Heinrich Rump | Enjoy Wroclaw - Local tips for tourists

The economic boom of the city was in 1925-1931 after suppressing the hyperinflation from the beginning of the 20s. The boom caused creating a lot of public buildings among others a very important one for Wroclaw’s architecture, the bank. In 1928 there was announced competition for a project for the new office of the City Savings Bank that was on the corner of the Salt Square and the Market Square. The investment was funded from the city budget and people hoped that it would influence the boom of local economy.

The aspiration of Wroclaw’s architecture society and the modern times inspired by the dynamic development of technique had to be reflected in the most important investment of that time. Famous German architects – mainly from Wroclaw and Berlin — were invited to take part in the competition.

All competition’s projects proposed 7^th floor buildings and at that time it meant that it would be a skyscraper. The winner project prepared by Heinrich Rump, in a great way showed the views on modern architecture and ideally hit home of expectation of the jury. The jury didn’t see anything wrong in the replacement of tenement houses from the Salt Square and the Market Square by the new building. They agreed to build the 7^th floor building from the Salt Square side and the 10^th floor from the Market Square side. The only decoration’s elements were located around the big portal with two entries from the Market Square’s side. The convex reliefs in Art Deco’s style were inspired by Egyptian art showing the motifs and scenes from these days life. An interesting decorative element was a massive pillar that was located between two entries and visibly marked the number of the building – 9/11.

The skyscraper that was located in the city center wasn’t a problem for the architects and clerks because it fulfilled the metropolitan ambition of Wroclaw’s residence. It was a big dream of Max Berg about a skyscraper. Until the 40s nobody wanted to change the numbers of floors, then Rudolf Stein suggested the reduction of the building but nobody agreed on that.