The chief architect of the Palace of the Republic
Prof. Heinz Graffunder
| born 23.12.1926 | died 09.12.1994 |
Prof. H. Graffunder (in the middle)
Prof. Heinz Graffunder, chief architect of the Palace of the Republic and of other representative buildings of the former G.D.R. as
- "Stelzenhaus" at the Alexanderplatz (dwelling- and business house, including a most modern post office)
- Housing construction in Berlin-Marzahn and Berlin-Hellersdorf
- Decisive participation in the completion of the Tierpark Berlin, inscientific cooperation with Prof. Dr. Dathe, for instance "Alfred-Brehm-Haus" (for rapacious animals), pachyderm house etc.
- Dwelling- and business house at Friedrichshain (1993/94)
- Ambassy of G.D.R. in Budapest
Heinz Graffunder was native of a working-class family in Berlin. He learned the building trade before his academic study, and passed on the younger generation his knowledge as building engineer and professor.
During the last month of his life he mobilized all his remaining energy for the preservation of the palace. He organized a symposium on asbest-problems, and on the possibilities for a not expensive handling of that material.
Asbest is an international problem. Prof. Graffunder declared already 1993: Asbest can be handled, can be neutralized by sealing it up, for instance by Thermo-Shield, an American proceeding, proved in the orbit and permitted in germany. His comparition was always: "An ill man is not to be slaved, but to be healed." A building, contaminated by asbest, has likewise to get its "treatment". It is not necessary to pull it down.
For that reason have been collected up to now 80.400 subscriptions by the "Komitee für Gerechtigkeit" and by the citizens' initiative "Pro Palast".
The Palace was erected as a property of the people - not any minority should pass a judgment upon its future.
23.07.1996 Lieselotte Schulz
"Verein zur Erhaltung des Palastes der Republik e.V."
to the main lobby 
to the plan of the site
society "Verein zur Erhaltung des Palastes der Republik e.V."
Sources
to the "Kulturnetz"
Gehezu: vorige Seite | Palast der Republik | Seitenübersicht | Kultur-Netz
Programmierung und Design: © Kultur-Netz-Service
Sie sind Besucher