Rathaus Schöneberg
Encyclopedia
Rathaus Schöneberg is the city hall for the Borough
of Tempelhof-Schöneberg
in Berlin
.
, at that time an independent city
not yet incorporated into Berlin
, which took place in 1920.
After World War II
the undestroyed Neues Stadthaus, the former head office of Berlin's municipal fire insurance Feuersozietät, in Parochialstraße in East Berlin, served as intermittent city hall, replacing the ruined Rotes Rathaus
(Red City Hall, also in East Berlin), the traditional seat of the Berlin government. With the division of Berlin's city government and administration in September 1948 the Neues Stadthaus was in the Communist Ostsektor (eastern sector) and became off limits to West Berlin
. As a "temporary" measure Rathaus Schöneberg on Rudolph-Wilde-Platz became the city hall for West Berlin.
After re-unification, Rathaus Schöneberg reverted back to its original purpose of being Schöneberg Borough Town Hall. In 2001, after a re-organisation of the Berlin Boroughs, Rathaus Schöneberg became the town hall for the newly constituted borough of Tempelhof
- Schöneberg.
Rathaus Schöneberg on Rudolph-Wilde-Platz is the location where U.S. President
John F. Kennedy
held his famous speech in June 1963, proclaiming "Ich bin ein Berliner
". The square was renamed John-F.-Kennedy-Platz
on 25 November 1963, three days after Kennedy's assassination. A large plaque dedicated to Kennedy is mounted on a column at the entrance of the building and the room above the entrance and overlooking the square is dedicated to Kennedy and his visit.
It was also the permanent home to an exhibition of the life of Willy Brandt
(1913–1992), Mayor of West Berlin from 1957 to 1966, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany 1969–1974. The exhibition was closed as from January of 2010; it is planned to open again at another site in the city.
Since 2005 the exhibition called Wir waren Nachbarn - Biografien jüdischer Zeitzeugen (English title:We were Neighbours once - Biographies of Jews in Schöneberg and Tempelhof under the Nazi Regime) takes place in the exhibition hall of the Rathaus Schöneberg.
The clock tower contains the Freiheitsglocke
, a bell which was donated by the people of the United States to Berlin.
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
of Tempelhof-Schöneberg
Tempelhof-Schöneberg
Tempelhof-Schöneberg is the seventh borough of Berlin, formed in 2001 by merging the former boroughs of Tempelhof and Schöneberg.-Geography:...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
History
It was constructed between 1911–1914 for SchönebergSchöneberg
Schöneberg is a locality of Berlin, Germany. Until Berlin's 2001 administrative reform it was a separate borough including the locality of Friedenau. Together with the former borough of Tempelhof it is now part of the new borough of Tempelhof-Schöneberg....
, at that time an independent city
Independent city
An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity. These type of cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other sovereign state.-Historical precursors:In the Holy Roman Empire,...
not yet incorporated into Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, which took place in 1920.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the undestroyed Neues Stadthaus, the former head office of Berlin's municipal fire insurance Feuersozietät, in Parochialstraße in East Berlin, served as intermittent city hall, replacing the ruined Rotes Rathaus
Rotes Rathaus
The Red City Hall is the town hall of Berlin, located in the Mitte district on Rathausstraße near Alexanderplatz. It is the home to the governing mayor and the government of the Federal state of Berlin...
(Red City Hall, also in East Berlin), the traditional seat of the Berlin government. With the division of Berlin's city government and administration in September 1948 the Neues Stadthaus was in the Communist Ostsektor (eastern sector) and became off limits to West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
. As a "temporary" measure Rathaus Schöneberg on Rudolph-Wilde-Platz became the city hall for West Berlin.
After re-unification, Rathaus Schöneberg reverted back to its original purpose of being Schöneberg Borough Town Hall. In 2001, after a re-organisation of the Berlin Boroughs, Rathaus Schöneberg became the town hall for the newly constituted borough of Tempelhof
Tempelhof
Tempelhof is a locality of Berlin within the borough of Tempelhof-Schöneberg. It is the location of the former Tempelhof Airport, one of the earliest commercial airports in the world. It is now deserted and shows as a blank spot on maps of Berlin. Attempts are being made to save the still-existing...
- Schöneberg.
Rathaus Schöneberg on Rudolph-Wilde-Platz is the location where U.S. President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
held his famous speech in June 1963, proclaiming "Ich bin ein Berliner
Ich bin ein Berliner
"Ich bin ein Berliner" is a quotation from a June 26, 1963, speech by U.S. President John F. Kennedy in West Berlin. He was underlining the support of the United States for West Germany 22 months after the Soviet-supported East Germany erected the Berlin Wall as a barrier to prevent movement...
". The square was renamed John-F.-Kennedy-Platz
John-F.-Kennedy-Platz
John-F.-Kennedy-Platz , formerly Rudolph-Wilde-Platz, in Berlin-Schöneberg is the square in front of the former city hall of West Berlin . It was here that US President John F. Kennedy gave his famous speech to the Berliners, in which he stated: "Ich bin ein Berliner"...
on 25 November 1963, three days after Kennedy's assassination. A large plaque dedicated to Kennedy is mounted on a column at the entrance of the building and the room above the entrance and overlooking the square is dedicated to Kennedy and his visit.
It was also the permanent home to an exhibition of the life of Willy Brandt
Willy Brandt
Willy Brandt, born Herbert Ernst Karl Frahm , was a German politician, Mayor of West Berlin 1957–1966, Chancellor of West Germany 1969–1974, and leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany 1964–1987....
(1913–1992), Mayor of West Berlin from 1957 to 1966, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany 1969–1974. The exhibition was closed as from January of 2010; it is planned to open again at another site in the city.
Since 2005 the exhibition called Wir waren Nachbarn - Biografien jüdischer Zeitzeugen (English title:We were Neighbours once - Biographies of Jews in Schöneberg and Tempelhof under the Nazi Regime) takes place in the exhibition hall of the Rathaus Schöneberg.
The clock tower contains the Freiheitsglocke
Liberty Bell (Berlin)
The Liberty Bell in Berlin, Germany, is a bell that was given as a gift from Americans to the city of Berlin in 1950 as a symbol of the fight for freedom and against communism in Europe, and was inspired by the American Liberty Bell...
, a bell which was donated by the people of the United States to Berlin.