▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁the ▁building ▁was ▁dam aged , ▁particularly ▁in ▁the ▁central ▁section , ▁in ▁the ▁ra id ▁on ▁the ▁night ▁of ▁ 2 2 ▁November ▁that ▁destroyed ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁centre ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁On ▁ 2 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁it ▁was ▁bom bed ▁out , ▁only ▁the ▁walls ▁left ▁standing . ▁ ▁Under ▁occupation ▁After ▁the ▁war , ▁P ots d amer ▁Platz ▁was ▁the ▁point ▁where ▁three ▁of ▁the ▁four ▁Al lied ▁occupation ▁zones ▁met . ▁The ▁ru ined ▁Haus ▁Vater land ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁Russian ▁sector , ▁but ▁had ▁doors ▁to ▁both ▁the ▁British ▁and ▁the ▁American . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁C afé ▁Vater land ▁was ▁re open ed ▁in ▁an ▁acc laimed ▁gesture ▁of ▁will ▁to ▁re build ▁the ▁city , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁cab aret ▁Fr ischer ▁Wind ▁was ▁playing ▁there , ▁while ▁because ▁of ▁its ▁position ▁on ▁the ▁sector ▁lines , ▁it ▁was ▁a ▁hot bed ▁of ▁sp ying , ▁flight ▁from ▁the ▁East , ▁and ▁black ▁market ing ▁in ▁currency ▁and ▁goods . ▁ ▁Dest ruction ▁The ▁building ▁was ▁finally ▁completely ▁bur nt ▁out ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁June ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁along ▁with ▁Er ich ▁M end el so hn ' s ▁Columb ush aus , ▁during ▁the ▁East ▁German ▁strike ▁and ▁protest . ▁It ▁was ▁then ▁left ▁in ▁ru ins , ▁the ▁windows ▁simply ▁being ▁w alled ▁up . ▁It ▁was ▁adjacent