It is a large, massive, square building that is still rather inconspicuous. Cologne’s memory seems to be safely stored in it. In any case, safer than before.
New city archives should be available to all people be open in Cologne
Everyone at the press preview the day before knew exactly where they were on March 3, 2009. The report reached the architect Felix Waechter at home in Darmstadt. He could not believe it. The current mayor of Cologne, Henriette Reker, heard about the collapse in the car radio. Even then, she made the decision to help alleviate the wound – if it could not be healed. “A scar remains“, Reker told the WDR visibly moved during the preview. You always get very emotional when it comes to city archives.
Completely untypical for Cologne, there were no notable delays in the construction and the budget was more or less adhered to at 90 million euros.
95 percent of the archival material spilled in March will later be stored here. The restoration work is in full swing, but it will take almost 30 years to complete. The archive is also a promise for the future, says the mayor of Cologne.