Not far from Brandenburg Gate there was the Main Railway Terminal of Kenigsberg (Southern Railway Terminal now). In front of the Terminal there is a Statue of M. I. Kalinin after whom Kenigsberg was renamed on July, 4, 1946.
The Terminal was erected to a design by the architect Earnest Riechter and solemnly opened on September, 19, 1929. On the night of January, 21, 1945 the last train for Berlin overcrowded by refugees left the station.
The Terminal building itself has not changed greatly apart from the roof which was made of reinforced glass and its facade which was adorned by the sculptural picture depicting Chronos, the God
of Time, who was trying hard to hold two hot horses (design by Herman Brahert). Attached to the Terminal there was a Kenigsberg post-office № 5, which is a post-office now as well. Across the street you can see the remnants of old Town Wall. There were two cemeteries behind it before the war.
Opposite the Terminal lies a new residential area behind which the 'Oktyabr' cinema dominates its surroundings from its elevated site. Formerly the Haberberg Church, opened in 1753, was located there.
The adjacent area was called Haberberg; between Brandenburg and Friedland gates there was Haberberg fortification part of which still remains along the former Austrian Street (since 1938 — Horst Wessel-strasse) and on the site of the present park (the former Zuid-park — since 1938 Horst Wessel-park). On the eve of the war a statue of Wessel was unveiled in the park. Nowadays on this site the Memorable Symbol to Heroes-Komsomol-Members designed by the Кaliningrad sculptor L. Ponomareva stands. Located on one line with the Memorable Symbol of Polish Friendship and the building of Concert Hall, it makes a part of an expressive architectural ensemble which are quite a few in the city.
In the mid-thirties a sport complex 'Eastern Prussia' for 6,000 people was built there. It survived the war, but was dismantled later and freezing installations for an artificial skating-rink were delivered to Moscow.
Answer the questions:
1) When was a statue of Wessel unveiled in the park?
Castle Pond ('Parkotel', Stadthalle)
Not far from the 'Kaliningrad' hotel the famous Castle Pond can be seen. It has changed greatly: nearly all the buildings were destroyed during British bombardments in August, 1944. On the night of August, 30 the bridge over the Pond was burnt down. Nowadays it is stanned at intervals by three concrete bridges.
On the western side of Castle Pond at the junction of Mitteltragheim (Proletarskaya Street now) with Hintertragheim (Sergeeva Street now) stands a concrete 5-storey building which was once the most fashionable hotel in Kenigsberg called 'Parkhotel' built by the architect Hans Hopp in 1929. Many well-known people stayed there, among them A. Hitler in 1938 and a little later Soviet Foreign Minister V. Molotov.
On the eastern side of the Pond there is a building of the former City Concert Hall (Stadthalle) which was badly damaged by bombardments. The building was restored and assumed a majestic appearance; it houses the Local Museum now.
Stadthalle was built in Modern style by the Berlin architect Richard Zeel and since its opening in 1912 was a milestone event in musical life of the city. Besides the Big Hall there were two other halls named after Burgomeister Kerte and Gebauer, a founder of Conservatoire, who sponsored the construction of Stadthalle.
On the far end of the Castle Pond there are famous cascades connecting it with the Upper Pond. Close to it walls of the former distillery 'Mental' can be seen — now it is Kaliningrad Liqueur and Vodka Distillery.
Nearby the Charity and City hospitals were located. They house the Regional Maternity Home and the Regional Hospital nowadays.
In 1992 in the courtyard of the Regional Hospital a memorial to sisters-nuns of the Deconis Order was unveiled. More than 130 years ago the Charity Hospital was founded by the sisters-nuns of the Deconis Order supported by Duke Don's two daughters. Dozens of nuns from ducal families (only they were accepted to Order) worked there up to 1948.
Answer the questions:
1) What is on the eastern side of the Pond?
Brandenburg Gate
To the south-west of Forstedtishe Langgasse (part of the present Leninsky Avenue) stretches a street known as Alter Garten (or Old Garden). It is a part of today's Bagration Street. At the end of the street the famous Brandenburg Gate of Kenigsberg is situated, the only gate in the modem city opened for traffic.
On the Gate one can see two portrait medallions of General-Field-Marshal fon Bojen and General of Engineers fon Aster. General fon Aster participated in the programme of old military fortifications extensive modernization in 40-ies of the XIX century.
General fon Bojen fought against Napoleon and made a brilliant military career. Twice he was appointed to the post of the War Minister. The relieves of both generals were created by sculptor W. Sturmer whose masterpieces adorned all the gates of Kenigsberg.
Answer the questions:
1) Where did general fon Aster participate in?