Maurer Residence, Berlin-Dahlem, 1933: Basement plan and details, 1:50 1933

Editor: This is Hanns Dustmann's "Maurer Residence, Berlin-Dahlem, 1933: Basement plan and details." It's a technical drawing, incredibly precise but also very cold. What can we tell about the socio-political context from the materials used in its production? Curator: Excellent question. Blueprints like this represent not just architectural design, but the entire material process of building—the accessibility of resources, the division of labor. Consider, who owned the means of reproducing these plans and constructing the residence, and whose labor was involved? Editor: So, the drawing itself is a material object that reflects power dynamics? Curator: Precisely. The level of detail suggests investment, access, and a specific social class. It speaks volumes about consumption and wealth during that period in Germany. Editor: I see. The drawing becomes a document of material history itself. Thanks. Curator: Indeed, a starting point for examining the social forces at play in 1933 Berlin.