Tag: Hansel and Gretel

Hansel & Gretel illustrated by Arthur Rackham

The House in the Woods, Zehlendorf, Berlin 2010

photograph © Leslie Hossack

The house in the woods in this photograph is one of hundreds built by Hitler’s National Socialist regime for SS officers and their families. These houses are located in an idyllic forest along the shores of Krumme Lanke, on the west side of Berlin in Zehlendorf. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses were allocated to SS officers according to rank.

The photograph above shows a typical example of Nazi residential architecture: tiny houses with steep tile roofs and shuttered windows scattered about in a natural setting. To see more details, please click on the picture.

File:Hansel-and-gretel-rackham.jpg

illustration by Arthur Rackham

The woods in the image at the top of the page makes me think of the German fairy tale Hansel and Gretel, recorded by the Brothers Grimm and published in 1812. British artist Arthur Rackham became famous for his illustrations in the 1900 edition. Created to accompany Hansel and Gretel, the reproduction above is a well-known example of Rackham’s work.

Hansel & Gretel in the Zehlendorf SS settlement

Two Houses, Zehlendorf, Berlin 2010

© Leslie Hossack

These houses were built by Hitler’s National Socialist regime for SS officers and their families. They are located in an idyllic forest along the shores of Krumme Lanke, on the west side of Berlin in Zehlendorf.

This setting makes me think of the German fairy tale Hansel and Gretel, recorded by the Brothers Grimm and published in 1812. In the story, the two children are threatened by an evil witch who lives in a charming house deep in the dark woods.

The photograph above shows a typical example of Nazi residential architecture. The tiny houses with steep tile roofs and shuttered windows are scattered about in a natural setting. These detached, semi-detached and terraced houses were allocated to SS officers according to rank.

In his book titled Architecture in Berlin 1933 – 1945, A Guide Through Nazi Berlin, Matthias Donath writes: Most of the residential buildings and settlements … were given a more traditional form. The buildings had steep tile roofs; the windows could be closed with shutters. The appearance of half-timbered construction gave the houses a local flare. A typical example of this is the Zehlendorf SS settlement built in 1938 – 1940 in Berlin that now bears the name Waldsiedlung Krumme Lanke.