Reichstag seating questions.

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TheBestSmurfEver
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Reichstag seating questions.

#1

Post by TheBestSmurfEver » 27 Jun 2017, 06:02

Hello everyone, I have some questions that have been on my mind for some time. These questions are in regard to the seating arrangement of the Reichstag sessions held in the Kroll Opera House. All I know is the president of the Reichstag(Herman Goering) sat above the speaker podium.

Some questions I have, if anyone knows the answer, please let me know.

What was the difference/significance of those who sat in the desks around where President spoke, and those who sat in the "audience" if you will, and
why they sat where they did.

Where did the top Nazis who attended the sessions sit?

Where did Hitler sit when he wasn't speaking.


Sorry if my grammer was incorrect, im not the best writer!

Halfdan S.
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Re: Reichstag seating questions.

#2

Post by Halfdan S. » 27 Jun 2017, 08:51

Hi, welcome to the forum :-)

Looking at the speaker podium, you have the government, with Hitler sitting in the first seat, at the left - on the other side I guess you had the "Schriftführer" etc. of the Reichstag, you'd also see adjudants etc here.

Best
Halfdan S.


Mark Costa
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Re: Reichstag seating questions.

#3

Post by Mark Costa » 27 Jun 2017, 16:08

From 1933 to mid 1938 there were 4 seating sections with seating based on the representatives districts although the Reichsleiters tended to sit near the front of each sections although not in the first rows. In 1939 to late 1941 the seating was changed to only to sections with a center aisle. Those Reichsleiters that were not Reichsministers all sat in the front row with the gauleiters filling out the front rows and the second rows. In 1942 the center aisle was removed but the Reichsleiters still sat in the front row dead center. The Reichsministers sat on Hitler's side of the rostrum with the State Secretaries sitting on the other side. Adjutants to Hitler and the Ministers usually sat behind them. At the Speakers rostrum always sat Julius Schaub, Hitler's adjustant, Reichsleiter Otto Dietrich the Reichspresschef, Dr. Hans Lammers, Reichsminister and Wilhelm Brueckner, Hitler's Chief Adjutant -- he was replaced in 1941 by Albert Bormann when Brueckner was relieved of his post. Behind them sat Goering as President of the Reichstag. Sitting on either side of Goering were the various men who held Vice Presidencies in their various capacities. These men changed a lot over the years.

Mark Costa

TheBestSmurfEver
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Re: Reichstag seating questions.

#4

Post by TheBestSmurfEver » 27 Jun 2017, 22:37

Thank you so much Mark and Halfdan for replying. I really appreciate it. I understand it much better now! I just have a couple more questions.

1.This one I already said, but if you cant answer me on that, just let me know:
What was the difference/significance of those who sat in the desks around the podium, and those who sat in the "audience" if you will, and
why they sat where they did.


2. Who were the men that stood at the very top, in the back, kinda looking shoved back there. Some seem to be military officers, which goes with my next question.

3. Is it normal for a government to have military personal in its parliament? If so, what is their purpose?



Thanks,
Alex

Mark Costa
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Re: Reichstag seating questions.

#5

Post by Mark Costa » 28 Jun 2017, 01:33

I thought we answered your questions but here goes again.

1. Those on the top near the speakers platform were the Reichsministers on the left and their State Secretaries on the right. Hitler sat in the first seat on the left side with the Ministers. The men around Hitler's speakers podium were Hitler's two Chief Adjutants -- Schaub and Bruckner (Later Albert Bormann). Lammers who was also a Reichsminister was sitting there as he was Chief of the Govt's Presidential Chancellery. Otto Dietrich was the Reichspresschef. The audience sitting in the sections facing the podiums were all the Reichstag representatives like the US Congress. As I stated before there were several variations on the sections but they basically sat together based on their districts -- with the Reichsleiters and Gauleiters having front row seats.
2. The men at the back were members of Hitler's staff mostly. Usually his SS bodyguards, doctors, military adjutants etc. Some were also adjutants of the Reichsministers and Goering etc.

3. The answer here is YES. Military men were members of the Reich Govt as Military representatives. The US Cabinet has a Secretary of Defense well so does the Third Reich -- War Ministers.

Mark Costa

GregSingh
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Re: Reichstag seating questions.

#6

Post by GregSingh » 28 Jun 2017, 02:19

I think TheBestSmurfEver is talking about a photo from December 11th 1941, where a large number of military personnel was present "backstage". Photos I've seen from before the war, have mostly civilians and people in party uniforms standing there, not many of them anyway.
Perhaps they were also guests invited to hear Hitler speech as there were no balconies in the Opera?

Plan from 1939:
150_bsb00000145_00062.jpg

Mark Costa
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Re: Reichstag seating questions.

#7

Post by Mark Costa » 28 Jun 2017, 03:35

Yes there were balconies at the Kroll Opera House. Here is a photo of those balconies. photo taken in 1939.

Mark
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speech-of-hitler-before-the-reichstag-in-the-kroll-opera-house-in-H3AGXY.jpg

TheBestSmurfEver
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Re: Reichstag seating questions.

#8

Post by TheBestSmurfEver » 28 Jun 2017, 04:04

Thank you for clearing this up! I do remember reading that the people in the balconies were spectators.



Alex

Br. James
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Re: Reichstag seating questions.

#9

Post by Br. James » 16 Jul 2017, 21:08

A great photo, Mark...but I don't see those balconies in the seating schematic provided by GregSingh...? I wonder whether those balcony seats might have been for visitor/general public seating, and if so, that may be the reason why they are not shown on the schematic? If the floor-level ("orchestra" or "stalls") seating was reserved for only the official 'Members of the Reichstag,' then that may be why the balcony seating doesn't show up?

Br. James

Br. James

Mark Costa
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Re: Reichstag seating questions.

#10

Post by Mark Costa » 17 Jul 2017, 00:34

Br. James -- that is exactly why the seats do not show on the schematic as the balconies were reserved for visitors and special guests. The floor seats were reserved for members of the Reichstag only.

Mark

Br. James
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Re: Reichstag seating questions.

#11

Post by Br. James » 17 Jul 2017, 14:50

Thanks, Mark -- much appreciated!

Br. James

Perry8
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Re: Reichstag seating questions.

#12

Post by Perry8 » 31 Oct 2017, 11:04

Hi friends, do you have somebody a photo of the youngest Reichstag member - Leopold Mitterbauer, please? I would be very grateful for help...

freddiefro
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Re: Reichstag seating questions.

#13

Post by freddiefro » 31 Oct 2017, 19:18

Perry8 wrote:Hi friends, do you have somebody a photo of the youngest Reichstag member - Leopold Mitterbauer, please?
Here is the way that Leopold Mitterbauer (3.Nov.1912) appears in "Großdeutsche Reichstag 1938."

Fred
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Mitterbauer_1938.jpg
Mitterbauer_1938.jpg (16.88 KiB) Viewed 1366 times

Perry8
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Re: Reichstag seating questions.

#14

Post by Perry8 » 01 Nov 2017, 22:11

Oh Fred thats great! Thank you so much!...Is this photo from any newspaper or any book? Where did you find it? Is any chance to find it in better quality, please? - Tom

freddiefro
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Re: Reichstag seating questions.

#15

Post by freddiefro » 01 Nov 2017, 23:00

Perry8 wrote:Is this photo from any newspaper or any book? Where did you find it? Is any chance to find it in better quality, please?
That photo comes from a scanned copy of the 1938 Reichstag Handbook ("Großdeutsche Reichstag 1938"). Sorry, it is the only quality I have.

Fred

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