Swastika-shaped houses

With Germany currently attempting to pass an EU wide ban on Nazi symbols etc. I couldn't help wondering why these buildings are still standing. Forget about Nazi symbols on buildings, how about when the buildings themselves are the symbols.

Have a look on Google Maps for Hanfstaenglstraße 16 and Donaustraße, both in Munich:



The building on Hanfstaenglstraße, "Swastika Estate" was constructed in 1934. Four linked houses form the outline of a swastika. According to the architect the design was supposed to decrease heating and construction costs. The one on Donaustraße was called "Swastika House". Does anyone know what they are used for today?

i never knew these houses exist. i personally think what is the point of demolishing them now, 70 years later?
i believe it is important that there are still visible signs of our history.otherwise it feels a bit like erasing everything.

This is also new to me, and I agree with moni. Completely disappearing all traces of what happened is like trying to forget that it was ever true.

I don't think there should be a ban on swastikas at all for that very same reason. If you don't have to see your history it's easy to ignore it or forget about it. If it's all around you you can't forget it.

If it wasn't for google you'd need a helicopter to see these.

why ban it? agree with PM on this, plus Hindus been using the symbol for 3000 years or more now, so do you ban my right to practise me religion? think a discussion on this took place already, not going there. but its like Germany trying to say to the younger generations - this never happened!

Belive in the ideal, not the idol

Similar story here about a fountain in the town of Maasmechelen, Belgium. The authorities decided to tear it down after realising it was in the shape of a swastika. If you look at the google map now, you can see that the fountain no longer exists.

was that directed at me? you really would like to tell me how to practise me religion? anyway. its not an idol but a symbol, one of good luck.

not at all, i was trying to say that, shapes, symbols do not mean anything without the belief behind them. You dont gain much by banning, destroying these.

Ach so , I agree!

Well if you had not pointed them out, I would never have noticed them even from a helicopter. Interesting, but hardly in need of demolition.

There are other structures that appear to be based on the symbol which have been highlighted by the use of Google maps. The US army base in San Diego California is one such example.

Personally I don't see the point in demolition either. A guy I once met from Iran told me that the old Tehran airport(or maybe train-station?!) is also shaped like a swastika. Can't remember when exactly it was build or why swastika-shaped.

A friend's mum actually lived in one of the "arms" of the house on the Donaustraße. I visited there a couple of times - there is no way you can tell from the outside that you're entering a gigantic swastika. And no, there was no sign of further Third Reich paraphernalia on the inside of the house. Just a nice old "Reihenhaus", I guess.

Can ynaone tell me what is the significance of the five sided shape of the Pentagon?

each side represents a finger, so its a full hand and if you mess with that you get a fist!

Sure, Here ya go... Basically the shape was chosen for building costs, and easy of use.

But Also:


5 Floors, 5 Rings, 5 Acre garden, 5 connecting hallways.. Do you see a theme yet? The idea was to make it big, but keep it simple. Which is why
it was completly built in 15 months (5x3)

Is that forrest still there, cant remember where or when, but i remember seeing a photo of a big old bunch of trees inthe middle of a forrest planted (different coloured leaves you see...) in the shape of that great hindu symbol...

This one?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_swastika

Any idea what the estate would have been called in German? "Hakenkreuzsiedlung", maybe?

Just saw that story. Cool.

Swastika-ish at the Chinese Tower.

That is hilarious! Ernst Hanfstaengl was one of Hitler's earliest followers, he gave him sanctuary when the 1923 putsch failed. But I am sure that the street was named after Ernst's granddad, Franz Hanfstaengl, lithographer and photographer.

Just buy yourself a copy of the Strafgesetzbuch (StGB) with pictures.