Facts – German Culture

Zeppelins the Bombers

Zeppelins became the frightful reality of WWI. The huge ships carried and dropped the bombs on France and Britain, and there was no defense against the midnight raids of the monsters. The cruising speed of the zeppelins was comparable to the airplanes of the enemies, and the great area allowed lots of guns bristling out of an airship, so it was not easy for the pilots to catch up with the airships and destroy them.

It was not until the end of the war that the zeppelins became less monstrous and more vulnerable. New planes with more powerful engines were built to be able to catch up with the zeppelins. These new planes also carried a new weapon hitting the weak point of the airships: their highly flammable lifting gas. Bullets laced with phosphorus burned with a hot flame setting the massive volume of hydrogen aflame. When a zeppelin burned, the witnesses said that it would light the night sky.

In return, the Germans made new zeppelins – high-flying, super light weight ships with the underside painted black so that they couldn’t be spotted at night. The idea of “Height Climbers” didn’t last long, because the time of zeppelins as a military weapon was coming to an end.

The Treaty of Versailles in 1918 ending WWI forbade German companies to build airships and planes. It was a crushing blow for Friedrichshafen. However the production went on, now concentrating on the development of powerful high-speed diesel-engines for railways as well as for ships and cars. The airships that were left were delivered within the scope of reparation payments to the victors of WWI. The USA had allowed the construction of LZ 126 as a reparation airship. It was built in 1923. As the Allies canceled the prohibition for airship building in 1926, the construction of LZ 127 – the most successful airship – was begun. In 1935 LZ 129 – called “Hindenburg” – was built, and nobody expected the disastrous end waiting for her in 1936.

Author – Tatyana Gordeeva

Zeppelin Airships

On July 2, 1900, the first Zeppelin airship took its maiden flight over the Lake Constance near Friedrichshafen. Its creator, Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, spent two years and all his resources to build the giant – 125 m in length and about 12 m in diameter – cigar-shaped airship equipped with two 14.7 hp Daimler engines. During the construction period, the Count was very often made fun of, and nobody believed that the mammoth creature would ever take off the ground.

However it happened, though the first flight was not very successful. As the LZ1 (“L” – Luft, the German for “air”, “Z” – Zeppelin) was towed out of its floating hangar and glided marvelously into the sky, something went wrong and after 18 min of flight it splashed down onto the lake and was towed back into the hangar for the fixes and improvements. In about 3 months, in October 1900, the LZ1 was ready to fly again. The airship majestically flew up into the sky, and slowly settled down in the middle of the lake. Which was called an “air train” during the construction, gradually turned into a Zeppelin. Until Count von Zeppelin’s death, 130 Zeppelins were built under his supervision. 96 of them were used in the WWI.

By the beginning of the 20th century the aircraft was quite developed, but this was a very special air ship – it was the first rigid one, having a skeleton built around the bags of lifting gas. The Count von Zeppelin had a few reasons for such a radical design:

– ability of a solid outer shell to allow the airship to travel at much greater speeds without worrying about the air pressure against the nose of the airship;
– real possibility to use the airship for military missions of great duration;
– ability of the aluminum frame to make the airship strong enough to fly through bad weather conditions without deforming itself.

All this was a real danger for the non-rigid ships flown at that time.

During the WWI, Friedrichshafen, where more than a third of all German war planes were produced, became the center of military aviation and arms industry.

German Nationality Law

On January 1, 2000 a new nationality law came into force in Germany. This law will help foreigners living in Germany to become German citizens. According to the new law, “At the heart of the reform is the supplementing of the traditional principle of descent (jus sanguinis) by the acquisition of nationality by birth. For children born in Germany of foreign parents, this makes it easier for them to identify with their home country of Germany. They are given the chance to grow up as Germans among Germans.” Until now citizenship was identified according to the principle of descent. From now on the only thing that matters is the place of birth, like in many other European countries.

