Berlin Wilhelmstrasse 1942 - unknown buildings

[VanillaNuns]

Here we have a relatively rare image of the funeral procession of Reinhard Heydrich taken on Wilhelmstrasse in Berlin on 9 June 1942.

This image formed part of the old outdoors exhibition at the Topography of Terror museum in Berlin before the new modern facility was built.

Does anyone know the significance of the numbered buildings?

They are obviously important enough to have been included on the signpost.

Sorry for the small image, it was taken many years ago before we had the luxury of "web 2.0" and when major websites like BBC and CNN were still only hosting low quality images on their servers.

So we have to work with what we have, unless someone has a better quality photograph.

The building in the distance at the very end (not numbered) looks modern for the time period. Perhaps it could be part of the Reich Air Ministry?

Look forward to all replies and thanks in advance for any information provided.

[GregSingh]

Buildings at Wilhelmstrasse 98-101 were initially owned by the State (taxation office) and subsequently taken over by SS-Hauptamt after 1938/39.
If the numbering is correct, the building in the distance at the very end was indeed Reich Air Ministry.

Does anyone know why procession is moving towards SSE?
Shouldn't it be the other way around? From Anhalter Bahnhof to Reich Chancellery that would be NNW.

[VanillaNuns]

From another topic on the forum.

viewtopic.php?f=38&t=43799

Max Williams is referring to the identification of some SS generals in another photo (not the one above)

The day before at the Anhalter Bahnhof. The casket has just been loaded on the gun carriage for transportation to the Prinz-Albrecht-Palais where it spent the night before the funeral on 9th June 1942.
Max.

and then again referring to the next day...

It's interesting to note that the gun carriage was drawn by a mechanised vehicle from the Prinz-Albrecht Palais to the Reichskanzlei and subsequently by horses from the Reichskanzlei to the burial in the Invaliden. The horse drawn carriage was used on the second route to accommodate the procession on foot which followed the casket.
Max

The funeral route beforehand would have been:

(1) Leaving the Prinz Albrecht Palais through the courtyard onto Wilhelmstrasse

(2) Immediately turning left and heading north past the main Gestapo headquarters building on the corner of Prinz Albrecht Straße

(3) Continuing northwards past Goering's Air Ministry complex and bypassing Voßstraße where the front entrance of the Reich Chancellery was.

(4) Finally turning left again, about a minute later, at the side entrance of the Chancellery and into the Ehrenhof.

This is a journey of no more than between 5 and 10 minutes depending on how quickly the procession was moving.

We can see it's a motorized vehicle, therefore it must have been taken before the service at the Chancellery, probably sometime just after 1pm on 9 June.

Does that make sense?

[GregSingh]

We can see back of motorized vehicle on the left.

No, photo does not fit the route from the 9th. I attached a map and drew a red arrow according to building numbers.
Considering numbers are correct, perhaps photo is from the 8th, not 9th?
Destination would be Prinz-Albrecht-Palais at Nr 102, it would fit the photo.

[Max Williams]

The photo in question was taken, not on 9 June 1942, but the day before during the transfer of the casket from the Anhalter Bahnhof to the Prinz Albrecht Palais. My suggestion is that the cortege travelled north-west along Saarlandstrasse, right into Prinz Albrecht Strasse and right into Wilhelmstrasse for the Prinz Albrecht Palais where the coffin remained overnight. From the Anhalter Bahnhof to the Palais, the coffin was placed on a gun carriage pulled by a mechanised half-track vehicle and it was covered by the Reich war flag. VanillaNuns' image shows both. On the day of the funeral, 9 June, the flag was changed to the national flag before the coffin left the Palais. It was transported to the Reichskanzlei by the same gun carriage, pulled by a mechanised half-track vehicle. On leaving the Reichskanzlei, the gun carriage was pulled by a team of horses. I believe the cortege travelled east along Prinz Albrecht Strasse on 8 June as a mark of honour, passing the SS headquarters at nos. 8-9.
Regards,
Max.

[VanillaNuns]

Thanks Max, that is fantastic information. Much appreciated.

[berniegunther]

We can see back of motorized vehicle on the left.

No, photo does not fit the route from the 9th. I attached a map and drew a red arrow according to building numbers.
Considering numbers are correct, perhaps photo is from the 8th, not 9th?
Destination would be Prinz-Albrecht-Palais at Nr 102, it would fit the photo.


Wilhelmstrasse.jpg

Hi Greg,

Could you tell me where you got this map? I would like to find one with such detail.

Regards,

Bernie

[GregSingh]

Landesarchiv Berlin
There is a link to historical maps of Berlin on the left.

[TheNewt]

The photo in question was taken, not on 9 June 1942, but the day before during the transfer of the casket from the Anhalter Bahnhof to the Prinz Albrecht Palais. My suggestion is that the cortege travelled north-west along Saarlandstrasse, right into Prinz Albrecht Strasse and right into Wilhelmstrasse for the Prinz Albrecht Palais where the coffin remained overnight. From the Anhalter Bahnhof to the Palais, the coffin was placed on a gun carriage pulled by a mechanised half-track vehicle and it was covered by the Reich war flag. VanillaNuns' image shows both. On the day of the funeral, 9 June, the flag was changed to the national flag before the coffin left the Palais. It was transported to the Reichskanzlei by the same gun carriage, pulled by a mechanised half-track vehicle. On leaving the Reichskanzlei, the gun carriage was pulled by a team of horses. I believe the cortege travelled east along Prinz Albrecht Strasse on 8 June as a mark of honour, passing the SS headquarters at nos. 8-9.
Regards,
Max.

Tks. for info..