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Wait, what?

It’s strange, yes — especially given how hard it is to find even the slightest reference to the Nazi period in other parts of the city. This is not to say that Nuremberg ignores its Nazi past; the Doku-Zentrum, a museum close to the rallying grounds, goes into extensive detail about Nazi crimes and Nuremberg’s role during the Third Reich, and other memorials for those genocided during the war can be found all around the city.

But even on the nearby rallying grounds, all swastikas have been removed and their outlines scrubbed so as to be no longer identifiable. So why, then, has this Reichsadler remained on the building?

First, let’s go into a little history.

What was this building during the Nazi period?

One of the most interesting parts about this building was that it was pretty important during Hitler’s reign. It was designed by Nazi architect Albert Speer in 1936 as a power station for the rallying grounds, which allowed them to be lit during party speeches and celebrations. However, the capabilities of the “Trafohaus” as it was known extended far beyond that; this small building could provide enough power for an entire city.

What happened after the war?

As the city began its reconstruction period following World War II, it was unclear what should be done with the buildings of the era. Of course, there would be controversy continuing to use them, but there would also be controversy if they chose not to use them. Nuremberg was devastated after the war, and much of the rebuilding efforts were focused on, well, rebuilding. Anyone who proposed further destruction would sound ridiculous.

The building laid dormant for several years before being bought by Nuremberg-based power company N-Ergie in 1960, who continued to use the building as both an energy transformer and a warehouse until 1998. 

For the next few years, it stood empty. There was some talk of turning the location into a tower hotel with the power station integrated into its base (a project spearheaded by architect Hanno Höllfritsch), but after a few years, it became clear that this project would never be realized.

Why did Burger King buy it?

Because they could, it seems. The area is actually pretty popular; it’s very close to the stadium where Nuremberg’s soccer team plays its games, and several festivals take place in the surrounding parks.

In 2006, Burger King decided to buy the property in a move that then-head of the museum Doku-Zentrum apparently described as “spicy.” The current owners ban people from taking pictures inside the building; however, you are free to take pictures from the outside — the owners claim photos like this happen nearly every half hour.

It should also be noted that Burger King is not the only business in this building. Next door is a gym, and even in other places in both Nuremberg and the rest of Germany, businesses of all sorts can be found in buildings designed and constructed during the fascist era. In fact, even some German government offices are housed in old Nazi buildings, such as the Finance Ministry in Berlin.

A photo taken from the nearby Doku-Zentrum.

Why don’t they turn the building into a museum?

The short answer is that there are already many museums in Nuremberg detailing the Nazi period, and while more information is always appreciated, it simply doesn’t make sense to have another museum within walking distance of a different, larger, better museum.

Some also make the argument that reusing the building in this manner is a better response than turning it into a memorial, claiming that the ultimate “screw you” to the Nazis is to use their monuments of power as shells for sub-tier burger restaurants. This is, in their estimation, compounded by the fact that Hitler himself was a vegetarian and would presumably not be pleased to see meat being sold in a former party building.

I’m less sympathetic to this argument, but as far as I can tell, using this building as nothing more than a burger restaurant — especially given the fact that a sign detailing the building’s history can be found directly in front of it — is relatively harmless.

Conclusion

In the end, the Nazi Burger King is more curious than dangerous. It’s a marker of a country still struggling with the icons of its past. Even in the modern era, debates are had across Germany about what to do with Nazi buildings: should they be preserved? Destroyed? Left as they are?

The current response seems to be responding to each building on a case-by-case basis. But as more Nazi-era buildings fall into disrepair, it is certain that questions like these will become increasingly relevant.

What do you think should be done with the building? Leave a comment down below!

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