The German government estimates around half of the foreigners living in Germany will become eligible for citizenship under the new law. All children born in Germany will now automatically receive citizenship, if at least one of their parents has lived in Germany for eight years. The children of foreign parents will be entitled to dual citizenship until they are 23, at which point they must choose. Also, a person must fulfill certain conditions – be loyal to Germany and its people, and have a good command of the German language.

Birth in Germany

Children born on or after 1 January 2000 to non-German parents acquire German citizenship at birth if at least one parent:

has a permanent residence permit and
has been residing in Germany for at least eight years.

In order to retain German citizenship, such children are required to take affirmative measures by age 23, after which their German citizenship otherwise expires. Assuming that this law is not changed or overturned by a court, these affirmative measures include an applicant’s proving that he or she does not hold any foreign citizenship other than in a European Union member nation or a nation such as Morocco, Nigeria, or Iran whose domestic law provides that citizenship in it cannot be lost.

Descent from a German parent

A person born of a parent with German citizenship at the time of the child’s birth is a German citizen. Place of birth is not a factor in citizenship determination based on parentage.

Those born after 1 January 1975 are Germans if the mother or father is a German citizen.
Those born before 1 January 1975 could normally only claim German citizenship from the father and not the mother. Exceptions included cases where the parents were unmarried (in which case German mothers could pass on citizenship) or where the German mother applied for the child to be registered as German on or before 31 December 1977.
Special rules exist for those born before 1 July 1993 if only the father is German and is not married to the mother. The father must acknowledge paternity and must have married the mother before 1 July 1998.

A child born in a foreign country will no longer receive German citizenship automatically by birth, if his/her German parent was born after 31 December 1999 in a foreign country and has his/her primary residence there. Exceptions are:
1. The child would be stateless.
2. The German parent registers the child’s birth within one year of birth to the responsible German agency abroad.
In case both parents are German citizens, German citizenship will not be passed on automatically, if both parents were born abroad after 31 December 1999 and have their primary residence outside of Germany. Exceptions are same as the above.
Those born in Germany and adopted to a foreign country would need to contact their local German Consulate for clarification of German citizenship.
Persons who are Germans on the basis of descent from a German parent do not have to apply to retain German citizenship by age 23. If they acquire another citizenship at birth, they can usually continue to hold this.

Naturalisation by entitlement

An individual who fulfils all of the following criteria has an entitlement to naturalise as a German citizen:

he/she has been ordinarily resident in Germany for at least 8 years (this period can be reduced – see below)
he/she has legal capacity or a legal representative
confirms his/her present and past commitment to the free democratic constitutional system enshrined in the German Basic Law (or that he is presently committed to such principles and has departed from former support of ideas contrary to such principles)
he/she is a European Union or Swiss citizen in possession of the appropriate residence permit which permits the free movement of persons OR is a non-EU/Swiss citizen who has been granted a permanent right of residence
he/she is able to support himself/herself without recourse to benefits
he/she has not been sentenced for an unlawful act and is not subject to any court order imposing a measure of reform and prevention
he/she possesses an adequate knowledge of German
possesses knowledge of the legal system, the society and living conditions in the Federal Republic of Germany

An individual who does not have legal capacity is entitled to naturalise as a German citizen merely through ordinary residence in Germany for at least 8 years – he/she does not have to fulfil the other criteria (e.g. adequate command of the German language and ability to be self-supporting without recourse to benefits).

Applicants for naturalisation are normally expected to prove they have renounced their existing nationality, or will lose this automatically upon naturalisation. An exception applies to those unable to give up their nationality easily (such as refugees). A further exception applies to citizens of Switzerland and the European Union member states.

An individual who is entitled to naturalise as a German citizen can also apply for his/her spouse and minor children to be naturalised at the same time (his/her spouse and minor children need not have ordinarily resided in Germany for at least 8 years).

