A Small Building with a Big History
This is where Kohl, Wehner and Strauß enjoyed their frankfurters and wieners; it is where Genscher, Blüm, Töpfer, Fischer and other politically prominent figures bought their sandwiches and gummi bears: the sidewalk kiosk at the Bundeshaus in Bonn, the so-called Bundesbüdchen. Measuring only 20 square meters and slightly more than 60 years old, It is one of the more unusual structures on the list of German monuments. The family of Jürgen Rausch built the kiosk.The Beginnings
Constructed in 1957 as a small kidney-shaped pavilion - Bonn's cult kiosk was not always quite so modern: Jürgen Rausch's mother began selling out of a wheelbarrow in Bonn's government district, then from a post-war shed, followed by a mobile concession trailer, and finally from the Bundesbüdchen. A stylish statement of the 1950s, the oval kiosk sat on a tiled base. Its roof was a broad, overhanging canopy that sheltered customers from rain and sun. The sales area was enclosed in glass. The "Bundesbüdchen" - a treasure in Bonn's former government district. It stood diagonally across from the entrance to the Bundesrat, not far from the main entrance to the Bundestag on the one side, and the driveway to the Chancellor's Office on the other side - along the path of everyone and anyone who had reason to be part of the Bonn Republic's very modest power center . . .
The Bundesbüdchen has enjoyed "cult status" since the days of Konrad Adenauer:
Konrad Adenauer purchased his daily newspaper here, Herbert Wehner was a regular customer, Helmut Kohl had his
chauffeur buy him sandwiches here. Wolfgang Clement often stopped at the kiosk for a coffee. Joschka Fischer bought his
comics at the stand. And Gerhard Schröder rattled the fence of the Chancellor's Office within a stone's throw of the
Bundesbüdchen.
Jürgen Rausch was well acquainted with Germany's top-level politicians. Day in and day out they stood at the kiosk. His
pavilion attained national notoriety through Friedrich Nowottny. In 1981 the WDR newsman lost a wager in the TV show
"You want to bet?" and as his "penalty" sold frankfurters at the kiosk. The Bundesbüdchen was also the setting for political
broadcasts, movies, comedies, and entertainment shows.
Although measuring only 20 square meters the Bundesbüdchen was regarded as a symbol of the Federal Republic
governed from Bonn - for almost 50 years.
new place Bundesbüdchen (Heussallee 13)
Germany's WDR television station reported on the Bundesbüdchen in its Lokalzeit ("Local Time") program in 2016.
picture: LVR-Redaktion KuLaDig, Köln
pictures: Jürgen Rausch, privat
picture: Jürgen Schulz
A Small Building with a Big
History
This is where Kohl, Wehner and Strauß enjoyed their frankfurters and wieners; it is where Genscher, Blüm, Töpfer, Fischer and other politically prominent figures bought their sandwiches and gummi bears: the sidewalk kiosk at the Bundeshaus in Bonn, the so-called Bundesbüdchen. Measuring only 20 square meters and slightly more than 60 years old, It is one of the more unusual structures on the list of German monuments. The family of Jürgen Rausch built the kiosk.
The Beginnings
Constructed in 1957 as a small kidney- shaped pavilion - Bonn's cult kiosk was not always quite so modern: Jürgen Rausch's mother began selling out of a wheelbarrow in Bonn's government district, then from a post-war shed, followed by a mobile concession trailer, and finally from the Bundesbüdchen. A stylish statement of the 1950s, the oval kiosk sat on a tiled base. Its roof was a broad, overhanging canopy that sheltered customers from rain and sun. The sales area was enclosed in glass. The "Bundesbüdchen" - a treasure in Bonn's former government district. It stood diagonally across from the entrance to the Bundesrat, not far from the main entrance to the Bundestag on the one side, and the driveway to the Chancellor's Office on the other side - along the path of everyone and anyone who had reason to be part of the Bonn Republic's very modest power center . . .
The Bundesbüdchen has enjoyed "cult
status" since the days of Konrad
Adenauer:
Konrad Adenauer purchased his daily
newspaper here, Herbert Wehner was a
regular customer, Helmut Kohl had his
chauffeur buy him sandwiches here.
Wolfgang Clement often stopped at the
kiosk for a coffee. Joschka Fischer bought
his comics at the stand. And Gerhard
Schröder rattled the fence of the
Chancellor's Office within a stone's throw
of the Bundesbüdchen.
Jürgen Rausch was well acquainted with
Germany's top-level politicians. Day in and
day out they stood at the kiosk. His pavilion
attained national notoriety through Friedrich
Nowottny. In 1981 the WDR newsman lost a
wager in the TV show "You want to bet?" and
as his "penalty" sold frankfurters at the kiosk.
The Bundesbüdchen was also the setting for
political broadcasts, movies, comedies, and
entertainment shows.
Although measuring only 20 square meters
the Bundesbüdchen was regarded as a
symbol of the Federal Republic governed
from Bonn - for almost 50 years.
Upon
the
government's
move
to
Berlin
in
1999
the
Bundesbüdchen
and
its
owner,
Jürgen
Rausch,
lost
its
prominent
customers
and
only
a
few
years
later
even
its
location.
The
kiosk
stood
in
the
way
of
the
WCCB,
the
World
Conference
Center
Bonn,
in
2006.
Fortunately,
however,
the
monument
preservation
authorities
prevented
the
original
kiosk
from
being
demolished.
It
was
transported
intact
and
stored
on
the
premises
of
a
moving
company.
As
an
interim
solution
Jürgen
Rausch
now
operates
a
snack
bar
constructed
of
untrimmed
planks
next
to
the
parking
garage
behind
the
WCCB,
all
the
while
making
every
effort
to
have
the
original
Bundesbüdchen reassembled.
Germany's WDR television station reported on the
Bundesbüdchen in its Lokalzeit ("Local Time")
program in 2016.
new Place Bundesbüdchen
(Heussallee 13)
picture: LVR-Redaktion KuLaDig, Köln
picture: Jürgen Schulz
Förderverein historischer Verkaufspavillon e.V.
Förderverein historischer Verkaufspavillon e.V.
BUNDESBÜDCHEN
Förderverein historischer Verkaufspavillon e.V.