German Press Highlights Prof. Dr. Aya Soika’s Book on Mies van der Rohe

Prof. Dr. Aya Soika’s latest book, Mies van der Rohe im Nationalsozialismus. Das Brüssel Projekt, 1934 has drawn attention since its publication last year. Recently, it was mentioned in the German media—in Süddeutsche Zeitung and Der Tagesspiegel—for its critical re-examination of the architect Mies van der Rohe’s life and projects under the Nazi regime.

Bernhard Schulz for Der Tagesspiegel notes that Soika has "freigelegt" (unearthed) new details about Mies’ engagement with the Nazi regime, particularly his attempts to secure commissions under the new government. The article references her work as a contribution to long-standing debates about the architect’s ambiguous political positioning.

Additionally, Peter Richter from Süddeutsche Zeitung highlights Soika’s findings as an essential addition to the existing scholarship on Mies, particularly regarding his little known design for the German Pavilion at the 1935 Brussels World’s Fair.

With these recent acknowledgments, Soika’s research offers a new perspective on existing scholarship on one of the most influential figures in modern architecture and his complicated relationship with the politics of the time. 

Post Date: 02-17-2025