Germania topic is not too often presented in other museums
Wide range of aspects about the Germania plans
Flyctory.com Cons
Limited opening hours
Not barrier free
It is almost needless to say that Adolf Hitler was obsessed with megalomanic ideas. Apart from ruling the world and mass murders, here also recklessly drove some hard-to-believe plans in very domestic affairs. One of these plans was Germania, the transition of Berlin to an impressive and triumphant capital of Germany – and the world. Unfortunately, there are not too many museums about this topic. In Berlin, the society Berliner Unterwelten (“Berlin Underworlds”) drive an exhibition about this topic in previously hidden rooms of the Gesundbrunnen station. The full name is Mythos Germania – Vision und Verbrechen – “Myth of Germania – Vision and Crimes”. In non-pandemic times, the Unterwelten also offer various guided tours to different topics.
Myth Of Germania – Location & Admission
To access the exhibition floor of the Berliner Unterwelten, you need to enter the U8 Underground Station Berlin-Gesundbrunnen, which is in front of the modern shopping mall. On the right, an escalator leads you directly to the platform. You have to take the staircase on the left. About half-way to the platform, there is a metal door on the left (when you come from the shopping mall). That already tells you that the exhibition is not barrier-free and can thus not be visited by people with limited mobility.
At the time of writing, the exhibition is only opening on Saturdays, 11:00 to 17:00 hrs. Adult admission is 6 Euro. If you also do a guided tour with Berliner Unterwelten, the exhibition admission price reduces to 3 Euro only. Taking pictures is typically not allowed – I thank the Berliner Unterwelten for allowing me to introduce you to this place.
Myth Of Germania – The Visit
The museum is bilingual, in German as well as in English. At some spots, there are folders, which allow you do dig deeper into certain topics. One thing I liked is that on several spots of the exhibition, they are introduce you to main characters of the Germania plans. Most of them are managers and key roles of the Generalbauinspektor (short: GBI, translates to “General Building Inspektor”), who was responsible for the upgrade of Berlin on architecture level. A good way to start your visit is spending a few minutes with the introduction movie.
After that, you head into the key exhibition room. Each section of the museum is typically focusing on a certain topic. Thereby, the Mythos Germania museum really gives a deep insight into the plannings. For example, you also learn how people were forced to move away or how the Nazis planned to move who cemeteries to fulfill their plans. The key exhibit, though, is in the middle of the room. A huge scale model shows the vast transformation which was intended. It indeed plays the role of the hortatory element of the museum.
Another very impressive model in the exhibition features the Große Halle (“Great Hall”), an arena-like giant building which was expected to host some 180,000 spectators. Later during your visit, a transparent plastic model on top of the structure of the nowadays governmental area at the Spreebogen shows how this plans would fit into the Berlin of 2021.The museum also shows how Albert Speer, the key head behind the Germania plans, became some sort of media star after he had served his sentence At the end of the visit, you also see a few of the (rather rare) original parts of former Nazi buildings. The museum also refers to restructuring plans of other German cities.
Myth Of Germania – Services
The staff was really helpful and friendly. The museum also drives a small book shop at the entrance.
Myth Of Germania – My View
If the limited opening times suit your plans at your next Berlin visit, I absolutely recommend to visit the Mythos Germania exhibition. It is really well done – and at least I learned a lot of things which haven’t been too much in my focus before. Really very good place!
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