Building Nazi Germany

There is a substantial scholarly literature concerning architecture in the Third Reich, but Hagen and Ostergren break new ground. While dealing—as other scholars have—with the relationship between the construction of public buildings and Nazi aesthetics, Hagen and Ostergren go a step further by placing their study in a broad context. They approach their subject from the point of view of geographers, seeking to understand the relationship among aesthetics, ideology, utility, and urban planning during the Third Reich. Of particular interest is the chapter on the construction of concentration camps. In their epilogue, "The Building and Breaking of Nazi Germany," the authors provide a brief but valuable analysis of the destruction of Germany’s urban landscape during the final days of WW II; there is also interesting discussion of the use of Nazi buildings during the postwar period. These are subjects usually ignored by other scholars. The numerous illustrations enhance the utility of this book. Building Nazi Germany makes an important contribution to understanding of National Socialism.

Summing Up: Highly recommended. Graduate students, researchers, faculty.

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An indispensable work for anyone interested in urban planning and architecture under National Socialism. Erudite, captivating, and filled with fascinating photos and maps, the book leaves the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted and often contradictory imprint of Nazi ideology on the built landscape of Germany. -- Guntram H. Herb, Middlebury College
Nazi Germany may be best remembered for the unparalleled, global destruction wrought by its toxic racism and war machinery. But, as Hagen and Ostergren demonstrate in this fascinating book, the regime’s totalitarian ideology extended to the built world, too. Their valuable research shows the stunning and frightening extent of the Nazi regime’s architectural megalomania. -- Steven Hoelscher, University of Texas at Austin