Stadtarchiv München

Among all the districts of Munich, Maxvorstadt undoubtedly has the most illustrious and simultaneously the most problematic history. The suburb beyond the former Schwabinger Tor was the model for all bold urban expansion projects, and it was here that King Ludwig I. showed his affection. On its grounds, the architectural personalities Karl von Fischer, Leo von Klenze, and Friedrich von Gärtner brought the incomparable "Isar Athens" to life. However, the unique aura of Maxvorstadt soon attracted the attention of the National Socialists, who established their party headquarters here and degraded the magnificent Königsplatz into a primitive rallying base and banal cult site. The former head of the Munich City Archive, Dr. Richard Bauer, recounts the politically and culturally ambivalent nature of this district, which has lost none of its fascination to this day. The excellent, largely unpublished images from the extensive photo collections of the Munich City Archive invite a journey into the history of Maxvorstadt.