German Royal Palaces, Castles and Homes

I agree with you, HK, and  I by no means meant Hitler had anything to do with the design of the place.  Just that it fit his ego. After all, he considered himself  "successor" to the Hohenzollerns. 3rd Reich and all that nonsense. I am still taken aback that it survived the Soviet invasion and the subsequent  Communist rule in Poland. It does look remarkably intacct Especially when one  knows so much of Poland was left in ruins.

Yes, I quite agree that it is amazing to have survived post-1945. Both the Poles and the Soviets embarked on a horrid policy of ethnic cleansing through the previously German states of east and west Prussia, Silesia, Pomerania, and Posen. During the "cleansing", structures that may have escaped the war were summarily blown up and bulldozed as were entire cemeteries, churches, homes, etc. So, that the Posen palace was allowed to remain is quite notable.

I agree with you, HK, and  I by no means meant Hitler had anything to do with the design of the place.  Just that it fit his ego. After all, he considered himself  "successor" to the Hohenzollerns. 3rd Reich and all that nonsense. I am still taken aback that it survived the Soviet invasion and the subsequent  Communist rule in Poland. It does look remarkably intacct Especially when one  knows so much of Poland was left in ruins.

Poznan was not destroyed during WW II. Of course, the city DID suffer some distruction but it was nothing compared to the ruins of Warsaw. The capital of Poland was completel destroyed as a result of the Warsaw uprisal that started 01.08.1944 and lasted 62 days. IMHO it was a completely unnecesary and risky undertaking because the uprisal was organized primarily by yoooung and inexperienced people who didn`t undergo military training and didn`t have enough weapons.  it was very selfless of them but the uprisal brought about so many victims and complete destruction of warsaw.the city simpy stopped existing due to incessant fight on the streets of warsaw. poznan didn`t witness such tragic events

and some more pictures from the national digital archives

wilhelm II`s throne

the altar of the palace chapel




the boudoir of the princess (I guess, victoria louise`s?)

the room of the empress




 

the fountain



smoking room

a study




a bedroom




waiting room

wilhelm`s desk




wilhelm`s armchair

a hall

With the Christmas season only a short while away,have your Christmas reception,dinner and / or party at one of the Palaces,
Glienicke,Sans Souci,Lindstedt,Grunewald or some of the others:

http://www.spsg.de/index.php?id=8629

 

Weihnachtsmarkt at Charlottenburg Palace,Berlin:

http://www.spsg.de/index.php?id=9447

If any travellers have not visited Germany during the holiday season and experienced the Christmas Markets, it is a highly recommended endeavor. There is something for everyone to enjoy. The locations are always palace grounds or Alt Stadt market squares. In some cases, in the smaller towns and villages, the Christmas markets engulf the entire town layout. Great food, entertainment, good drink, and plenty of comraderie during the build up to Christmas.

The winter wonderland of Sans Souci at present:

http://gpdhome.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c648253ef0148c6ebb8dc970c-pi

courtesy HJA's Royalblog.

The winter wonderland of Sans Souci at present:

http://gpdhome.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c648253ef0148c6ebb8dc970c-pi

courtesy HJA's Royalblog.

Seasons Greetings from the Neues Palais,Potsdam:

http://www.spsg.de/index.php?id=9593

This summer I went for some German language course in Goethe Institute in Berlin and had a chance to see many Palace and Castles in these two and a half weeks in Germany:

Charlottenburg, Sanssouci, Neues Palais (Friedrich der Grosse exibition), Glienicke,seen Babenhausen from outside, Cecilienhof, Schönhausen, Wörlitz, Oranienbaum, Mosigkau, Georgium, Köthen, Wernigerode, Arolsen, Wilhelmshohe, Hinter und Forderglauchau, Waldenburg, Rochsburg, Ludwigslust, Schwerin, Heidecksburg, Sondershausen, Obergriez, Untergreiz, Sommer Palais in Greiz, Eutin, Gottorf and Rossla.

I must say it was a wonderful experience! If one has any question about any of these Castles and Palaces, I'll be happy to answer...