Exceptions to the normal residence requirements include:

persons who have completed an integration course may have the residence requirement reduced to 7 years
If a person shows that he/she is especially well integrated and has a higher level of command of the German language than the basic requirement for the German citizenship (i.e., higher than CEFR level B1) may have the residence requirement reduced to 6 years
The spouse of a German citizen may be naturalised after 3 years of continual residency in Germany. The marriage must have persisted for at least 2 years.
refugees and stateless persons may be able to apply after 6 years of continual residency
former German citizens

Women in German army

Küche, Kirche, Kinder, … Krieg?
Women have been for the first time admitted into combat units of German army

Germany was the last of the European countries that allowed women to join the fighting units of the Bundeswehr. Since 2001, the women serve in the armored corps of the army, fighter aircraft and navy, including submarines. They do not serve as rifle-toting infantry, though.

So far there were female soldiers only in the medical and music regiments. The traditionally conservative German armed forces will have to contend with women in three of the military’s legendary fighting units – the Panzer divisions, Luftwaffe and U-boats. The German authorities had resisted the move, but were forced to change their policy after a woman electronics operative Tanja Kreil took a case to the European Court of Justice and last January won the right to serve in fighting units alongside men. After that the Bundestag accordingly modified the national military law and the Constitution. The defense ministry meanwhile predicts that the proportion of female soldiers will not exceed 10%.

On the one hand, women were effective combat soldiers in two hugely successful modern armies – the Russian Red Army of World War II and the Viet Minh and Viet Cong in the Vietnam wars. On the other hand, as a senior officer of the British army told London’s Daily Mail: “Battlefields are ugly places and the thought of women being in the thick of battle is absurd.”

Ulrike Flender, the first female combat pilot in the unified German military

There are presently around 17,000 women on active duty and a number of female reservists who take part in all duties including peacekeeping missions and other operations.

The same rules and requirements will be applied to the women-soldiers as well as to their male colleagues. Make-up and jewelry will be banned while in uniform but, though the women will have to wear the uniforms, they may choose their underwear.

Thus the famous three K’s of German women — Küche (kitchen), Kirche (church), Kinder (children) — have been expanded with another K — Krieg (war).

The History of German Beer Steins

The origins of German beer steins date back to the 14th century. As a result of the bubonic plague and several invasions of flies throughout Europe shortly thereafter, Germany established several laws in the early 16th century requiring that all food and beverage containers (in our case it’s beer steins) be covered to protect their contents. The guild system was firmly entrenched in European society at this time. The pewter guild, combined with the heightened awareness for hygiene among food containers, created an environment in Germany that would ensure the presence of permanently attached pewter lids on stoneware drinking vessels for the next 300 years. By the end of the 19th century, the beer stein was clearly defined as being made in Europe, primarily of stoneware and primarily with a permanently attached pewter lid.

The history of german beer steins includes the development and introduction of several different materials other than stoneware. Pewter was not only used for lids, but also as a primary body material. It was the material of choice throughout large areas of Europe and particularly popular in England. Glass, porcelain and silver beer steins were introduced several hundred years ago as well and are all still available today. Many stein-decorating styles and techniques were developed over the centuries, offering further diversity to this creative, historical, artistic, and ever-evolving gift item. Centuries-old traditions continue to train the skilled hands and eyes that are required to create these steins.

Pewter Fittings
Pewter fittings often help in the dating and pricing of the stein. Prior to 1680, they normally consisted of a domed lid with a tiered finial (a figural representation or common design positioned at the top of the stein), a large, closed, five- ring hinge and small thumblift mounted over the hinge. Soon after 1680, fittings became more massive with large ball-type thumblifts, lid rings, handle reinforcement straps, and five-ring hinge. From 1690 to 1748, fittings had footrings, lid rings, large fancy lids, large ball-thumblifts, and handle reinforcement straps. During the period 1850-65, pewter fittings were reduced to small diameter hinges, lids made of thin rings holding glass or ceramic inserts and fragile thumblifts. From 1875-1914, less expensive steins (stoneware and glass) had fancy pewter lids and thumblifts, while the more expensive ones (like Mettlach) were still made with ceramic inlaid lids.

