99% Invisible The Nazi Block
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Feb 18, 2025 
Vivian Lay, a dedicated producer for 99% Invisible, dives into Berlin's haunting Schwerbelastungskörper, a massive concrete cylinder from Nazi urban planning. She discusses its brutalist design and how it symbolizes failed ambitions of the Third Reich. The conversation touches on Hitler's grand architectural dreams influenced by Roman aesthetics and the grim realities of forced labor behind these projects. Lay highlights how this structure evolved post-WWII, becoming a significant site for engineering research, embodying both ambition and decay.
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The Nazi Block
- In Berlin's Tempelhof-Schöneberg district, a massive concrete cylinder stands, a relic of Nazi urban planning.
- Locals call it the "Nazi Block."
Architecture as Propaganda
- Third Reich leaders believed architecture could bypass language and directly impact emotions.
- Hitler weaponized this power, viewing architecture as "words in stone."
Hitler's Historical Misinterpretations
- Hitler's architectural vision stemmed from his belief that ancient Rome was civilization's peak.
- He falsely claimed Germans were Romans' racial ancestors, thus superior.
