How the captured Germans in the USSR built houses, and Why German pedantry gradually disappeared

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

During the Great Patriotic War, many Soviet cities were almost destroyed to the ground. In the post-war years, the buildings had to be restored; captured German soldiers were actively involved in this process. What were they like, the buildings that were erected by the Wehrmacht military in the Soviet Union? Read in the material how the stories about the incredibly comfortable "German" housing arose, in which cities the German "builders" worked, and what is happening with the German buildings today.

Captured Germans in the USSR after the war and what they did

According to various sources, from 2.5 to 3.5 million ethnic Germans visited the camps of the GU system for prisoners of war and internees of the NKVD of the USSR. Most often they worked in industrial plants and logging sites. The captured Germans erected bridges and houses, built roads and were engaged in the extraction of minerals. Thus, there was a small, but still compensation for the damage that was caused to the infrastructure of the Soviet state during the hostilities. Former Wehrmacht servicemen rebuilt buildings in Stalingrad and Leningrad, Minsk and Moscow, Novosibirsk and Kiev, Kharkov and Chelyabinsk and many other cities. The prisoners were entrusted with various objects, both luxurious buildings in large cities and typical high-rise buildings, and even barracks in villages.

Among the population of Russia, there is still an opinion that the houses built by captured Germans are of much better quality than those built by domestic workers. Is this statement true? Yes, but not completely. Without a doubt, many prisoners, accustomed to responsibility and high-quality work at home, tried to do their job at a very high level. But it cannot be said that this extended to everyone. In the USSR, there was an ineradicable tradition of hack-work, and many builders from among the prisoners quickly realized that there was no need, as they say, to kill themselves at work. You can relax a little and do as you have to.

These are not Khrushchevs for you

When did the opinion form that German-built houses are better than domestic ones? Most likely, this happened in the 60s. During these years, the inhabitants of the USSR moved to the so-called Khrushchevs. Naturally, they could not be compared with the "German" houses. But we must be fair: the buildings built earlier were erected by the Germans according to the projects of the architects of the USSR. After the war, the main series of houses were 1-200 and 1-300. Important characteristics of such houses: three or four floors, a solid solid foundation, walls made of concrete blocks or bricks. Such houses pleased with an excellent layout, high ceilings, large rooms, and the heat and sound insulation were excellent.

The resolution "On the type of residential building" (Presidium of the Moscow City Executive Committee) dates back to July 1932. By the 50s, residential buildings were erected by six main methods in accordance with standard projects: brick, large-panel, large-block, frame, volume-block, combined. And while there was still time before the appearance of Khrushchev, architects could show imagination and decorate buildings with interesting decorative elements.

The myth about the house in the corner lane in Leningrad

The Germans were involved in the restoration of Leningrad. There is a myth about one of the houses in this city. We are talking about building number seven, located in the corner lane. The fact is that there is an ornament on the facade of this house, on which you can see a swastika. Who could have done this? Surely the Nazis? No. If we turn to history, we can find information that this building was erected in 1875 by the St. Petersburg architect Heinrich Prang. In those days, the swastika was not Nazi symbolism, but a symbol of light that came from ancient pagan times. In Leningrad, houses of the 1-200 and 1-300 series were built, with two, three and four floors, and they housed up to 7 communal apartments. But the bathrooms were very large and also had windows. The so-called "mansions" were also built by the Germans, in which the creative and nomenklatura elite lived.

Stalinkas, cinder block houses and German-built houses that have survived today

Yes, the prisoners worked carefully. But you shouldn't overestimate the quality of the houses. There were also low-rise houses made of cinder blocks, with wooden beams, intended for communal apartments. In most cases, the prestigious "Stalinist" houses were erected by highly qualified domestic workers. After all, not all prisoners were painters, plasterers and masons. However, German prisoners of war worked on construction sites willingly, as they could earn good money. People still live in "German" houses today, which means that the quality was still on the level.

In Moscow, in the 1990s, they began to actively wear "German" low-rise buildings. However, one complex received the status of a valuable historical building in 1998. These are eleven beige houses in the Oktyabrskoye Pole area. The complex amazes with graceful gazebos, fountains, beautiful arcades and arches, stylish benches and wrought-iron gates. Architects Chechulin and Kupovsky worked on this project.

Interesting fact: German prisoners are used to windows opening outward in Germany. They applied the same principle in the USSR. In Western Europe, people are not surprised by this way of opening the windows; it is customary there to open the doors wide during rest. But it is worth remembering that the climate in Russia is much colder, the windows are rarely wide open, and when they do this, they habitually pull them towards themselves. There were unpleasant incidents: not too careful residents of the house forgot that everything was different with the Germans and fell out of the windows, especially during cleaning.

Many houses from prisoners were built in Siberia. For example, in Novosibirsk, Bogdan Khmelnitsky Street and the Tin Factory Quarter are the work of the Germans. This is a mixture of Stalinist Empire style and German Gothic, massive columns and graceful arches, solid pediments with spiers and turrets.

The Germans living in other countries had hard times after the defeat of Germany. Especially in Eastern Europe, from where they were evicted by rather harsh methods.