America House Berlin

The protected memorial building Amerika Haus on Hardenbergstrasse has become a – if not the architectural symbl of German-American history in Berlin. An initiative of of the US government, from 1946 to 2006, the Amerika Haus in Berlin actively encouraged and informed exchange and debate between Germans and U.S. citizens; an important venue for discussion on areas such politics, society, art and culture.

Currently (spring of 2009) the future of the Amerika Haus remains unclear. The Liegenschaftsfonds Berlin is looking to sell the building but wants to preserve the heritage of Amerika Haus, and provide the building with a new use that will allow keeping with its venerable history. The Liegenschaftsfonds acts as trustee for state properties and former state properties on behalf of the State of Berlin.

History

The Amerika Haus Berlin evolved from a collection of books and magazines that were donated by American soldiers in the winter of 1945/46 and displayed in the passport office on Kleiststrasse 10-12. This reading corner soon developed into a library that was inaugurated in late 1946. The Amerika Haus represented the continuation of this project. American books, magazines, movies and music formed part of the program to re-educate the German people.
The Amerika Haus Berlin moved into its first premises on Nollendorfplatz in 1949. In 1956, in response to high demand from the people of Berlin and the fact that various US institutions were scattered around the city, the foundation stone was laid for the Amerika Haus on Hardenbergplatz.

The Amerika Haus in Berlin was initially concerned with fighting the deep-rooted stereotypes that had been created by the national socialist propaganda against the U.S.. According to the words of U.S. Ambassador William R. Timken in 2006, the building had the task of spreading “what America represents, how we live, what we stand for. During the Cold War the activities of the Amerika-Haus were a symbol of the American promise to protect the city, come what may.”

The building of the Berlin wall and the protests against the Vietnam War reduced the number of visitors during the 1960s and 1970s. Yet throughout this time the program remained politically open and impartial. Changes in the international political landscape in the 1990s (with the end of the Cold War) and at the beginning of the 21st Century (with the events of September 9/11), meant that the Amerika Haus was restricted in its ability to attract a wide audience: The building came under strict police surveillance, and attendance at events was limited to invited guests. These changes saw the Amerika Haus Berlin lose its former role as an institution for the general public of Berlin. By the time the building was returned to the city of Berlin on September 25th 2006, its influence on the cultural life of the city had largely disappeared.