Developer Receives Approval to Demolish Nazi-Era Bunker for Housing in Berlin

A Hamburg developer has received official approval to construct apartments and an office building on an undeveloped parcel in central Berlin that contains a bunker used by members of the Nazi regime. The site lies near the former location of the New Reich Chancellery, which Adolf Hitler commissioned in 1939.

The bunker itself has never been placed under official monument protection. A land-use plan adopted by the Berlin parliament two decades ago already designated the area for development, and officials later committed to allowing construction.

The Berlin State Monument Council stated in a memo last year that the New Reich Chancellery represented the planning center for World War II and symbolized the end of the Nazi regime. The council recommended assessing the bunker for protection. Stephanie Herold, chair of the Urban Conservation and Cultural Heritage department at Technische Universität Berlin, said the bunker constitutes important heritage.

She expressed surprise that it lacks formal recognition.

Berlin faces a housing shortage, and preservation rules require balancing historical protection with the need for residential space. The Berlin Underworlds Association is seeking dialogue with officials and the property owner to explore options that would preserve the bunker while allowing development.

Officials have stated that the owner must document the bunker before any demolition. The property sits in a prime central location but remains unmarked and largely absent from public awareness because it is underground and undeveloped.