Regierungsvierte in Berlin in Mitte, Germany — Northeast German Plain (The European Plain)

Wilhelmstraße 77

— Geschichtsmeile Wilhelmstraße —

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, September 3, 2025

1. Wilhelmstraße 77 Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Das 1736 für den Generalmajor Adolf Friedrich Graf von der Schulenburg erbaute Palais wurde 1875 vom Deutschen Reich erworben und 1878 Reichskanzler Otto von Bismarck als Wohn- und Amtssitz übergeben. Dieser lud im selben Jahr die europäischen Staatsmänner in den Festsaal seines Hauses zum sogenannten »Berliner Kongreß« ein und versuchte, zwischen den sich auf dem Balkan feindlich gegenüberstehenden europäischen Großmächten zu vermitteln. Nach Bismarcks Entlassung 1890 blieb das Palais Sitz der Reichskanzler. Dort gab Ende des Ersten Weltkrieges Reichskanzler Prinz Max von Baden am 9. November 1918 die Abdankung Kaiser Wilhelm II. bekannt und übertrug die Geschäfte des Reichskanzlers auf den Sozialdemokraten Friedrich Ebert. Am selben Tag sprach Philipp Scheidemann (SPD) zunächst von einem Fenster der Reichskanzlei zu der in der Wilhelmstraße versammelten Menge und rief wenig später vor dem Reichstag die Republik aus.

Von 1933 bis 1945 diente das Palais Adolf Hitler als Wohnsitz. Dieser ließ 1935 unter dem Gartensaal-Anbau der Reichskanzlei einen Luftschutzbunker errichten. Im Garten entstand von 1943 an der sogenannte »Führerbunker«, in dem Hitler 1945 Selbstmord beging.

Die im Zweiten Weltkrieg beschädigte Reichskanzlei wurde 1949 abgerissen. Das an die Berliner Mauer grenzende Gelände blieb unbebaut. Die DDR ließ Ende der 1980er Jahre Plattenbauten errichten. Auf einem Teil des ehemaligen Gartengrundstücks wurden nach der Wiedervereinigung die Landesvertretungen von Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Niedersachsen und des Saarlandes errichtet.

This site once contained a mansion built in 1736 for Major-General Adolf Friedrich Graf von der Schulenburg. The German state bought it in 1875, and it became the residence and offices of Reich Chancellor Otto von Bismarck in 1878. That same year, Bismarck invited the statesmen of Europe to the Berlin Conference in the great hall of the palace in an attempt to mediate

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between the hostile European powers in the Balkan conflict. After Bismarck's dismissal in 1890 the palace remained the official residence of the Reich Chancellor. In a speech here at the end of the First World War, on November 9, 1918, Reich Chancellor Prince Max von Baden announced the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II and handed over the Reich Chancellor's affairs to the social democratic leader, Friedrich Ebert. That same day Philipp Scheidemann of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) made a speech to the crowds gathered on Wilhelmstraße from a window of the Reich Chancellery. Shortly afterwards he proclaimed the German Republic from a Reichstag balcony.

Adolf Hitler used the palace as his residence from 1933 to 1945. In 1935 he had an air raid shelter built under the Reich Chancellery's garden annex. In 1943 he had the "Führer's bunker" built in the gardens, where he killed himself in 1945.

The Reich Chancellery was badly damaged in the Second World War and demolished in 1949. Close to the Berlin Wall on the eastern side, the site remained vacant. In the late 1980s the East Germans built pre-fab high-rise blocks here.

After German reunification the Federal States of Hesse, Rhineland- Palatinate, Lower Saxony and Saarland built their Berlin

Wilhelmstraße 77 Marker - wide view, looking north on Wilhelmstraße image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, September 3, 2025

2. Wilhelmstraße 77 Marker - wide view, looking north on Wilhelmstraße

diplomatic missions on part of the grounds of the old palace gardens.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Government & Politics • War, World II. A significant historical date for this entry is November 9, 1918.

Location. 52° 30.739′ N, 13° 22.965′ E. Marker is in Berlin, in Mitte. It is in Regierungsvierte. It is at the intersection of Wilhelmstraße and An der Kolonnade, on the right when traveling south on Wilhelmstraße. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Wilhelmstraße 49, Berlin 10117, Germany. Touch for directions.

Regionally, it is in Europe,

the European Union,

Atlantic Europe,

Central Europe,

the Schengen Area,

Western Europe,

and the Western World.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Holy Roman Empire.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Berliner Kongo-Konferenz / Berlin Congo Conference (a few steps from this marker); Wilhelmplatz 8/9 (within shouting distance of this marker); Dr. Friedrich Leyden (within shouting distance of this marker); Ulrich von Hassell (within shouting distance of this marker); Dr. Hans Litter (within shouting distance of this marker); Dr. Adam von Trott zu Solz (within shouting distance of this marker);

Marker photo: The bombed-out Reich Chancellery image. Click for full size.

courtesy Bildarchiv Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin, 1945

3. Marker photo: The bombed-out Reich Chancellery

Dr. Otto Kiep (within shouting distance of this marker); Ilse Stöbe (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Berlin.

Also see . . . Reich Chancellery (Wikipedia). Overview:

The Reich Chancellery (German: Reichskanzlei) was the traditional name of the office of the Chancellor of Germany (then called Reichskanzler) in the period of the German Reich from 1878 to 1945. The Chancellery's seat, selected and prepared since 1875, was the former city palace of Adolf Friedrich Count von der Schulenburg (1685–1741) and later Prince Antoni Radziwiłł (1775–1833) on Wilhelmstraße in Berlin. Both the palace and a new Reich Chancellery building (completed in early 1939) were seriously damaged during World War II and subsequently demolished.

(Submitted on January 14, 2026.)

Credits. This page was last revised on January 14, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 14, 2026, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 307 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 14, 2026, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.