Königsberg Schloss was bombed and then blown up by the
communists.
Rimburg Castle dated from 1276 and is located in Wurmtal on the
German-Dutch border. Several fierce battles took place here in 1944,
gravely damaging the structure.
Augustusburg Schloss at Bruhl near Cologne was completed in 1298.
Towards the end of the Second World War, the castle was badly
damaged by shelling and looting as was the old Kadolzburg Castle in
Cadolzburg in Franconia.
Schloss Putbus was built in the 12th century and was owned by the
family of Putbus until 1945. After World War Two and until the 1950s
some renovation work took place at the castle, but then in 1959, the
communist government made the decision to demolish the castle on
ideological grounds. Only parts of it remain today.
Black Castle, or Braunschweiger Schloss in the city center of
Braunschweig was begun around 1753. The 1944 bomb attacks badly
damaged it and its remains were removed in 1960.
Schloss Brünninghausen in Dortmund dated from 1483 and lasted
until bombing destroyed it in the Second World War. It was not rebuilt.
Schloss Calbe was begun in 965. In the final days of World War II,
the castle was damaged by fire and in 1951, despite the protests of the
population, its remains were removed completely.
Schloss Herrenhausen, Hannover, started life in 1638. It lasted 300
years until 1943, when British bombing completely destroyed it.
Herzog-Max-Burg, München, was ancient, then rebuilt between 1593
to 1596. After severe war damage it was largely removed and a new
building from 1954 stands in its place.
Kieler Schloss, circa 1558 to 1568, was burned out by bombing in
1944 and its remains were removed after the war.
Stammheimer Schloss, near Cologne was ruined by bombing in 1944
and it was not rebuilt.
Palais Thurn and Taxis in Frankfurt was erected from 1729 to 1739
and fell victim to an air assault in 1944 and largely destroyed; Its
remains were dismantled in 1951.
Schloss Hartenstein was built in the 12th century. The remains of the
Saxon castle were destroyed by American bombs on April 20, 1945
Castle Culmitzsch in Thuringia was partly demolished and blown up in
1969-1970.
Residenzschloss Osterstein in Gera dating from the 12th century
was burnt out in 1945 and its remnants demolished 1962. Today, only
the former dungeon and a farm building and Courtyard remain.
Schloss Köstritz, Bad Köstritz, Thuringia was.demolished in 1972.
Schloss Dwasieden was at Sassnitz on the island of Rügen, and was
built from 1873 to 1877. In 1948, the was castle blown up for
ideological reasons..
Schloss Schleiz in Thuringia was owned by the Count Heinrich von
Reuss in 1689 and dated from the14th century. An American bomb
attack destroyed it in 1945.
Schloss Monbijou, another royal palace in Berlin dating from 1649,
was bombed in November 1943 and its ruins demolished in 1959.
Prinz-Albrecht-Palais in Berlin was constructed from 1737 to 1739
After heavy war damage in 1944, the remains were removed in 1955.
Berliner Schloss (see below)
Potsdamer Stadtschloss, circa 1598, was burned out by bombing in
1945 and its remnants were blown up in 1959-1960.
Schloss Neustrelitz from the early 18th century was burned out in
1945 and its ruins blown up in 1949.(see elsewhere)
Schloss Dargun in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, circa 1172,
was destroyed by arson in 1945
Schloss Putzar is the name of the ruins of two mansions in Putzar in
Pomerania dating from 1306 and 1545. In the Second World War, it
sheltered refugees and "resettlers" in its buildings, and was then allowed
to go to ruin.
Schloss Wolfshagen on Haussee between Brandenburg and
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania was built from 1776 to 1838.
World War II bombing destroyed the palace and the Orangerie. The
castle was completely demolished later.
Schloss Zerbst castle in Saxony-Anhalt was the Royal Palace of the
Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst. It was time mentioned for the first time in
1196. In the Second World War it was severely damaged by bombs in
April of 1945 and it burned completely; Reconstruction of its
foundation walls of the still standing castle would have been possible,
but were rejected due to ideological decisions, and the west wing was
blown up. Only the ruins of the east wing was preserved.
The old castle in Nürnberg was among others completely devastated
by bombs. Johannisburg Palace and Mannheim Palace were
among the countless others that were severely injured, and the German
castles in lands given to the communist governments were either
destroyed or taken away from their rightful owners.
communists.
Rimburg Castle dated from 1276 and is located in Wurmtal on the
German-Dutch border. Several fierce battles took place here in 1944,
gravely damaging the structure.
Augustusburg Schloss at Bruhl near Cologne was completed in 1298.
