When the Nazis came to power they needed to spread their influence to different parts of Europe. To do this they would take over buildings and turn them into government buildings or bunkers. One of the buildings taken over by the Nazis is an extremely large building in Berlin known for its size still sits on the corner of Torstrasse and Prenzlauer Allee in East Berlin.Today it is know as the Soho House and stands larger than the White House and Buckingham Palace. During World War II this building was taken over by the Nazis. It was originally a building owned by two Jewish business men. It opened in 1928 and the two men who owned it were Hermann Golluber and Hugo Halle. When the Nazis came to power, along with other Jewish businesses, this watch store was put under economic. In an act to save their company the two owners sold the building and were soon pushed out by the new owners who were not Jewish. The building was then rented to the Nazis. Even though this building was not a first choice for a government building the Nazis had their reasons for choosing this one. This building was in a Jewsih community and had been near the headquarters of the Communist Party. By taking this building the Nazis were able to put their influenc and their flag right into the land of their eniemies. Not only did the location of this building help the Nazis control their enemies, it also helped their own kind. This builiding is located across the street where a Nazi activist, Horst Wessel, was buried after being killed by a communist. Locating the building there allowed for the German Youth Leadership to plan school trips and summer camps for that location. Nazis controlled the building until 1945 til the Allied Powers occupied Germany. After the Allied Powers took over the building it was turned into the Haus der Einheit which means House of Unity. Now once a Nazi government building it now served as a seat for the East German Communist Party.
Soho house in East Berlin (serves as a Club house now)