Berlin: Union House of German Bookprinters

1924 – 1926

Architects: Max Taut, Franz Hoffmann, Karl Bernhard

Dudenstraße 10, Berlin, Germany

The Union House of German Bookprinters (Verbandhaus der Deutschen Buchdrucker), designed by Max Taut, Franz Hoffmann, and Karl Bernhard in the New Objectivity style, was built between 1924 and 1926.

The front building originally housed apartments and stores, as well as the offices of the Association of German Book Printers. The rear building housed a print shop and various conference rooms.

Background

In June 1920, the General Assembly of the Association of German Book Printers passed a proposal instructing the board to build an association house.

The planned association house was to contain rooms for the board, editorial offices, various departments, the Graphischer Bund office, and the planned graphic industry association office.

In May 1924, the purchase contract for a plot of land at Dreibundstraße 5 was signed. To finance the project initially, a special contribution of one mark was levied on all members for two months.

That summer, architects Max Taut and Franz Hoffmann were commissioned to design the new association building. Both architects had already gained experience designing the building for the General German Trade Union Federation in Wallstraße in Berlin.

The designs and a model of the building were presented at the federation’s September 1924 congress and accepted, despite heated debates, particularly over financing.

Building

The union building is a typical example of Berlin commercial courtyard architecture, combining a residential building on the street side with an administration and printing building on the courtyard side.

The residential wing, which has eighteen apartments for union members, stands out from the adjacent development with its yellow exposed brickwork.

The striking variety of window shapes includes punched windows, windows flush with the façade, and box-shaped windows in the loggia area.

The printing plant building on the courtyard side was constructed with a reinforced concrete frame. This construction method allowed for variable floor division and installation of heavy printing presses.

Taut and Hoffmann used the supporting structure as the primary design element.

They placed the substantial frame trusses in front of the façade and covered the concrete frames and brick-lined parapet fields with unifying gray plaster.

The print shop building has two staircases whose features have been retained alongside the glass elevator and colored tiles.

Gutenberg Book Guild

The Gutenberg Book Guild, a member of the Book Printers’ Association, began pioneering book production in the building.

Young graphic artists and experienced designers developed new book arts and set standards with designs inspired by New Objectivity.

The printing workshops employed around 100 people. They had an exemplary training program and were considered a model company in terms of their facilities and social programs.

The publications Typographische Mitteilungen and Der Graphische Betrieb were released monthly.

Through readings, slide shows, films, and a photographic station, the association significantly contributed to apprentice training and adult education.

1933

The National Socialists’ seizure of power in January 1933 and their occupation of the trade union headquarters on May 2 of that year signaled the end of free trade unions in Germany.

The Printers’ Union’s assets were confiscated, its facilities were destroyed, and its employees were dismissed, arrested, or murdered.

Postwar

Since the end of World War II, the building has once again served as the union’s headquarters.