Reliving history in new-look Reichstag

By K. K. Katyal

BERLIN, MAY 18. It stands in the centre of Berlin - this majestic, imposing structure, Reichstag, the hub of political activity in united Germany. After the capital was moved here last year, it became the seat of the two Houses of Parliament and regained the glory denied to it for decades. Cynically misused by Hitler, it was not properly used for more than six decades. In 1933, it was destroyed by a fire started, as it became clear later, by the Nazis as part of a grand manipulative design to assume total control. They foisted the blame on the Communists who were then proceeded against and with that the opposition was effectively decimated.

The damaged structure was not used by Hitler's sham Parliament. After the second world war, the wall that divided Berlin ran close to Reichstag. Located on the fringe of West Berlin, it was physically marginalised and not considered fit for any major role. When Germany was reunited, the restoration of Reichstag assumed top priority. With Parliament moving into it, the cycle of history took a major turn.

The giant cupola on the top of the building, besides being an architectural novelty, records the various phases, good and bad, of German history, through pictures and easy-to-follow captions. Here is a sample: ``The German Reich surrenders unconditionally on May 8, 1945, after 12 years of dictatorship and a devastating world war that claimed over 50 million victims. Germany is largely destroyed. The end of the war means liberation and hope but some defeat, disillusionment and fears for others.''

Restoration of the Reichstag building was no routine process. The first step was taken five years ago when the massive structure was wrapped in a silver fabric by the world famous artist, Christo, who had undertaken similar jobs in other countries - among others, he wrapped the tower bridge in London. Thus highlighted, it became the occasion for festivity, attracting people from various parts of Germany and elsewhere. It was a gorgeous spectacle as Reichstag shimmered softly, providing a grand visual feast. Unwrapped after two weeks, it was entrusted to a noted British architect, Sir John Foster, for restoration of the facade and a major internal restructuring. The contemporary style of the inner structure and the cupola on the top, on the one hand, and the traditional rugged look of the outer shell did not quite blend, but that did not seem to matter. The exterior has a strong classicist stamp, making the building appear older than it actually is - but conspicuously robust.

The cupola is the most prominent feature - this light sculptor with its angled mirrors enables visitors to have a look at the Parliamentary proceedings in the hall below. Constructed with 800 tonnes of steel and 3,000 sq. metres of glass, it is striking because of its openness, meant to symbolise the transparency of the system.

What has now been restored, officials emphasise, is the Reichstag building, which houses the two Houses, Bundestag and Bundestat, not the Reich regime, discredited because of its association with disturbing memories. If it is one of the several parliament buildings around the globe, what, one may ask, is special or significant about it? Linked with it are major developments that affected the world - the world war and the developments before and after.

The move of the capital to Berlin was preceded by a raging controversy, with the Bonn lobby putting up fierce resistance. The final decision was taken with a razor-thin majority and, as a result, the heart-burning of a large section would take time to heal. The advocates of Berlin, cutting across party lines like its opponents, are almost euphoric at what is seen as a case of history asserting itself. Said a lady member of the Lower House of Parliament and its foreign committee, Ms. Petra Ernstberger, in a typical comment, ``what a great feeling to be in Berlin, to be in this historic building. To be here is to love history. Bonn was artificial, it was created as an administrative centre after the war. It was quiet. Here I see life. The assembly hall in Bonn was, no doubt, colourful, offering a panoramic view of the Rhine and the area around. There is no window in Reichstag - here the dominant emotion is one of seriousness, of responsibility.''

No other parliament witnessed such cataclysms, as the Reichstag did in the last 90 years. A few highlights:

1918: On November 9, after the collapse of the German Empire, Philipp Scheidemann, chairman of the Social Democratic Parliamentary Party, proclaimed the German Republic from a balcony of the Reichstag building.

1933: On January 30, Hitler was appointed Reich Chancellor. The Reichstag fire on the night of February 23, signalled the end of parliamentary democracy in Germany. The Enabling Act cleared the way for one-party rule.

1945: The National Socialist regime drove Germany and Europe into the cataclysm of the second world war. The raising of the Soviet flag over the Reichstag ended the Battle of Berlin and affixed the seal on the defeat of the German Reich.

1948: At the famous demonstration of September 9, 350,000 people gathered in front of the building to protest against the Berlin blockade and the division of the city by the Soviet Union.

1961: With the building of the Berlin Wall on August 13, Berlin became a divided city. For decades, the border between East and West ran behind the Reichstag building.

1989: The collapse of the SED (communist) leadership brought about by constant mass demonstrations signalled the demise of the GDR. At the border behind the Reichstag building and elsewhere, ``wallpeckers'' claimed pieces of the Wall which came down on November 9.

1990: On October 4, a day after unification, the first (symbolic) sitting of the all-German Bundestag took place in the Reichstag building. The President of the German Bundestag, Professor Rita Sussmuth, gave the inaugural address.

1999: On April 19, the key to the Reichstag building, fully converted by Sir Norman Foster, was formally presented to the German Bundestag. The glass cupola, the most prominent feature of the building, was also opened to the public.

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