The closed hinge was used mostly until 1875, when the open hinge came into general use. A shortage of tin and pewter during WWI & WWII, caused many steins to be made with nickel-plated metal lids. Many kinds of hinges and fittings are being used today. Most pewter lids dating from 1960 to present have a velvety, sandblasted texture.

The word stein is a shortened form of Steinzeugkrug, which is German for stoneware jug or tankard. By common usage, however, stein has come to mean any beer container regardless of its material or size that has a hinged lid and a handle.

Earliest Beer Steins
From about 1340 until 1380, a bubonic plague, or Black Death, killed more than 25 million Europeans! As horrible as this historic event was, it prompted tremendous progress for civilization. And, of interest here, it is also responsible for the origin of the beer stein. Recall from above that the distinction between a mug and a stein is the hinged lid. This lid was originally conceived entirely as a sanitary measure. During the summers of the late 1400s, hoards of little flies frequently invaded Central Europe. By the early 1500s, several principalities in what is now Germany had passed laws requiring that all food and beverage containers be covered to protect consumers against these dirty insects. The common mug also had to be covered, and this was accomplished by adding a hinged lid with a thumblift. This ingenious invention was soon used to cover all German beverage containers while still allowing them to be used with one hand. This covered-container law and several other public health laws were enthusiastically passed and vigilantly enforced as a result of public fears about a return of the Black Death.

In the period from Roman times to the 1300s, sanitation had continually declined. During the years of the Black Death, it became obvious to all, with 95% of those in filthy areas dead and only 10% dead in clean surroundings, that the plague was somehow related to unsanitary conditions. The covered-container law was only one in a whole series of sanitary regulations that were passed in Germany after the plague pigpens could not be adjacent to streets, old or diseased meat had to be labeled as such, and beer could be brewed only from hops, cereals, yeast, and water. Strictly enforced regulations concerning the quality and transport of beer in many of the German provinces resulted in a tremendous improvement in the taste of beer, and also had an impact on stein making. Many records show that average beer consumption increased to about two liters per day in many places. Beerhouses, city hall cellars, and taverns began to proliferate in the 1500s.

During the Black Death, churches claimed prayer would end the plague and sometimes announced that Revelations had begun. In either case they lost some of their hold on the public, and more pragmatic scientific views began to prevail. The subsequent rise of science and its marriage with art has been credited with starting the Renaissance. The obvious earthenware experiments involved raising the firing temperature past the usual level of 500 C (900 F). Higher temperatures, however, could not be achieved merely by throwing more wood into the furnace; they required new furnace designs.

The quality and taste of beer continued to improve. Besides offering taste and fellowship, beer was considered to be important for the constitution, with the ability to induce strength, health, and relaxation. From the earliest times right up into the 1800s, many considered beer to be the most effective medicine known the drink from the gods. Although glass beer beakers were used in Roman times, the Church viewed glassmaking as heathenish and suppressed its production during the Middle Ages.

The Napoleonic war and other rebellions of the time so diminished the aristocrats wealth and power that the middle class became the most important market for steins and other artistic products. Porcelain and silver steins continued to be made in the early 1800s, always with the Renaissance and Baroque designs that still appealed to the wealthy. In the early 1800s, the preference of the masses was so clearly for glass and pewter that nearly all of the faience workshops were permanently closed.

By 1850, art instruction consisted entirely of having students copy the forms and designs of the archaeological finds from the Renaissance and Classical periods. The new style that resulted has been called neo-Renaissance and neo-Classical or, more commonly, Historicism.

In the second half of the 1800s, glassmaking techniques had progressed enough to allow molds to also be used to mass-produce glass steins. With the subsequent outbreak of World War I, the materials and labor needed by the pewter industry were converted to use for munitions production, and beer stein making virtually ceased.

