Schwerbelastungskörper (Heavy Load-Bearing Body)

A warning from history

Third Reich Memorials Architecture Buildings of Berlin Modernism

Under the direction of his architect Albert Speer, Hitler wanted to redesign Berlin as "Germania", the capital of the new German world capital. According to Hitler’s vision, two main highways, the so-called "East-West Axis" and the "North-South Axis" would have traversed the new world capital in the form of a cross. During the planning, the stability and load-bearing capacity of the Berlin construction site was tested. By building the heavy load-bearing body, the city received a gigantic structure weighing over 12,000 tons in preparation for Hitler's triumphal arch. After the Second World War, measurement tests were still being carried out on the pressure chamber until it was entered onto the list of historic buildings in 1995. The structure has been the property of the Tempelhof-Schöneberg district since 2002. Nowadays, the historical tour of the Heavy Load-bearing Body is primarily a source of information which aims to encourage critical engagement with National Socialism. Three steles on the grounds give information about the historical context. The dimensions of the urban planning can be seen from the observation platform above the Heavy Load-bearing Body.