Reichstag

The Reichstag or the Reichstag building was a German building that was located in the city of Berlin and was captured by the Russians during the end of World War II. The Reichstag building was first featured in the computer game in Call of Duty, then in Call of Duty: World At War, and Call of Duty: World at War (Nintendo DS).

History
The Reichstag building began under construction in the year 1884 and was completed in 1894. The Reichstag building was used for parliament purposes for the German government until the rise of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist rule.

When Adolf Hitler became the Reichskanzler, or the Chancellor of Germany, on January 30, 1933 the Reichstag building was set on fire on February 27, 1933. This proved to be a valuable excuse for the Nazis to suspend most human rights provided for by the 1919 constitution in the Reichstag Fire Decree. The fire was believed to be set there on purpose by the Nazis, but the charge was placed on a Dutchman.

During the 12 years of Nazi rule, the Reichstag building was not used for parliamentary reasons because it was damaged by the after the fire. But, when the Reichstag convened at all, it did so in the former opera house called the Krolloper building which was opposite the Reichstag building. This applies as well to the session of 23 March 1933, in which the Reichstag disposed of its powers in favour of the Nazi government in the Enabling Act another step of the so-called Gleichschaltung, the legal steps through which the Nazis seized power. Soon the Reichstag building was used for propaganda presentations and during World War II it was used for German military purposes, such as being turned into a Flak Tower.

The Reichstag building was never fully repaired, but was further damaged by Allied air raids during the Battle of Berlin in the year 1945. The Reichstag building soon became a central target for the Red Army mostly for its symbolic significance.

The building was restored from 1961 to 1964. Though in West Berlin, the West German government had no use for the building as the capital had been moved to Bonn. When Germany was reunified in 1990, it was decided to move the capital back to Berlin and the Reichstag became the seat of the German Parliament once again. Artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude won a contest to restore the building and in 1995 the entire building was wrapped in plastic. Reconstruction was completed in April 1999. A new glass dome on top of the Reichstag gives tourists a full 360 degree view of Berlin.

Currently in modern day visitors to the Reichstag building can still see the old Soviet graffiti all over the smokey walls and on the roof of the building.

The Reichstag building is featured in the last level of Call of Duty called The Reichstag. It is found in the Russian campaign, and in the level Downfall in Call of Duty: World At War.

Trivia

 * The interior of the Reichstag, especially the parliament area, is smaller in Call of Duty, while in Call of Duty: World at War it is much larger. It is fairly small in World of War DS.
 * The raising of the Soviet flag is portrayed differently in three different Call of Duty Games. Lt.YuriMavsila raises the flag in Call of Duty, Dimitri Petrenko raises the flag in Call of Duty: World At War, and Private Dimarkurato raises the flag in Call of Duty: World At War DS.