At the time of the coming to power of the Nazi party in 1933, the German Social Democratic Party or SPD ruled in the Magdeburg city council. The mayor was a young Ernst Reuter, who had not yet reached the quotas of popularity or power that he would achieve after the Second World War.
On March 11, a few days after the full Nazi takeover of Berlin, local SA troops stormed the town hall and arrested the leaders of parties opposed to Adolf Hitler's regime. Two days later, on March 13, the order for the formal dissolution of the city council arrived from Berlin, through which they took control of the city.
The SA took control of the town hall, placing a large Nazi flag at the main entrance of the building and making numerous shows of affection for the regime by raising their arms from the many windows that overlooked the main square of the city.
Ernst Reuter, in addition to being mayor of the city, was a deputy in the Reichstag. He was one of the few parliamentarians who dared to vote against granting full powers to the Nazis in the vote that took place on March 5, 1933, which formally began the National Socialist dictatorship.
Due to this fact, he was declared an enemy of the state and sentenced to imprisonment. Between June 8 of that year and August 12, the former mayor of Magdeburg and deputy in the Reichstag was imprisoned in the city's police headquarters, from where he was later transferred to the Lichtenburg concentration camp.
Although he was released a few months later, he was imprisoned again in the same camp between June 1934 and January 1935 due to various protest actions against the new regime.
After his second release, he decided to flee with his family to England, from where he moved to Ankara. Ernts Reuter lived in the Turkish capital until 1946, when he moved back to Germany, becoming the first elected mayor of West Berlin after the war.
Magdeburg's town hall suffered extensive damage during World War II. The original 17th century building was restored to its original appearance after the war.
How to get to the city hall of Magdeburg
The city hall is located in the center of the urban area of Magdeburg. To get there we can take the tram to the Alter Markt stops. or Allee Center .