Albert Speer Jr emerges from Nazi father's shadow

beatriz

Albert Speer Jr emerges from Nazi father's shadow
Thu Jan 5, 2006 8:18 AM ET
By John O'Donnell

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - As the son of one of Hitler's closest aides who spent much of his childhood at the dictator's mountain retreat, Albert Speer knows more than most Germans what it is like to live in the shadow of the country's Nazi past.

Although he is against rebuilding, Speer is critical of the decision by German planners in the aftermath of World War Two to rip down many old buildings in what he said was the flawed belief that they could create a "new society."

This policy, together with bomb destruction, transformed many of the country's once-handsome cities beyond recognition.

"Those in power after World War Two said history doesn't interest us," said Speer. "It was not only the history of the Third Reich. They ripped down buildings that were much older."

"They had hoped that a new society would be created that would be molded by this architecture. But it didn't work. There was not enough consideration given to the past. People don't want to live without history."

West Germany in particular tore down many bomb-damaged buildings quickly after the war and hastily put up modern buildings. Communist East Germany, by contrast, left many of the damaged buildings standing at first because of a lack of funds to demolish them. Many have been renovated since unification.

As his career nears its end, Speer has put his past and his stutter behind him.

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