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How the complex of buildings was used in history

1937 - 1945

When the foundation stone was laid on March 19th, 1935, the building complex was designated to become the new home of the “department of cultural sciences” of the Technische Hochschule Braunschweig. But while still in the planning stages, the building was rededicated to a new purpose: It was now to become an independent academy for teacher education. On March 23rd, 1937, the opening ceremony for the “Bernhard-Rust-Hochschule” was held. Doubtlessly, the building represented the late expressionist architecture of the Nazi-era, being completely in line with the official state architecture. The building did indeed cater to the interests of national socialist politics, both as a place of teacher education, which was regarded as highly important, and as a propaganda building that attracted a lot of public attention.

After 1945

During World War II, the building complex suffered only minor damage, and lectures were taken up again as early as November 1945. The academy was reopened as an academy for teacher education, but was renamed as “Kant-Hochschule”. It was the British military government and the City of Braunschweig who decided on the new name and also issued the licence necessary for the academy’s reestablishment.

After WW II, the »Kant-Hochschule« was the first place in Baunschweig not only to offer free university education, but also to become a vivid cultural centre after years of Nazi oppression. Starting from 1945, it was the city’s venue of choice for cultural events. From 1946 on, the Staatstheater used the gym as its new stage; festive events, lecures, readings and musical events were held. A public series of lectures starting November 16th, 1946, dealt with “questions of the present”, already trying to come to terms with the then very recent past. The building complex of the “Kant-Hochschule” thus represents both a new intellectual and scientific beginning as well as the democratic restart of Braunschweig and Niedersachsen after the war. The first democratic state parliament met here; the assembly hall was chosen for the final meeting of the Braunschweiger parliament, a meeting after which Braunschweig officially became part of the newly founded Federal State of Niedersachsen. In 1978, both the building complex and teacher education itself became part of the TU Braunschweig.