20 Years of the DDR Museum – An unforgettable Birthday Party
You don't celebrate 20 years of the DDR Museum every day. That's why, from the very beginning, we knew we wanted to organise this anniversary ourselves. No event agency, just plenty of passion, creativity and a strong team spirit.
We wanted to thank our partners from politics, business and culture, and share an evening that would be remembered for years to come. Of course, no celebration would have been complete without a touch of everyday life from the GDR – after all, that's what the DDR Museum is all about.
The first ideas came together quickly, while we kept a close eye on the budget throughout. Even so, our goal was clear: to create an unforgettable birthday celebration.
From a Christmas Conversation to an Anniversary Buffet
The foundations for the culinary concept were laid at our Christmas party the previous year. Our Press Officer got chatting with the chef from Floris Catering, who told her that he had learned to cook from his grandmother in Frankfurt (Oder). From that moment on, it was clear who would be creating the menu for our anniversary celebration.
Together, we developed a buffet inspired by GDR cuisine, and even the planning process was great fun. The final result exceeded all expectations. Quail prepared in the style of Broiler, mini quiches with Würzfleisch and cheese, Jägerschnitzel 2.0 reimagined as cannelloni filled with Jagdwurst and tomato, Leipziger Allerlei, Kalter Hund and many other dishes brought together East German nostalgia and contemporary cuisine.
An Anniversary begins the Evening before
We didn't want our anniversary celebrations to be limited to a single evening. That is why, on the night before the main event, we hosted a special discussion in our conference room. Together with former Minister-President of Thuringia Bodo Ramelow, historian Dr Ilko-Sascha Kowalczuk was due to discuss the state of democracy. The evening was moderated by cultural journalist Natascha Freundel.
Although Dr Ilko-Sascha Kowalczuk unfortunately had to cancel at short notice, Bodo Ramelow and Natascha Freundel led an engaging and thought-provoking conversation that captivated the audience throughout. Every seat in the conference room was taken, and many more visitors came along to experience the event. The strong turnout demonstrated just how deeply questions of history and the present continue to resonate with our visitors.
The Big Anniversary Day
Everything began on the evening of our anniversary celebration, in the DDR Museum's conference room. There, our guests were greeted by a Smilebox photo booth. Using postcards featuring GDR-inspired designs as props, they created countless souvenir photos. Before long, a queue had formed – exactly as we had hoped.
From there, guests made their way along the riverside promenade towards the museum. Rather than simply using this route as a link between venues, we wanted it to become an experience in its own right.
Our curatorial team had gone to great lengths to make that happen. Numerous objects were transported from our storage facility in Berlin-Marzahn to Berlin-Mitte. Among the highlights were five mopeds from Simson's Vogelserie ("Bird Series"). Alongside the iconic Schwalbe, guests could also discover the Spatz, Star, Sperber and Habicht.
Many other everyday objects from the GDR were also on display, including Superfest glassware, the Multiboy LZ 251, Elsterglanz metal polish and the WM 66 wave-wheel washing machine, produced from 1966 onwards at the VEB Waschgerätewerk Schwarzenberg. A washing machine without a mains water connection seems almost unimaginable today and sparked plenty of curious conversations.
Some of the exhibited objects also formed part of our DDR quiz. Guests who answered every question correctly were entered into a prize draw. Thanks to the generous support of Zentralkonsum eG, prizes included two-night stays at the Konsum Hotels in Oberhof and Weimar. Unsurprisingly, the quiz sheets proved extremely popular.
The Museum's Ticket Counter was Turned into a Bar
Inside the museum, our ticket counter was transformed into a stylish bar. Mampe Berlin provided the perfect setup, and with the summer temperatures, the refreshing drinks and chilled beer from Nordberliner proved especially popular.
The buffet was set up right in the middle of the museum shop. An unusual combination that worked brilliantly and caught many guests by surprise.
To ensure our guests could always find someone to speak to, the entire team wore specially designed anniversary T-shirts. The logo had been created by our designer, Joris Buiks, and was a distinctive feature throughout the evening.
The museum closes early for one day
The DDR Museum is normally open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. – even on Mondays. However, for our 20th anniversary, we made an exception. The museum closed to regular visitors at 3 p.m. so that our invited guests could explore the many new installations at their leisure. Our curatorial team was on hand throughout to answer questions and share insights.
Although the official celebrations were not due to begin until 5.30 p.m., there had already been a hive of activity since the early hours of the morning. The catering was being set up, photo backdrops assembled, flowers delivered, and final touches made throughout the museum. In between, there were also media appointments. The rbb Abendschau television team stopped by to find out what we had planned. Our Director, Gordon von Godin, spoke in his usual engaging manner about the history of the DDR Museum and its plans for the future.
Speeches, music and one very special moment
The official programme began at 6.30 pm on the riverside promenade. Amid all the excitement, Gordon von Godin, Quirin Graf Adelmann, Dr Anna Kaminsky and Achim Oelgarth managed to gather at the table in time. Franziska Giffey also arrived and, before taking her seat, couldn't resist joining in with our DDR quiz.
The musical opening was performed by Tante Anne from ORWOhaus with Holger Biege's Sagte mal ein Dichter.
Gordon von Godin then welcomed the guests, followed by speeches from Quirin Graf Adelmann, Dr Anna Kaminsky and Achim Oelgarth. The official programme concluded with a personal speech delivered without notes by Franziska Giffey, which visibly moved many of the guests.
A summer evening just as we had hoped
It was time to eat, raise a glass and catch up. The riverside promenade was filled with a relaxed summer atmosphere – light dresses, chilled drinks, great conversations and smiling faces everywhere. It was exactly how we had imagined celebrating our anniversary.
At 8 pm, the winners of the DDR quiz were drawn. Our Press Officer reached into the prize draw box and four lucky winners walked away with their prizes.
As the evening drew to a close, Dirk Michaelis' Als ich fortging began to play, bringing a quieter, more reflective mood. Around 200 guests headed home with warm congratulations and many happy memories of a special celebration.
From Party Venue Back to Museum
As soon as the last guests had left, the transformation began. Every member of the team pitched in. The bar was turned back into the museum ticket desk, and the buffet area became our museum shop once again. The Simson vehicles and Pittiplatsch made their way back to our storage facility in Berlin-Marzahn. By around 10 pm, everything was back in place.
The following morning, the DDR Museum opened its doors promptly at 9 am. Our visitors could hardly tell that a major anniversary celebration had taken place there the evening before.
Thank you to the best team
This celebration would not have been possible without the dedication of the many members of the DDR Museum team. Their commitment, passion and tireless hard work played a vital role in making our anniversary such a success.
We would like to extend our special thanks to Marco Westphal. He supported the preparations from the very beginning and, through his exceptional dedication, made a significant contribution to turning our anniversary into an unforgettable celebration.
For us, 20 years of the DDR Museum were about more than marking a milestone. They were proof of what can be achieved when many people work together towards a shared goal.
And if anyone is still wondering whether working in a museum could ever be boring, we can only say:
Definitely not. There's always something happening here!
Highlights from the evening
