The Berghof and the Discourse of Domesticity in Hitler's Architecture
Open Access
Author:
Dice, Emily Ann
Area of Honors:
Art History
Degree:
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Craig Robert Zabel, Thesis Supervisor Brian A Curran, Thesis Honors Advisor Charlotte Marie Houghton, Faculty Reader
Keywords:
Adolf Hitler Berghof Architecture International Style Mies van der Rohe Nazi propaganda
Abstract:
Adolf Hitler had a lifelong fascination with art and architecture. After rising to power in Germany, he pursued his desires to turn the country into an Aryan cultural center. Strict rules were developed to control the production of art and architecture in Germany under Hitler’s command. The Nazi party encouraged styles of neoclassicism and German nationalism while condemning all things modern; yet, despite his criticism of modern architecture, Hitler used many modern elements in the construction of his private home in the Bavarian Alps, the Berghof.
This thesis explores the link between the architectural styles of Hitler’s Berghof and International Style architecture—specifically Mies van der Rohe’s Tugendhat House. Although several notable differences between the two buildings exist, remarkable similarities come to the forefront after careful study. Few authors have investigated this topic; however the results of this comparison are worthwhile.
