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#MuseumWeek: A Week for Museums on Twitter
DDR Museum with the greatest reach in Germany
For the fifth time, the DDR Museum participated in the international #MuseumWeek and, like last year, reached the largest audience of any participating museum in Germany. The DDR Museum’s Twitter account reached 3.1 million people with 261 posts over the course of the #MuseumWeek.
For seven days, from April 23 to April 29, 2018, museums all around the world tweeted with the hashtag #MuseumWeek and with another hashtag that changed daily. They shared exciting content on the topics of women, children, cultural heritage, nature, cities, professions and diversity. Museums from 92 countries took part in the #MuseumWeek, which happened for the fifth time. Among the participating museums were big names like the Musée du Louvre in Paris, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.
In Germany, the most influential players besides the DDR Museum were the Posterstein Castle in Thuringia, the Museum for Communication Frankfurt, the Städel Museum, and the Egyptian Museum in Munich.
Treasures from the collection
For the DDR Museum, #MuseumWeek is a chance to show treasures from the collection that we cannot currently show in the exhibition and, thereby, tell their exciting stories. Blog articles about the various themes and questions for the community encouraged the Twitter world to get involved.
These two Tweets reached the largest audience:
1967 wurde die erste Club Cola in Berlin abgefüllt. Kurz nach der Wende wurde die Rezeptur geändert, doch erfreut sich das Getränk auch heute noch großer Beliebtheit. /nk #MuseumWeek #heritageMW pic.twitter.com/AEmAvSyKVj
— DDR Museum (@ddrmuseum) 25. April 2018
In English: The first Club Cola was filled up in Berlin in 1967. Its recipe was changed shortly after Reunification, but the drink still enjoys great popularity.
Laut einer Statistik aus dem Jahr 1986 waren in der DDR 91,3% der Frauen berufstätig. Im Vergleich dazu waren nur ca. 50% der Frauen in der Bundesrepublik berufstätig. Für die Kinder in der DDR benötigte man da natürlich viele Kindergartenplätze! /le #museumweek #differenceMW pic.twitter.com/hxAEreVZXL
— DDR Museum (@ddrmuseum) 29. April 2018
In English: According to a statistic from 1986, 91.3% of women in the DDR were employed, compared to only about 50% of the women in West Germany. Lots of kindergarten spaces were of course needed for the children in the DDR!
The most popular post was one about the TV Tower with the hashtag:
#cityMW
It was liked by Twitter users 102 times and retweeted 26 times.
Der Fernsehturm prägt die Skyline Berlins seit 1969. Bis heute ist der Turm das höchste Gebäude Deutschlands. Wart ihr schon einmal auf dem Turm? /jk #museumweek #heritageMW pic.twitter.com/WBJYn5wCxG
— DDR Museum (@ddrmuseum) 25. April 2018
In English: The TV Tower has shaped the Berlin skyline since 1969. To the present, the tower is the tallest building in Germany. Were you ever at the top of the tower?
A special event for the team of the DDR Museum
The #MuseumWeek is a special event for us at the DDR Museum every year because colleagues from all parts of the team can take turns posting interesting content on the Twitter page and let loose their creative energy.
Now, we would like to present some highlights for the various hashtags and pass the #MuseumWeek in review.
The theme of the first day of #MuseumWeek was
#womenMW
Good morning! Today is all about appreciating women in the DDR!
Die werktätige Frau war das idealtypische Bild in der DDR und wurde wie auf diesem Poster oft propagiert. /jk #museumweek #womenMW pic.twitter.com/TCNdkfPEMN
— DDR Museum (@ddrmuseum) 23. April 2018In English: The working woman was the ideal in the DDR and was often promoted, like on this poster.
Day 2: #cityMW
Berlin Alexanderplatz with the famous World Time Clock.
Am 23. April 1976 war es soweit. Die DDR eröffnete ihren eigenen Palast. Der Prestigebau an der Stelle des früheren Berliner Schlosses sollte die Macht der SED symbolisieren und zugleich dem Vergnügen des Volkes dienen. Via @mdrde https://t.co/G0zZtZ8rKs /nw #MuseumWeek #cityMW pic.twitter.com/QXuglGnJK2
— DDR Museum (@ddrmuseum) 24. April 2018In English: On April 23, 1976, it was ready. The DDR opened its own palace. The prestigious building, positioned where the former Berlin Palace had been located, was supposed to symbolize the power of the SED and, at the same time, bring enjoyment to the people.
Der "Teepott" an der Promenade in Rostock-Warnemünde wurde 1968 errichtet. Er gilt als prominentes Beispiel der Hyperschalenarchitektur. /jk #museumweek #cityMW pic.twitter.com/fWKgUs3VuP
— DDR Museum (@ddrmuseum) 24. April 2018In English: The "teapot" on the promenade in Rostock-Warnemünde was built in 1968. It is considered a prominent example of Hyperschale architecture.
