ARCHITECTURE: IG Farben in Berlin Express

The huge office building by Architect Hans Poelzig (1869-1936) for the IG Farben Corporation in Frankfurt, Germany, built from 1928 to 1931, was the seat of the American military command after World War II. In the semi documentary Berlin Express (1948) dir. Jacques Tourneur, it is used as such, Robert Ryan, Merle Oberon an Reinhold Schünzel are part of the ensenmble cast. The building features a special elevator system, which in Germany they call Paternoster.
Editet to the walz in Paul Hindemith's Kleine Kammermusik, Op. 24, no 2.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• IG
• Farben
• Hans
• Poelzig
• Berlin
• Express
• Jacques
• Tourneur
• Robert
• Ryan
• Merle
• Oberon
• elevator
• paternoster
• Paul
• Hindemith

[Mrjcomerford]

I remember the first time I seen this elevator system it was in 1953 when I was in the Army. I did not know what to make of it. I was supposed to go to the fourth floor, They told me to take the elevator. I must've watched people get on and off this thing for about 15 min. before I decided to use it. I was on currier duty from Heilbronn to the IG Farben building every day for about two months with the Army security agency.

[dvdspd21]

PS: Would that my own way-back machine were working so well. This is one short but sweet journey that my parents, homebodies though they were, would've been tickled to take - she a Ryan fan of long standing, he a hard core Hindemith partisan. For my part, I've loved them both, both as far-flung icons of the mid-20th century and, now, as intimate, if unwitting, collaborators in the new millennium.

So keep the connections coming; your mixing 'n' matching's much appreciated.

[dvdspd21]

Another magical juxtaposition from manupe, the matchmaker: first, we have Hillary (by way of Fritz, Roy and Anton) and Dimitri; now, the instantly evocative Ryan riding the Tourneur-helmed Express across a war-ravaged but, happily, Hindemith-drenched Deutschland. Now THAT'S travelling in style.

[GrantLeBon]

Worked here as an MP circa 1987-1989 with 93rd MP and 109th MP Co. Jumping on and off those Paternosters was fun! Not as fun as jumping on and off the German girls tho. If you go down to the very bottom level you can ride an underground train down to Sachsenhausen and when you get there all the beer is free and all the frauleins are completely naked and must do exactly as you tell them.

[ElHijodelDuce]

I was in the STB S4 down in the basement under the rotunda. Ran up down many of the stairs.

Man I miss that German deli on the west side of the building

[Krealix]

its true

[YApexGT]

My great-grandfather worked there for a long time.

[fogdelune]

I used to be an MP guarding that building. When the US had it, it was called the CW Abrams Building, and was used as 5th Corps HQ. Now, it is part of the University of Frankfurt. I have ridden on those paternosters many times. That is a very interesting and creepy building.

[Ceemor]

what a great film...this is the place, where i study law-science today.now it´s called johann wolfgang goethe university or westend-campus...

[kingsofmambo]

Muuuuuuuuuuuuundo Javieruno!!! :D Muy chulo!

Pablo