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

Wilhelmstraße 70

— Geschichtsmeile Wilhelmstraße —

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, September 3, 2025

1. Wilhelmstraße 70 Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

1867/68 ließ der Industrielle Bethel Henry Strousberg hier ein prächtiges Palais errichten. Der »Eisenbahnkönig« erwarb durch den Bau von Eisenbahnlinien ein Vermögen. Das von als luxuriös beschriebene Gebäude »mit noch ungekannt komfortablen Einrichtungen« dokumentierte eindrucksvoll seine gesellschaftliche Stellung. Millionäre, Angehörige des Hochadels, Künstler und Wissenschaftler waren Strousbergs Gäste und nutzten seine Verbindungen. 1873 verlor er beim Eisenbahnbau in Rumänien große Teile seines Vermögens, zwei Jahre später mußte er Konkurs anmelden.

Neuer Besitzer des Palais wurde Fürst Hugo zu Hohenlohe von Ujest. 1884 richtete das Königreich Großbritannien hier seine Botschaft ein. Auf dem rückwärtigen Grundstück wurde wenig später das Hotel Adlon errichtet, in dessen Schatten die Britische Botschaft fortan stand. Das Gebäude, das Botschafter Sir Nevile Henderson als eng, dunkel und muffig beschrieb, war bis zum Abbruch der diplomatischen Beziehungen im September 1939 Sitz des Botschafters und seiner Kanzlei.

Im Zweiten Weltkrieg wurde das denkmalgeschützte Gebäude schwer beschädigt und 1950 abgerissen. In der DDR blieb das Gelände unbebaut. Es gehörte zum grenznahen Gebiet. Nach dem Fall der Mauer 1989 entschied die britische Regierung, ihre Botschaft wieder am historischen Standort zu errichten. Der Neubau des Londoner Architekten Michael Wilford wurde im Juli 2000 durch Königin Elisabeth II. eingeweiht. Das einzige erhaltene Zeugnis des früheren Botschaftsgebäudes, ein schmiedeeisernes, mit dem britischen Wappen versehenes Eingangstor, hat in der Botschaft einen Ehrenplatz erhalten.

In 1867/68 the industrialist Bethel Henry Strousberg erected a splendid town mansion here. Strousberg, who earned a fortune from railroad construction, was known as the "railroad king". Contemporaries described the mansion as luxurious, "with comfortable furnishings of a totally new kind". It was an impressive display of Strousberg's social status. He played host to millionaires, members of the higher nobility, artists and scholars who made use of his connections. After losing much of his fortune in 1873 building railroads in Romania, he went bankrupt two years later.

The next owner of the palace was Prince Hugo zu Hohenlohe von Ujest. In 1884 the British Embassy moved into the building. Not long after, Hotel Adlon was built at the back of the site, looming over the British Embassy. The Embassy building, described by Ambassador Sir Nevile Henderson in the 1930s as musty, cramped and dark, was the Ambassador's residence and office until Britain broke off diplomatic relations with Germany in September 1939. The embassy, a designated historic monument, was badly damaged in the Second World War and demolished in 1950. The site was part of the border area between East and West Berlin and remained vacant during the communist era. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 the British government decided to rebuild its embassy on the old historic site. In July 2000, Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the new building designed by the London architect Michael Wilford. Today the only surviving part of the old embassy is a wrought-iron entrance gate decorated with the British coat-of-arms, which has a place of honor in the new embassy.

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This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical month for this entry is September 1939.

Location. 52° 30.941′ N, 13° 22.884′ E. Marker is in Berlin, in Mitte. It is in Regierungsvierte. It is on Wilhelmstraße, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Wilhelmstraße 60, 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: Wilhelmstraße 68 (within shouting distance of this marker); Pariser Platz 5 (about 150 meters away, measured in a direct line); Pariser Platz (about 180 meters away); Konrad Adenauer (approx. 0.2 kilometers away); Wilhelmstraße 63 (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Wilhelmstraße 75 (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); ARD Hauptstudio, Das Physikalische Institut / ARD Main Studio, Physics Institute (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Herbert Gollnow (approx.

Wilhelmstraße 70 Marker - wide view image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, September 3, 2025

2. Wilhelmstraße 70 Marker - wide view

The marker is visible here in front of Wilhelmstraße 68, which has its own marker (visible a bit further down the street). The subject building, however, is not visible here as it is actually directly across the street from the marker.

0.3 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Berlin.

Marker photo: Das Palais Strousberg image. Click for full size.

courtesy Bundesarchiv Koblenz, September 3, 2025

3. Marker photo: Das Palais Strousberg

Credits. This page was last revised on August 16, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 16, 2026, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 6 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 16, 2026, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.