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German Shepherd – The Ultimate Service Dog

“The most striking features of the correctly bred German Shepherd are firmness of nerves, attentiveness, unshockability, tractability, watchfulness, reliability and incorruptibility together with courage, fighting tenacity and hardness.”
– Max von Stephanitz, Father of the German Shepherd Dog

The German Shepherd Dog (GSD) is a versatile working-dog, capable of being trained to perform a wide variety of tasks. German Shepherds are family pets, police dogs, guide dogs, search and rescue dogs, bomb and drug detection dogs, sheep and cattle herders, hunting companions, guard dogs, obedience champions, avalanche dogs, assistance dogs, show dogs, and more. Regardless of their particular role, German Shepherds are excellent companions provided they receive the attention, training, and exercise they need and feel useful.

This dog breed is only about 100 years old. The breed was originated by Captain Max von Stephanitz. Captain von Stephanitz, of the German infantry, bought sheep-herding dogs (many of them field trial winners) from all over Europe in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s and bred them together to create his ‘ultimate service dog’. He started a registry and stud book. His favourite dog, Hektor, was 1/4th wolf. All the dogs originally imported to the UK & America were proudly traced back to him. After WWI, British and American soldiers, impressed by the abilities of the dog, brought home examples to breed. The breed instantly become popular, both as a family pet and as a working dog. Shortly thereafter, the German Shepherd Dog’s (GSD) name was changed to Alsatian Wolf Dog. Their popularity soared for a while, then fell tremendously as the media sensationalised every remotely negative event that occurred associated with a canine with the word ‘wolf’ in it. There were arguments like this – was the Alsatian Wolfdog the best working / most capable / most intelligent dog that ever walked the face of the earth OR was Alsatian Wolfdog the unpredictable / livestock eating / human attacking beast from hell? The name was eventually changed back in 1977 to German Shepherd Dog, and the GSD soon reached its peak at the top of the most popular dog list.

Von Stephanitz created the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde, or SV, as the official governing body for the breed. The SV then created the Schutzhund trial as a breed test for the German Shepherd Dog, and prohibited the breeding of any dog which could not pass the trial. The purpose of Schutzhund training is to assess and mold the dog’s natural abilities to track, protect, and teach the dog control through obedience. It has been considered by some to be a test for breeding in that during the training the degree to which the dog possesses these working abilities becomes apparent.
The German Shepherd Dog is a large, strong, substantial-looking dog. The fur is a double-coat and can be either short or long haired. It varies in color, coming in many different shades, mostly cream (tan) and brown, but also solid black or white. Dogs with coats that have tri-colored hair (ie. black, brown, red, or white) are called sable or agouti. Different kennel clubs have different standards for the breed according to size, weight, coat color and structure. The GSCs have an average life span of ten to twelve years.

The German Shepherd Dog is an intelligent breed of dog. Because they are eager to please, they are easily trained in obedience and protection. German Shepherd Dogs are often used as working dogs in many capacities, including search and rescue (SAR), military, police or guard dogs. They are also used as assistance dogs / service dogs (such as guide dogs). The original purpose for the German Shepherd, was (not surprisingly) to herd sheep, cattle or any other animal that may require the assistance of a shepherd. Even given the name “shepherd” some people are surprised to hear that these dogs were bred for herding, as the GSD is more often found working as a guard dog, police dog or companion pet than in the field working sheep.

The German Shepherd does not have the “eye” as border collies or other similar breeds. They are trained to follow their instinct, which for the GSD is to “work the furrow”, meaning that they will patrol a boundary all day and restrict the animals being herded from entering or leaving the designated area. It is this instinct that has made the breed superb guarding dogs, protecting their flock (or family) from harm. Your German Shepherd will try to “herd” you and your family. Often they will “follow ahead”, walking in front of you and looking back to make sure you are going where you should. Although the German Shepherd is not used as frequently for herding in present time, there are many breed lines still known for their herding. The breed is naturally loyal, intelligent and protective (which makes it good for police work). German Shepherd has an excellent nose, making it good for tracking and search and rescue work. German Shepherd Dogs are calm and have a steady temperament when well-bred which is why they have been used as “Seeing Eye” dogs. A German Shepherd thrives on regular exercise, mental stimulation and a well-balanced diet.

