Architecture and ideology in Eastern Europe during the Stalin era: an aspect of Cold War history

Abstract

Part 1 The early postwar period: from end of World War II to Cold War reconstruction and new buildings. Part 2 The Cold War: from 1949 to mid-1950s iconography, rhetoric, and cult of Stalin. Part 3 The example of Soviet Union-Socialist realism: basic architectural concepts breakthrough of socialist realism in Soviet Union causes and implications victory architecture of 1940s. Part 4 Realization of example in people's democracies: how example was transmitted realization, country by country ideological context - a newspaper article from 1952 Soviet Union in 1932 versus people's democracies in 1949. Part 5 Socialist content: great construction projects of communism concern for mankind ostentation and monumentality. Part 6 National form: DDR, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria national form - practice and implications. Part 7 Monumental buildings in capital cities: Stalinalee in East Berlin Palace of Culture in Warsaw Casa Scinteii in Bucharest new centre of Sofia. Part 8 The first socialist cities: stalinstadt Nowa Huta Sztalinvaros Dimitrovgrad new cities - a glimpse of future. Part 9 The logic of situation - eight biographical sketches: Karel Teige and Jiri Kroha Jozsef Fischer and Mate Major Szymon Syrkus and bohdan Pniewski Hermann Henselmann and Kurt Liebknecht architects - aesthetic and ideology. Part 10 Four political works of art: pass me a brick - building as a symbol young bricklayer of Stalinalee - the typical in art Stalin monument in Budapest - damnatio memoriae I Stalin monument in Prague - damnatio memoriae II iconography of pictorial art. Part 11 Thaw and de-Stalinization: from death of Stalin till end of 1950s de-escalation and abolition of Socialist realism. Part 12 How other side built - Interbau in West Berlin. Part 13 Architecture and ideology - discussion and conclusion: three comparisons alternative interpretations negative choice.