End of an era: DDR government building finally removed.

Following last month's ruling from the German Bundestag, work on removal of the former East German Parliament building the 'Palast der Republik' in Berlin is now underway.

The Palast, which previously housed the DDR's Volkskammer and cultural event venues, is due to be completely levelled by Easter 2007.














It will be replaced by a re-worked model of the old Berliner Stadtschloss (city castle) which originally stood on the site - but was destroyed by the Soviets in 1950.

Protests about the removal of the Palast have been frequent in Berlin in the last six months, with many Berliners believing that the money being spent on pulling down the Palast could be better used elsewhere.

André Leslie
Photo: Author's own collection.