Albert Speer and Fritz Todt: Innovations in German architecture and engineering during the Nazi period (1933-1945)

Abstract

Fritz Todt and Albert Speer are two men united by a common circumstance: Germany during the Nazi period (1933-1945); the technological innovations in architecture and engineering that arose from Adolf Hitler's dictatorial ambitions. This article examines two major contributions to construction: in architecture, the Reich Chancellery (Berlin, 1938-39), designed by Speer, Hitler's preferred architect; and in engineering, the Submarine Base of Brest (France, 1941-45), built by the Todt Organization, which carried out major civil and military projects during the Nazi regime in Germany and occupied territories. The methodology used a historiographical research approach—descriptive in nature—employing documentary and graphic investigation of the design, construction, function, and current state of these case studies. It is found that Nazi engineering and architecture produced works characterized by a dichotomy: the integration of professional and labor talent versus the practical use of construction materials. A significant negative aspect was the use of enslaved labor. It is concluded that Germany, after its defeat in World War I, was subjected to the Treaty of Versailles. However, with notable innovations in engineering and architecture, it became a world power during Nazism, only to be dismantled again by Allied interventions that ended World War II. This article is part of the research line: Research processes, development, and innovation for technological assimilation and mastery from the Post Graduate program in Research Management and Development, Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences, Universidad Central de Venezuela