German Cars

The cars are used so extensively nowadays, that they tend to turn into a separate cultural subcategory, especially where the German culture is concerned. The exteriors always define the first impression. That is why people purchase expensive vehicles, committing money rather to the brand image of a car than to the perfect technical devices, or luxurious interiors. The top positions in the lists of the most prestigious cars are fixedly occupied by German automobiles Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen, and Audi. The first two target the most well-to-do people, and offer the first-rate but very costly select autos.

Audi, the elite subdivision of Volkswagen Group, prefers another tactic: its models, while offering a presentable appearance and excellent technical performance, compete with the other rivals on a single, but very important parameter – price.

Opel models are designed for middle-class population, especially for rational-minded people who will never rack their brains whether or not to buy BMW or Mercedes. They will simply buy Opel, bearing with the lack of comfort and… thinking about annual turnover.

The presentations of new Mercedes models turn into epoch-making events – like Moon shots, German reunification, or Ferrari’s victory in Formula-1 races, but they happen much more often. And each time it is a rattler. The history of Mercedes is rich. It started in 1899 with the first success of Emil Jellinek, an Austrian diplomat and a Daimler sales agent, at European races under the pseudonym “Mercedes” (Jellinek’s eldest daughter’s name). Soon Jellinek initiated production of a new Daimler model, and ventured to sell them marked as Mercedes in Europe and the USA. The idea was such a success that ever since 1902 all Daimler vehicles changed their name to Mercedes.

The world of cars, like that of humans, is complex and versatile. It includes all: losers and favorites, the plain and the beautiful. There are also aristocrats. Sure, the last category is represented by BMW models of 3 series, 5 series, 7 series. The cars produced in Bayern have no need for worldwide advertising campaigns, nor for pompous presentations. The superb quality shows through the tight rows of worthy competitors like Audi, Jaguar, and Mercedes.

Terrorism in Germany – Baader-Meinhof Gang

During the years of 1968-1977 Germany lived in fear. Three terrorist groups – the Red Army Faction (RAF), Movement 2 June, and the Revolutionary Cells (RZ) – gathered about a hundred Germans as their members.

The Baader-Meinhof Gang, who called themselves the Red Army Faction, and two other terrorist groups went killing dozens of people. In 1968 the prominent German journalist Ulrike Meinhof joined the former juvenile delinquent Andreas Baader and his girlfriend Gudrun Ensslin in launching the most terrifying era in German postwar history.

The student protests of 1968 gradually became riots. The young terrorists in their desperate attempt to start the world revolution took to terrorism: mere bank robbings turned to kidnappings and murders. Most of the leaders of the most famous West German terrorist group, the Baader-Meinhof Gang, were captured in mid-1972. Their followers continued kidnapping and killing people over the next five years in an effort to secure their leaders’ release from prison, but it was all in vain. The German government had no intention of releasing them.

The German government used the terrorist crisis to approve new laws giving them broad powers in fighting terrorism. Radical leftists protested, but the majority of the German people were firmly on the side of the government. Late in 1977, after an airplane hi-jacking by Palestinian comrades failed to release the three imprisoned leaders of the Baader-Meinhof Gang, the terrorists Andreas Baader, Gudrun Ensslin, and Jan-Carl Raspe all committed suicide at Stammheim prison deep at night on October 17, 1977. The Baader-Meinhof era, the era of “German Autumn”, was over. Everybody in Germany hoped so. Unfortunately many kidnappings and deaths were yet to come. Only in April of 1998, a communiqué sent to Reuters proved what many had long suspected: that the RAF was officially disbanded.