Towards the end of the Second World War, the castle was badly
damaged by shelling and looting as was the old Kadolzburg Castle in
Cadolzburg in Franconia.
Schloss Putbus was built in the 12th century and was owned by the
family of Putbus until 1945. After World War Two and until the 1950s
some renovation work took place at the castle, but then in 1959, the
communist government made the decision to demolish the castle on
ideological grounds. Only parts of it remain today.
Black Castle, or Braunschweiger Schloss in the city center of
Braunschweig was begun around 1753. The 1944 bomb attacks badly
damaged it and its remains were removed in 1960.
Schloss Brünninghausen in Dortmund dated from 1483 and lasted
until bombing destroyed it in the Second World War. It was not rebuilt.
Schloss Calbe was begun in 965. In the final days of World War II,
the castle was damaged by fire and in 1951, despite the protests of the
population, its remains were removed completely.
Schloss Herrenhausen, Hannover, started life in 1638. It lasted 300
years until 1943, when British bombing completely destroyed it.
Herzog-Max-Burg, München, was ancient, then rebuilt between 1593
to 1596. After severe war damage it was largely removed and a new
building from 1954 stands in its place.
Kieler Schloss, circa 1558 to 1568, was burned out by bombing in
1944 and its remains were removed after the war.
Stammheimer Schloss, near Cologne was ruined by bombing in 1944
and it was not rebuilt.
Palais Thurn and Taxis in Frankfurt was erected from 1729 to 1739
and fell victim to an air assault in 1944 and largely destroyed; Its
remains were dismantled in 1951.
Schloss Hartenstein was built in the 12th century. The remains of the
Saxon castle were destroyed by American bombs on April 20, 1945
Castle Culmitzsch in Thuringia was partly demolished and blown up in
1969-1970.
Residenzschloss Osterstein in Gera dating from the 12th century
was burnt out in 1945 and its remnants demolished 1962. Today, only
the former dungeon and a farm building and Courtyard remain.
Schloss Köstritz, Bad Köstritz, Thuringia was.demolished in 1972.
Schloss Dwasieden was at Sassnitz on the island of Rügen, and was
built from 1873 to 1877. In 1948, the was castle blown up for
ideological reasons..
Schloss Schleiz in Thuringia was owned by the Count Heinrich von
Reuss in 1689 and dated from the14th century. An American bomb
attack destroyed it in 1945.
Schloss Monbijou, another royal palace in Berlin dating from 1649,
was bombed in November 1943 and its ruins demolished in 1959.
Prinz-Albrecht-Palais in Berlin was constructed from 1737 to 1739
After heavy war damage in 1944, the remains were removed in 1955.
Berliner Schloss (see below)
Potsdamer Stadtschloss, circa 1598, was burned out by bombing in
1945 and its remnants were blown up in 1959-1960.
Schloss Neustrelitz from the early 18th century was burned out in
1945 and its ruins blown up in 1949.(see elsewhere)
Schloss Dargun in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, circa 1172,
was destroyed by arson in 1945
Schloss Putzar is the name of the ruins of two mansions in Putzar in
Pomerania dating from 1306 and 1545. In the Second World War, it
sheltered refugees and "resettlers" in its buildings, and was then allowed
to go to ruin.
Schloss Wolfshagen on Haussee between Brandenburg and
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania was built from 1776 to 1838.
World War II bombing destroyed the palace and the Orangerie. The
castle was completely demolished later.
Schloss Zerbst castle in Saxony-Anhalt was the Royal Palace of the
Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst. It was time mentioned for the first time in
1196. In the Second World War it was severely damaged by bombs in
April of 1945 and it burned completely; Reconstruction of its
foundation walls of the still standing castle would have been possible,
but were rejected due to ideological decisions, and the west wing was
blown up. Only the ruins of the east wing was preserved.
The old castle in Nürnberg was among others completely devastated
by bombs. Johannisburg Palace and Mannheim Palace were
among the countless others that were severely injured, and the German
castles in lands given to the communist governments were either
destroyed or taken away from their rightful owners.
