The "Brown House" - the Nazi Party Headquarters
Key dates of the building's history
The Munich Documentation Centre for the History of National Socialism is planned for the historical location on the former Party Headquarters of the NSDAP, the 'Brown House', on the junction of Brienner and Arcisstraße.
1826
Königstrasse is renamed into Brienner Strasse.
1828-1831
A palais is built in the Brienner Strasse 38 (old street number) based on plans by the architect appointed to the royal court and the owner Jean-Baptiste Métivier.
1831
The palais is leased to the Reich councillor Karl Ludwig Freiherr von Lotzbeck.
1838
The palais is sold to the nobleman Fabio Pallavicini, chargé d’affaires of the Kingdom of Sardinia at the Bavarian Court.
1866
The palais passes into the ownership of the court photographer Joseph Albert.
1876
Richard Barlow, an British merchant, buys the palais.
26. Mai 1930
An association representing the National Socialist German Worker’s Party (Nationalsozialistischer Deutscher Arbeiter-Verein e.V.) purchases the palais for the price of 805,864 gold marks from Elisabeth Stefanie Barlow, widow of Willy Barlow, Richard Barlow’s son.
1930/1931
The building is converted into Nazi Party headquarters based on Adolf Hitler’s proposals and plans drafted by the architect Paul Ludwig Troost.
As of 1931
Nazi Party headquarters (the Reich Main Office) is relocated to the “Brown House”, which temporarily becomes the seat for key offices of various party organisations (including the SA Leadership, the Party Supreme Court, the Reich Press Office) as well as high-ranking party officials (among others Adolf Hitler, Rudolf Hess and Hans Frank).
Autumn 1931
Construction work begins on extensions, the so-called party home.
Mid-1933
The “staff of the ‘Führer’s deputy" moves into the extension.
After 1937
After the completion of the “administration building” and the “‘Führer’ building”, the “Brown House” is used for different purposes, including as a museum. From 1937, the “‘Führer’ deputy” and his staff are also located here. From 1941 it is called the Party Chancellery.
2/3 October 1943
The “Brown House” is damaged during an air raid on Munich.
7 January 1945
Extensive damage is caused by a further air raid; only two external walls remain standing.
1947
Demolition
1951
The remaining ruins and rubble are cleared away.
