms, hundreds of interrogation rooms, twelve courtyards, a dozen staircases and dozens of hidden passageways used to transport suspects. Not surprisingly, the entrance hall to such a large building is intimidating in its architecture. In terms of surface area and staff numbers, it is the largest court of its kind in Europe.
The white hall features gold accents and intricate stucco decoration. Allegorical sculptures representing different values of the secular and religious worlds play an interesting role. Secular symbols such as the signs of the zodiac and Christian symbols are noticeable, to signify the symbiosis of human and divine justice. It is worth mentioning that at the time of its opening, the building was a pioneer of modernity. The Kriminalgericht is the first building to use electric lighting in Berlin. Moreover, the edifice has its own power generator, lifts, a ventilation and heating system in almost every room, and the entire structure is based on a reinforced concrete frame.
Ruins of an empire
Thoemer’s amazing designs define the monumental and serious architecture of the Wilhelm II era. In order to demonstrate the power of the emperor, historical gems of German architecture were reached for. Admittedly, the power of the empire was tested only a few years after the edifices were completed, but the timeless beauty of Berlin’s courts still impresses today. Romantic fairytale-like designs became a speciality of the time, and after the First World War there was neither space nor money for them. You can read about other Thoemer projects, such as the Danzig railway station, HERE and HERE.
Source: Gesellschaft Historisches Berlin
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