Long ago, over forty aggressive French incursions into
Germany in the 1600s and numerous bloody sieges by King
Louis XIV's armies resulted in the destruction of nearly
every ancient castle within their reach along the banks of
the Rhine. The French armies devastated German land,
destroying everything in their path. The situation repeated
itself in World War Two. The Allies hated big buildings
where troops might be hiding, and the answer was plain:
simply blow them up. In the eastern areas under
communism, many were razed later for "ideological"
reasons. In a land once noted for its ancient and beautiful
castles, very few German castles remain today, and almost
none as they once were. To name just a handful of those
castles destroyed by World War Two:
Germany in the 1600s and numerous bloody sieges by King
Louis XIV's armies resulted in the destruction of nearly
every ancient castle within their reach along the banks of
the Rhine. The French armies devastated German land,
destroying everything in their path. The situation repeated
itself in World War Two. The Allies hated big buildings
where troops might be hiding, and the answer was plain:
simply blow them up. In the eastern areas under
communism, many were razed later for "ideological"
reasons. In a land once noted for its ancient and beautiful
castles, very few German castles remain today, and almost
none as they once were. To name just a handful of those
castles destroyed by World War Two:
| Castles Kaput |
Top to bottom: Schloss Putbus, Braunschweiger Schloss, Berliner Schloss,
Schloss Brünninghausen, Residenzschloss Osterstein, Schloss Herrenhausen,
Kieler Schloss, Schloss Monbijou, Prinz-Albrecht-Palais, Schloss Dwasieden,
Potsdamer Stadtschloss, Schloss Zerbst, Schloss Dargun
Schloss Brünninghausen, Residenzschloss Osterstein, Schloss Herrenhausen,
Kieler Schloss, Schloss Monbijou, Prinz-Albrecht-Palais, Schloss Dwasieden,
Potsdamer Stadtschloss, Schloss Zerbst, Schloss Dargun
The Communists blowing up the Königsberg Schloss after war's end
Another palace blown up after the war was the Berlin Schlossplatz, the Hohenzollern royal palace and winter home to
the Prussian Electors, Kings and Kaisers. It was the center of Berlin for centuries, and the architecture of the entire inner
city had been conceived around the central palace. Originally a medieval castle dating back to the fifteenth century, over
the ages it became a grand residence, expanded and rebuilt in differing architectural styles by various masters. Shortly
after Germany lost the First World War and Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated, the Palace became a museum.
the Prussian Electors, Kings and Kaisers. It was the center of Berlin for centuries, and the architecture of the entire inner
city had been conceived around the central palace. Originally a medieval castle dating back to the fifteenth century, over
the ages it became a grand residence, expanded and rebuilt in differing architectural styles by various masters. Shortly
after Germany lost the First World War and Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated, the Palace became a museum.
Allied bombs heavily damaged the Royal Palace, yet the building and its dome were still standing until 1950 when it was
blown up by the East German authorities who regarded it as a symbol of "Prussian militarism". Schlossplatz was renamed
"Marx-Engels-Platz" and government buildings were erected on its ruins.
blown up by the East German authorities who regarded it as a symbol of "Prussian militarism". Schlossplatz was renamed
"Marx-Engels-Platz" and government buildings were erected on its ruins.
| Charlottenburg Palace was thoroughly looted twice in its history, first by Napoleon and then by the Red Army. It was also extensively damaged by bombing at the end of World War Two. |
Karlsruher Schloss was first constructed by Jakob Friedrich von
Batzendorf. The city was planned with the tower of the palace at the
centre and 32 streets radiating out from it like spokes on a wheel, giving
Karlsruhe the name "fan city" (Fächerstadt). The wood palace was
rebuilt in 1746, using stone and it was later altered by Balthasar
Neumann and Friedrich von Kesslau and again in 1785 by Wilhelm
Jeremias Müller. The palace, along with most of the city, was reduced
to rubble by Allied bombing during World War II.
Batzendorf. The city was planned with the tower of the palace at the
centre and 32 streets radiating out from it like spokes on a wheel, giving
Karlsruhe the name "fan city" (Fächerstadt). The wood palace was
rebuilt in 1746, using stone and it was later altered by Balthasar
Neumann and Friedrich von Kesslau and again in 1785 by Wilhelm
Jeremias Müller. The palace, along with most of the city, was reduced
to rubble by Allied bombing during World War II.
| The old Zweibrücken Schloss was yet another piece of European history levelled by Allied bombs |
German Silesia, especially the Hirschberger Valley (see on another page) was an other area with an enormous amount of old
German castles dating from the first German settlements in the 11th century. Some held the same families for seven centuries
or more. Rich in history, song and fable, they were all taken by the Red Army and then given to communist Poland, their
owners robbed, dragged off, murdered or exiled forever. All terribly looted and vandalized, hundred of the old castles were
lost and many more such as the one below fell into disrepair once their German owners were removed.
German castles dating from the first German settlements in the 11th century. Some held the same families for seven centuries
or more. Rich in history, song and fable, they were all taken by the Red Army and then given to communist Poland, their
owners robbed, dragged off, murdered or exiled forever. All terribly looted and vandalized, hundred of the old castles were
lost and many more such as the one below fell into disrepair once their German owners were removed.
