Bismarckplatz

Bismarckplatz has been renamed to Friedrich-List-Platz in 1946, the former Bismarckstrasse is now Bayrische Strasse and Strehlener Strasse. (Source: StadtWiki Dresden)
Conflicting information about the Gestapo HQ, Klemperer himself locating it at Bismarckplatz and at Bismarckstrasse. As both locations are very close to each other (see historic photo), I believe it could actually be the corner building.

  • 1942, May 23, Saturday afternoon – The most difficult part of the business for me did not occur until today. Ida Kreidl appeared after nine o’clock yesterday evening, very upset; she had been appointed to present the Gestapo’s booty at Bismarckplatz at eight o’clock this morning. First the order had been given to Friedheim, who had excused himself with his hernia, then to her. There were five suitcases downstairs, four traveling cases of medium weight, a very heavy full-sized trunk. What on earth is in them, remains a mystery. We shall only gradually discover what has been lost, since of course no one is allowed to watch while the looting is going on. **p58
  • 1942, June 6, Saturday toward evening – New Gestapo cruelties all the time. Especially against elderly people. Now a group has been summoned to appear wearing winter coats (with a temperature of 79°F). Then they have to walk around town for hours, at intervals report again to Bismarckplatz, where they are beaten. — But also no day passes now on which someone does not report: “An Aryan told me: ‘Bear up—it’s all falling apart, here and at the front—it’ll be over before the winter.’ ” **p67
  • 1942, August 8, Saturday midday – When I came home, Katchen Sara reported an experience of her friend Aronade, whom we also know. The day before yesterday she went into a shop during the permitted time, to buy a watch strap, a cheap strap for one mark. There two of the familiar Gestapo men, one of them the Spitter, turn up behind her, shout at her. “In twenty-five minutes you’ll be at the Gestapo.” At Bismarckplatz they swear at her and beat her; she was not allowed to buy anything for which she did not have ration coupons. “A rope is good enough for your watch—buying things to take them away from us!” And blows. The woman was ill for two days. **p117
  • 1943, May 11, early Tuesday morning – Komblum did not go to the Gestapo yesterday; he has had a nervous collapse, which Katz reported to Bismarckplatz. How will matters now unfold for the unfortunate man? Last year I observed the similar torment of Frau Pick, who was then driven to suicide.
    Fear is also crippling in other respects. **p228
  • 1942, November 14, Sunday midday and later – Much worse recently, on the eleventh [.. . ] at midday on Marschallstrasse, the platform fairly empty. A junior officer gets on, fixes his eyes on me. (I am sure I have seen that blond face before. I remember: the Gestapo officer who shouted at me and poked me in the ribs when I was at Bismarckplatz because of the furniture.) After a short while: “Get off!” — “I’ve got permission to travel.” — “Get off!” I got off and, buying a new ticket, went on with the next tram. The midday journey has been torture for me since then. From one stop to the next I expect a new calamity. **p272
  • 1945, January 29, Monday morning – On the subject of “refugees.” [… ] Frau Cohn told me, that the railway station here, overflowing with refugees, looks terrible. I asked, what was it, that looked so bad. She: A public passage leads from the inquiry desk to Bismarckplatz. There, in broad daylight a man was squatting by the wall and “doing his business.” The whole stretch along the wall looked like a pigsty. They all squat down there, men and women together. Where can they go—all the toilets are occupied, and who knows how long they’ve been traveling.**p398
Bismarckplatz 2,4a (Bismarckplatz 1,2) / Bayrische Straße (Bismarckstraße)
Credit: AltesDresden.de

Source: 

  • ** I Will Bear Witness, Volume 2: A Diary of the Nazi Years: 1942-1945, Victor Klemperer, Publisher ‏: ‎ Modern Library; Illustrated edition

Purchase on Amazon:

Get in touch:

Scroll to Top