Germany Archives ⋆ The Passenger

March 23, 2025March 23, 2025

Bundeshaus

The Bundeshaus in Bonn served as the provisional seat of the German Bundestag and Bundesrat from 1949 to 1999. Initially constructed as a pedagogical academy between 1930 and 1933, it was repurposed after World War II to host the newly established West German parliament. The original building was expanded with additions like the ‘Langer Eugen’ office tower in 1969 and a new plenary chamber by Günter Behnisch in 1992, which emphasized transparency and democracy.

March 23, 2025March 23, 2025

Expressionism

August Macke (1887–1914) was a prominent German Expressionist painter and a key member of the ‘Der Blaue Reiter’ (The Blue Rider) group. Born in Meschede, he spent much of his life in Bonn, where he developed his distinctive style characterized by vibrant colors and simplified forms. His works often depicted serene urban scenes, gardens, and still lifes, radiating light and harmony. Tragically, Macke’s career was cut short when he died at the age of 27 during World War I in France. Despite his brief life, he produced over 11,000 artworks, leaving a lasting legacy in the world of art.

March 23, 2025March 23, 2025

Poppelsdorfer Schloss

The Poppelsdorfer Schloss in Bonn is a Baroque palace built between 1715 and 1753 on the site of a former medieval water castle. Originally named ‘Clemensruhe’ after its founder, Elector Joseph Clemens, the palace was designed as a pleasure residence with symmetrical architecture and an inner courtyard. It later became part of the University of Bonn in 1818, housing scientific collections and the Mineralogical Museum. The Poppelsdorfer Allee, a tree-lined avenue with historic charm, connects the palace to Bonn’s city center, offering a picturesque approach for visitors.

March 22, 2025March 23, 2025

Bundesstadt

Bonn, one of Germany’s oldest cities, played a significant role during the period of German separation. After World War II, it was chosen as the provisional capital of West Germany in 1949 due to its modest size and distance from Berlin’s Nazi legacy. Bonn became a symbol of West Germany’s democratic rebirth and hosted key political institutions, including the Bundestag and the Federal Chancellery. This status persisted until reunification in 1990, after which Berlin was reinstated as the capital. However, Bonn retained some federal ministries and became a model for balancing regional development.

March 22, 2025March 23, 2025

Museumsmeile

The Museumsmeile in Bonn, located along Adenauerallee, is a cultural hotspot featuring four renowned museums that showcase art, history, science, and nature. Visitors can explore these attractions conveniently and enjoy the nearby Rheinauenpark or the river Rhein for a relaxing walk afterwards.

January 19, 2025January 19, 2025

Dichterfürst

One of the most important sons of the city of Frankfurt am Main is for sure Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. He died at Weimar and is buried at the Fürstengruft there, but he is still present in his birthplace. One example of that is the Frankfurter Goethe-Haus at the Großer Hirschgraben, the place he was born at in 1749 and the seat of his family until 1795. Unfortunately, the house itself was destroyed in 1944 during an air raid – but the interior was preserved. After long debates the house was rebuilt and serves as a museum today.

October 25, 2024October 26, 2024

Pavillon

In the 1970s the Deutsches Familienkaufhaus (DeFaKa, a shopping mall) at Hannover needed a temporary new home because their normal location at the Seilwinderstraße close to the Kröpcke was rebuilt. For that reason a flat building behind the main railway station of Hannover was constructed and surprisingly it is still there today: in 1977 it was not torn down but became the Kulturzentrum Pavillon, a socio-cultural center which serves as a public library, a concert venue and a bar.

October 12, 2024October 27, 2024

Burgberg

To protect the Kaiserpfalz at Goslar, emperor Henry IV initiated the construction of the Große Harzburg between 1065 and 1068 CE. The fortification is located on the Burgberg, a very good strategic position which was by that time easy to defend. Henry was at war with the Saxonians and had to flee to the Harzburg which he also used to safely store relics and as a crypt for his family. Few years later in 1074 he had to agree to slight the fortification which exposed the Harzburg to looting by local farmers.

October 1, 2024January 18, 2025

Careless whisper

Honestly, I would have never found the Bellboy Bar at Berlin‘s Gendarmenmarkt on my own. I’ve slept multiple times at the Hilton hotel but never discovered the inconspicuous door not far from the hotel entrance. And not having been there would have been a real loss; I didn’t have so much fun in many bars across the globe like I did there. It is an amazing combination of atmosphere, drinks and playful surprises.

September 22, 2024September 22, 2024

Miss Marple

As in every German city, right-hand traffic is the rule of the road at Göttingen and therefore also bus stops are always on the right-hand side. But there is one bus stop that is on the left hand-side: the one for city tours with a classic London bus behind the old town hall. The bus company of the city (Göttinger Verkehrsbetriebe, GöVB) has acquired an old iconic red bus built in the United Kingdom in 1960. It is named ‘Miss Marple‘ after Agatha Christie’s fictional character and it is the gem of their fleet; something they really need to care about as spare parts aren’t available anymore for this classic.