The old German Club building has an interesting history which can be recovered from scattered online reports ... It seems to have been prone to catching fire!

The German Club, which was the centre for German literature and culture, had been founded in 1854. In the late 1880s the Club had built an imposing new building, the facade of which still stands at 89 Pirie Street, Adelaide. • A dispute arose between the German Club and the German Association, ultimately leading to the sale of the German Club premises in 1898. (Dr Ian Harmstorff) • As the [Salvation Army] congregation grew, they moved to the old German Club in Pirie Street, which served as Congress Hall and HQ for 75 years. But tragedy struck in 1945 when 7 men died in a fire which began in the 'People's Palace', a hotel for homeless men. (Keith Conlon report) • £4000 FIRE LOSS AT HOSTEL: Guests' Narrow Escape ADELAIDE, Wednesday (19th Jan 1938) Fire, early this morning, at the People's Palace Hostel, Plrie Street conducted by the Salvation Army caused damage estimated at £4000. Forty-five guests sleeping on the first floor escaped In night attire down the main stairway and fire escape ... . Afterwards the ceiling of the upper storey collapsed. Fifty of the 61 bedrooms were damaged by fire and water. The upper storey was burned out. (Brisbane Courier-Mail (Thursday) 20 January 1938) • NEW PEOPLE'S PALACE OPENED £12000 Salvation Army Enterprise. (The Advertiser, Adelaide,... Monday 28 November 1938) • Fires in Adelaide …Some other major fires ... People's Palace – 1975. (SA Memory)

Today, only the facade of the old building remains, behind which stands the modern Allianz tower block.