Blog :: DDR Museum

Giftware from the Traffic Police

Günter Höhne recalls the traffic police, whose members were also colloquially called “white mice” and enjoyed mingling with ordinary citizens. Even with their own souvenirs and giftware. Read more

Object of the Month

Magazine „UdSSR im Bau“ / „Sowjetunion“

The object of the month August is the 1930 by Maxim Gorky established magazine “UdSSR im Bau” which, in 1950, was renamed “Sowjetunion“. Well preserved issues are rare and constitute a highly informative historical primary source. Read more

GDR design

Günter Höhne about DDR Design

From the long becoming and the abrupt ending of the KN 501

The journalist and expert for DDR product design Günter Höhne writes for the blog DDR Museum. This time he is taking a closer look at the KN 501. Read more

Museum news

The Team

Interview »10 questions to...« Maximilian Schönbeck, apprentice at DDR Museum

Maximilian has been part of the team at DDR Museum since January. He undergoes a two and a half year apprenticeship in the field of leisure and tourism with the focus on visitors relations. We asked Max a few questions. Read more

From the collection

Object of the month

Fort Laramie from the VEB Holzspielwaren Steinach

With the Fort Laramie, children could live out their passion that arose with the film adaptation of the Karl May novels in the 60s. Hobby groups of the so-called Indianistik were officially active already from the mid-50s. Read more

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Museum news

Zero Euro Banknote in a new design

New Zero Euro Banknote for the anniversary of the Berlin Wall

The popular Zero Euro Banknote of the DDR Museum appears in its 6th edition with a design dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Fall of the Wall. Read more

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Object of the Month

Portable TV “Combi-Vision 310”

The portable television “Combi-Vision 310” wasn't the first of its kind. After the K67 never made it into large-scale production, the TV “Combi-Vision 310” filled a market gap in the DDR. Read more

Object of the Month

Ceramic Beer Mug – Tierpark Berlin

Every month we are introducing a new object of the month. The object of February is a ceramic beer mug from the Tierpark Berlin. A brief history of the Tierpark Berlin is presented by Nina Krasemann. Read more

Günter Höhne writes

From Duckling to Swan: „Moccadolly“

The journalist and expert for DDR product design Günter Höhne writes for the DDR Museum blog. This time he is taking a closer look at the DDR coffee maker “Moccadolly”. Read more

Günter Höhne writes

DDR Design PRAKTI Camera

The journalist and expert for DDR product design Günter Höhne writes for the blog DDR Museum. This time he is taking a closer look at the camera PRAKTI from 1960 which was produced in Dresden. Read more

Museum news

From the Museum

An Intern's introduction and report on her Internship

My Name is Brianna Selph. I'm from the USA, love German culture and, since September, an at the DDR Museum. Read more

From the collection

Object of the month November 2018

Leather suitcase with stickers

Every month, we are showing one very special piece from our collection. Our object of the month November 2018 is a suitcase decorated with a total of 61 stickers from different travel destinations. What might be the story its telling? Read more

DDR music

History of Music

Wittstock instead of Woodstock - Blues in the DDR

They call themselves Kunden (“customers”), Trampers (“hitchhikers”), or Bluesers (“bluesmen”), wear long hair and beards, Jesus sandals, jeans and parkas. On the weekends they are always on the move, celebrating their dropping out of society in remote village halls, occupy the carnival festivities in Thuringia’s Wasungen, and pass along bottles of red wine during Eastberlin’s blues fairs. Read more

From the collection

From the collection

The 1990 Monetary, Economic and Social Union

On 18 May 1990, the Treaty on Monetary, Economic and Social Union was signed. This state treaty came into force just a few weeks later on 1 July. We show thematic objects from the collection of the DDR Museum. Read more

Relics of the DDR

Relics from the DDR

The World Time Clock

With each political turn, the Alexanderplatz square changed its face. The »Alex« thus became a kind of monument to 20th century architecture. At the intersection of the visual axes is East Berlin's most popular meeting place – the World Time Clock. Read more

Special exhibitions

A Trip to the DDR - "The Journey of my Life"

Chapter 10: 30 Years Later

30 years have gone by since Shimelis visited the DDR in 1987, 30 years later the once 14-year-old boy has grown up and built a whole new life in Ethiopia. In the last part of this story, Shimelis takes us into his present life and how his journey into the DDR still impacts his life. Read more

From the collection

Object of the Week

Street names in the GDR

In the GDR, the names of streets, railway stations and central squares were named according to the ideology and structure of the state. We would like to show a few of the common and widespread names from the collection of the DDR Museum. Read more

Special exhibitions

A Trip to the DDR - "The Journey of my Life"

Chapter 9: Good bye DDR!

"I wish I could have lived with those kind people forever." Time went by too fast for Shimelis, who visited the DDR in 1987. After some months outside of Ethiopia and it's troubles there, it was time to say goodbye and go back. Not a simple task for the 14-year-old boy. Read more

Relics of the DDR

What remains?

The Peace Dove

The peace dove was one of the most widespread political symbols in the GDR. As a symbol of peace, it was sung about in a song and has been emblazoned on the wall of a building at the entrance to Berlin's Nikolai district since 1987. Numerous objects with the peace dove symbol are also in the collection of the DDR Museum. Read more

Special exhibitions

A Trip to the DDR - "The Journey of my Life"

Chapter 8: Visiting Schwedt and Berlin

14-year-old ethiopian Shimelis visited the DDR in 1987 - the only other country he has ever seen. For a few months he enjoyed the massive cultural clash in the Pioneer Republic "Wilhelm Pieck", where he spent most of his days. But after some time Shimelis and the other delegations got the opportunity to visit Schwedt and East Berlin. Read more