The Palais Schaumburg is a castle-like building in Bonn which has housed parts of the German Federal Chancellery since 1949 and from 1976 to reunification was the first official residence and office of the Chancellor. As headquarters of the Federal Chancellery it was simply known as the House of the Federal Chancellor (German: Haus des Bundeskanzlers).
The late neoclassical palais was built between 1858 and 1860 for the cloth manufacturer Wilhelm Loeschigk. Bought by Prince Adolf of Schaumburg-Lippe it was enlarged during the following years. On January 31, 1939, the army bought the palaces from Ernst Wolrad, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe.
After World War II the Belgian Army staff used the building until it became official seat of the first Federal chancellor, Konrad Adenauer, in November 1949. Two months later, he greeted the new republic’s first state guest Robert Schuman.
Hans Schwippert rebuilt the building for the use as a Federal Chancellery in 1950. It was also extended by the so-called houses 2 and 3. By 1976 more space was needed, so a new building was planned . Some departments remained, however, in the palais which remained in use for ceremonial purposes. In 1963 the Wohn- und Empfangsgebäude des Bundeskanzlers, the so-called Chancellor bungalow (Kanzlerbungalow), in the modern style of architect Sep Ruf was built in the spacious park as a semi-official residence for the Chancellors.
The Palais Schaumburg became home to the federal ministry for environment, conservation and reactor safety (Bundesministeriums für Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit) when it was formed in 1986. After the reunification of Germany in 1990 five "Federal Ministers for Special Affairs" kept offices in the palais.
The palais was used at the signing of the treaty about the creation of a currency, economy and social union in 1990 by representatives of both German states.
Since the government move in 1999 the Palais Schaumburg has served as a second service headquarters of the Federal Chancellery and Chancellor in which different departments are accommodated.
The palais is not publicly accessible. The Haus der Geschichte provides the opportunity to book guidances and to visit the historical place.
A tree has been planted for every former Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic in the Park Schaumburg in memory of his periods of office:
| Chancellor | Party | Term of Office | Tree | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Konrad Adenauer | CDU | 1949–1953 1953–1957 1957–1961 1961–1962 1962–1963 |
Blue bell tree | Replaced in 1992 after storm |
| Ludwig Erhard | CDU | 1963–1965 1965–1966 |
Sequoia | |
| Kurt Georg Kiesinger | CDU | 1966–1969 | Pomeranian maple | Planted 1978 |
| Willy Brandt | SPD | 1969–1972 1972–1974 |
Ginkgo | Planted 1979 |
| Helmut Schmidt | SPD | 1974–1976 1976–1980 1980–1982 |
Weeping willow | |
| Helmut Kohl | CDU | 1983–1987 1987–1991 1991–1994 1994–1998 |
Red Beech | Planted 1987 |
| Gerhard Schröder | SPD | 1998–2002 2002–2005 |
Oak | Planted 2006 |