How Did Albert Speer Contribute To Architecture

Albert Speer contributed to his period of time through numerous different ways, these includes; his contribution to the second world war as armaments minister, contribution to the consolidation of Nazi and their power in Germany, architectural designs during the period as the architect of the Reich and significantly, being opposed to the ‘scorched earth’ policy, that was implemented by Hitler. Through these events, it is evident that Speer was not just an architect or technocrat however, a criminal of war who ‘got away with murder’. Speer was not only known as a great architecture but also, an effective organiser due to his management skills.

Through Speer, the architectural work for the Nazi propaganda was changed potentially forever. This

This new city, Germania, was intended to show the all mighty, powerful side of Germany and to implement other aspects from different cities from other countries including, Paris and London. This all mighty city was intended to be opened by 1950. It is through these plans, that Speer was able to truly prove his potential as he designed to have a five-kilometre avenue that would lead through the city toward a domed hall, while having a mass of a 6000-seat cinema. These plans were able to prove the architect’s efficiency when it came to mass projects and was hence, able to reflect the Nazi ideology of conquering, controlling and empowerment. Therefore, it is through Speers contribution of the Germania project was he able to contribute toward history as he would reflect Nazism and the power of

This is because the increase in armament production mainly relayed on the exploration of the foreign works and prisoners of war. Speer, claims to not have any knowledge of this event, and insisted that is was the responsibility of the deputy of Fritz Sauckel. “all the men must be fed, housed and treated in such a way as to exploit them to the greatest possible extent at the absolute minimum of expenditure”. However, many historians such as Frost, argue that it is because of Speers positions as the Minister, that it was have also been his responsibility for the number of workers whom were used for labour work in such conditions in inhumanely circumstances. Furthermore, in order to avoid death at the Nuremberg Trial, Speer claims to gain, have no knowledge about the conditions that the workers were put through whilst, Dan van der Vat and Gitta Sereny claim that Speer had in fact visited Mauthausen Camp in 1943. It is because of Speer that evicted a mass amount of Berlin Jews from their homes, hence, sentencing them to concentration camps. This has led to many historians to determine Speer as someone who had not only worked closely with Hitler however, had also known about the worst within the Nazi regime including the treatment of individuals and the Holocaust. Historian Matthais Schmidt argues that Speer lacks to tell definite details about his