It may also have been that the building was saved by its proximity to Grüneburgpark with its prisoner of war camp holding captured American airmen.
These captured airmen were given the name "Terrorflieger" (terror flyers), and were not given a trial.
He was one of seven captured allied airmen shown on everybody's television on January 20th.
Most of the prisoners were captured Japanese and Italian soldiers, sailors and airmen.
From one he'd never forget, he learned how the Luftwaffe had interrogated captured airmen, and that lesson was one he would try to apply here.
His regime's mistreatment of captured allied airmen is cruelly consistent with Iraq's repeated, barbarous attacks on civilian targets in Israel.
Seven captured allied airmen - including two RAF officers - appeared on Iraqi television on Jan. 20.
For most, though, the stories, told by some 20 captured airmen, speak eloquently and powerfully.
The United States has no information that would confirm Iraqi claims that they have captured allied airmen.
The other captured airmen remained in military confinement on a starvation diet, their health rapidly deteriorating.