June 2015, Bremen – Attempted robbery of a security van using another van in a blocking move. Three shots fired from semi-automatic weapons, but attackers were unable to open the security van’s door. In January 2016, police have identified the individuals involved in the attempted robbery using DNA from fingerprints, naming the suspects as RAF militants Ernst-Volker Staub, Daniela Klette, and Burkhard Garweg

The Amber Room Reconstruction

In the early 1980s, serious work on recreating the Amber Room based on old photographs and reminiscences was undertaken in the Catherine Palace, but the lack of funds threatened to put an end to the works. The process was left to the fate, but it seemed to be merciful to the Amber Room’s re-creators. Ruhrgas AG, Essen, Germany, made it possible to reconstruct the legendary Amber Room. As exclusive sponsor, the gas company is provided funds for the continuation of the reconstruction work, and the completion is scheduled for 2003.

Ruhrgas had learned about the project through the newspapers and approached the Tsarskoe Selo Museum about it. During the ceremonies, the Russian Minister of Culture, Vladimir Yegorov, emphasized that “Ruhrgas’s initiative sends a positive signal for German-Russian relations because the Amber Room is both a legend and a symbol of the huge loss of art treasures suffered by Russia during the war.

History works wonders: the Germans built the Amber Room, gave it to Russia as a gift, eventually took it, and the circle now comes full with the Germans paying for the Amber Room’s reconstruction. The Amber Room history is symbolic of the ups and downs in the relationships between Germans and Russians, and let this history end with the up!

The Amber Room: History of the Creation

The history of the Amber Room dates back to the very beginning of the 18th century, when Andreas Schluter, the chief architect of the Prussian royal court, had the idea of using amber, a material never before used for interior decoration, to complete one of the rooms of the Great Royal Palace in Berlin during the reconstruction under Frederick I. The works started in 1701 and continued until 1713 with the help of the best German, Swedish, and Dutch amber masters, when the old king died, and the new Prussian King – Frederick Wilhelm I – came into power. He was not interested in the beautiful and exquisite Amber Room, the rumors of which have by that time reached Russia.

In 1716, Russian Tsar Peter I visited Berlin, admired the amber masterpiece, and Frederick Wilhelm I asked Peter the Great to accept the unusual room as a diplomatic gift. The Russian Tsar’s return present was no less original: 55 choice grenadiers. After a long shipping time and complex route (Berlin-Koenigsburg-Memel-Riga-St.Petersburg) the Amber Room finally reached its destination. The boxes were unpacked but the Russian masters did not manage to reconstruct the Amber Room, and it was for some time forgotten.

When Empress Elizabeth started reigning in the 1740s, she commissioned her chief architect, Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli, to use the amber for decoration of one of the rooms of the Winter Palace. The room was too large, and the architect used mirrored pilasters and painted additional panels in “fake amber”. In 1755, the Amber Room was transferred to the Catherine Palace in Tsarskoje Selo where the new room was to be constructed. The room in the Palace was again too large for the Amber Study, and the amber parts were reassembled on the walls alternating with pilasters and mirrors. The places where the amber was missing, were painted in “fake amber” and afterwards replaced with real amber panels. By 1770 the Amber Room was complete. However the amber was damaged by the stove heating and temperature changes, and the room was restored three times: in 1833, 1865, and in the 1890s. The next restoration was to take place in 1941.

In the beginning of WWII it was decided not to evacuate the fragile Amber Room, and instead preserve the treasures on the walls of the Palace disguised by the paper, gauze and cotton. But is it possible to hide several tons of amber under the paper??? The German troops dismantled the panels and sent them to Koenigsburg, where the Room was displayed in one of the halls of the Koenigsburg Museum. In 1944, as the German Army retired, the Amber Room was dismantled again, and taken into the unknown direction. According to different resources, the Amber Room was:
– destroyed by the Allies’ bombing,
– buried in a silver mine not far from Berlin,
– hidden on the shores of the Baltic Sea.

Nothing is found yet, though parts of the mosaics appeared in the 1990s in Germany. Thus, the 50-year-old mystery of Amber Room is still alive.

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