#Administration building #Kiel #1929
Reichsanstalt für Arbeitsvermittlung und Arbeitslosenversicherung (RAfAuA)
Stephan-Heinzel-Straße 2
24116
Kiel,
Germany
Public transport: Wilhelmplatz
Today's use: Administration building
Description
The building was designed to meet the needs of a job centre. This meant that unemployed people went to the respective floors via the round staircases at the edge of the west facade. They arrived in the waiting rooms separated by occupation. On the east side, there were once many small cubicles that were used for individual counselling. This meant that people were also in a small safe room during the counselling sessions.The outer building was once one storey lower in the centre area. The areas of the north and south facades around the stairwells were as high as they are today and enclosed the centre building. The current upper storey was added in 1955. The windows were then replaced and enlarged in the face of protests from the conservation authorities. This picture shows the change of windows and its sizes.
Description
The building was designed to meet the needs of a job centre. This meant that unemployed people went to the respective floors via the round staircases at the edge of the west facade. They arrived in the waiting rooms separated by occupation. On the east side, there were once many small cubicles that were used for individual counselling. This meant that people were also in a small safe room during the counselling sessions.The outer building was once one storey lower in the centre area. The areas of the north and south facades around the stairwells were as high as they are today and enclosed the centre building. The current upper storey was added in 1955. The windows were then replaced and enlarged in the face of protests from the conservation authorities. This picture shows the change of windows and its sizes.
History
Basically, the establishment of a job centre at that time is a sad chapter in human history. The people of Kiel were very impoverished after World War I. The city supported arms production, as it does today. A large proportion of people were dependent on this industry at the time. After World War I, the situation worsened due to high inflation in 1923, and the previous labour office in Buchwaldtschen Hof was no longer sufficient. The plans for this building were drawn up in 1928. Construction began in 1929 and the building was opened on 15 March 1930. It was probably never popular with the people due to its function. In 1930 the number of unemployed people increased again due to the global economic crisis, which meant that the building's capacity had to be fully utilised.
During the Nazi regime, the building was used to manage the regime's labour force. This certainly also included the surveillance of forced labourers.
Some changes regarding the interieur and the windows resulted in protest of the conservation authorities during the 1960s. After all, they managed to get the building listed in 1979.
After the Second World War, the labour office moved back in. When it became too small for the changing needs and a new labour office was opened elsewhere in 1989, this building was used by the city for social services.
History
Basically, the establishment of a job centre at that time is a sad chapter in human history. The people of Kiel were very impoverished after World War I. The city supported arms production, as it does today. A large proportion of people were dependent on this industry at the time. After World War I, the situation worsened due to high inflation in 1923, and the previous labour office in Buchwaldtschen Hof was no longer sufficient. The plans for this building were drawn up in 1928. Construction began in 1929 and the building was opened on 15 March 1930. It was probably never popular with the people due to its function. In 1930 the number of unemployed people increased again due to the global economic crisis, which meant that the building's capacity had to be fully utilised.
During the Nazi regime, the building was used to manage the regime's labour force. This certainly also included the surveillance of forced labourers.
Some changes regarding the interieur and the windows resulted in protest of the conservation authorities during the 1960s. After all, they managed to get the building listed in 1979.
After the Second World War, the labour office moved back in. When it became too small for the changing needs and a new labour office was opened elsewhere in 1989, this building was used by the city for social services.
Sources
