Ludwigshafen mourns the loss of the BASF high-rise: a monument disappears

Ludwigshafen mourns the loss of the BASF high-rise: a monument disappears

Ten years ago, the legendary BASF high-rise in Ludwigshafen fell, an architectural landmark that was once compared to the Golden Gate Bridge. Now a new documentary brings the shocking story of this building to light and revives the phantom pain of the city dwellers again.

The book "On the History of the Friedrich-Engelhorn House", published by the city archive director Stefan Mörz and monument protector Matthias Ehringer, illuminates the tragedy of the demolition, which was approved in 2013. Despite its status as a monument and its international recognition, the high -rise was demolished for economic reasons. The documentary shows how BASF, once proud of its "concrete monster", ultimately separated from this inheritance. The remaining mosaics from the cafeteria are the only remnant of the former splendor, while the city is now faced with a painful building gap.

a symbol of loss

The documentary financed by BASF, written by Wolfgang Voigt, Philipp Sturm and historian Bernhard Unterholzer, addresses the cultural importance of the high -rise building. At the 1957 inauguration, the Rhineland-Palatinate Prime Minister celebrated the building as a "expression of entrepreneurial optimism". But only 56 years later it was razed to the ground. The authors describe the emotional loss and disappointment about the demolition, which is documented with a succinct sentence: "It was raining that day."

The history of the skyscraper is also a story of power and influence. The BASF was not only the legend in the city, but also control of building history. The demolition was linked to the promise of a new, representative building, which was never realized. Instead, the city remains with the painful memory of an architectural masterpiece that not only shaped the skyline, but also the identity of Ludwigshafen.