Abstract

This article focuses on the development of the Pergamon‐Museum of Berlin and its various collections. The predecessor of the current museum building gave only place for the Great Altar of Pergamon and some other architectural pieces of the hellenistic period. After its abolishment in 1908 the new erected building (which opened only in 1930) contained before World War II three museum departments (Deutsches Museum, Pergamon‐Museum, and the Vorderasiatisches Museum). ‐ There were some long‐lasting frictions between the directors Wilhelm von Bode, Theodor Wiegand, and the architect Ludwig Hoffmann about the question whether roman provincial architecture is worth to be exhibited in a museum or not ‐ here exemplified on the Market Gate of Miletus. Wilhelm II, the Kaiser, was strongly involved not only in this but was generally interested in all museum matters. It was always he who made the last decision, and the museum directors tried very often to persuade him of their ideas.