Day 3: #heritageMW
Der Trabant 601 hat heutzutage Kultstatus und wird von beinahe Jedem mit der DDR assoziiert. Bis heute fahren noch zehntausende Trabis auf den Straßen. /jk #museumweek #heritageMW pic.twitter.com/XC6rPVaHmn
— DDR Museum (@ddrmuseum) 25. April 2018In English: The Trabant 601 has cult status these days, and almost everyone associates it with the DDR. To this day, tens of thousands of Trabis still drive on the roads.
Pittiplatsch ist wohl einer der bekanntesten Freunde des Sandmanns. Auch nach 55 Jahren bringt er Kinder zum Strahlen. /nk #MuseumWeek #heritageMW pic.twitter.com/023o68LESX
— DDR Museum (@ddrmuseum) 25. April 2018In English: Pittiplatsch is one of the best known friends of the Sandman. Even after 55 years, he makes children smile.
Den Eierbecher in Huhn-Form kennt wohl jeder. In zahlreichen Souvenirshops kann er heute noch in den unterschiedlichsten Farben erworben werden. /nk #MuseumWeek #heritageMW pic.twitter.com/6vs4mRDYzp
— DDR Museum (@ddrmuseum) 25. April 2018In English: Everyone knows the egg cup shaped like a chicken. It can still be purchased today in various colors in many souvenir shops .
Day 4: #professionsMW
Full employment: There was no shortage of jobs in the DDR, especially for production workers. Wages were high and those in demand were confidently dealing with their employers. Brigades and individuals were awarded medals for good work. /nw #MuseumWeek #professionsMW pic.twitter.com/Rp5lYT5Vco
— DDR Museum (@ddrmuseum) 26. April 2018Die Frida-Hockauf-Methode war eine in der DDR verwendete Arbeitsmethode zur Steigerung der Arbeitsproduktivität. Wie heißt die Parole, die Hockauf zugeschrieben wird? (Antwort: ʍǝɹpǝu ʍᴉɹ ɯoɹƃǝu lǝqǝu) /nw #MuseumWeek #professionsMW pic.twitter.com/TlRuXTxDkL
— DDR Museum (@ddrmuseum) 26. April 2018In English: The Frida Hockauf Method was a work method used in the DDR to increase labour productivity. What is the slogan attributed to Hockauf? "How we work today, ..."
(A) "... we will live tomorrow."
(B) "... we can holiday tomorrow!"
(C) "... socialism will perish tomorrow!"(Answer: we will live tomorrow)
Day 5: #kidsMW
Was im Westen als Overheadprojektor bezeichnet wurde, war im Osten der Polylux. Viele ehemalige "Ost-Schulkinder" können sich bestimmt noch an ihn erinnern. /nk #MuseumWeek #kidsMW pic.twitter.com/Z9CNK7ZiBN
— DDR Museum (@ddrmuseum) 27. April 2018In English: That which was called an overhead projector in the West was called "Polylux" in the East. Many former "Eastern school children" can certainly still remember it.
Good night! The Sandmännchen has been bringing bedtime stories to children for nearly 60 years.
Das Ferienlager war für viele Kinder das Highlight des Sommers. Neben vielfältigen Aktivitäten wurde natürlich auch viel gesungen. Die passende Broschüre mit zahlreichen Liedern kam vom Verlag Junge Welt. /le #museumweek #kidsMW pic.twitter.com/xqL0Tts8bR
— DDR Museum (@ddrmuseum) 27. April 2018In English: Holiday camp was the highlight of the summer for many children. In addition to diverse activities, they sang a lot, of course. The handy booklet with many songs was published by Verlag Junge Welt.
Day 6: #natureMW
Das Ostseebad Zinnowitz auf der Insel Usedom war der wichtigste Bade- und Ferienort für die Arbeiter der Wismut zu DDR-Zeiten. /le #MuseumWeek #natureMW pic.twitter.com/jY1uQNFyIf
— DDR Museum (@ddrmuseum) 28. April 2018In English: The Baltic resort on the island Usedom was the most important bathing and holiday place for the workers of Wismut during DDR times.
Day 7: #differenceMW
Im November 1989 feierte der DEFA-Spielfilm "Coming Out" Premiere. Im Film setzt sich der junge Lehrer Philipp Klarmann mit seiner sexuellen Orientierung auseinander und kann sich am Ende zu seiner Homosexualität bekennen
In English: The DEFA motion picture "Coming Out" premiered in November 1989. In the film, the young teacher Philipp Klarmann grapples with his sexual orientation and, at the end, can proclaim his homosexuality.
In der DDR wurden ab den 1960er Jahren zahlreiche Vertragsarbeiter aus anderen sozialistischen Ländern beschäftigt. Mithilfe der ausländischen Arbeitskräfte wollte man dem ständigen Arbeitskräftemangel beseitigen. /jk #museumweek #differenceMW pic.twitter.com/NJDFIWXuSX
— DDR Museum (@ddrmuseum) 29. April 2018In English: A large number of contract labourers from other socialist countries were employed in the DDR starting in the 1960s. The goal was to eliminate the constant lack of manpower with the aid of the foreign labour force.