Blog

GDR history
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Combined leadership of »party and state«: On the trail of power

Who made political decisions in the GDR – and who implemented them? The combined exhibition »Party and State« at the GDR Museum and in urban spaces shows the close connection between the SED and the state apparatus. Read more
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Propaganda posters – everyday companions in public spaces in the GDR

The section of the exhibition on propaganda in the GDR focuses on propaganda posters. It shows how visual agitation shaped public space and what messages the state used to influence people's thinking and everyday life. Read more
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Lenin and his retrospective assessment in the GDR

Although Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, better known by his nom de guerre Lenin, died in 1924, his theories and actions had a decisive influence on the GDR and its development. Read more
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The economy of scarcity, or what was available to buy in the GDR

The new exhibition area at the DDR Museum shows why money was not everything in the GDR and how the socialist planned economy affected people's everyday lives. Read more
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The party table as a symbol of power

The blog post highlights the party table as a central symbol of power in the GDR. It shows how hierarchies, ideology and bureaucracy were structured at the level of political functionaries. Using the original object from our exhibition, the logic of the GDR's state structure becomes comprehensible. Read more
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Combined tour of »Karl-Marx-Allee«: From prefabricated buildings to workers' palaces

Karl-Marx-Allee, one of East Berlin’s most iconic streets, showcases socialist urban planning. A combined tour explores the GDR’s architecture, daily life, and culture. Read more
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Tanks at Checkpoint Charlie – The Cold War in October 1961

In October 1961, tanks faced each other at Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin. The standoff became a symbol of the Cold War and the threat of a third world war. Read more
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The GDR and the Warsaw Pact – united invincible

The Warsaw Pact was the central military alliance of socialist states in Europe during the Cold War. Founded in 1955 in response to the admission of the Federal Republic of Germany to NATO, it had a decisive influence on the security policy orientation of the GDR. Read more
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Simson, MZ & Co. – The two-wheeled forge of the GDR

Simson, MZ and IWL – icons of everyday life in the GDR. Today the legendary mopeds are back on the roads. Our blog reveals why they once fascinated so many and why they’re enjoying a comeback today. Read more
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Lesbian visibility in the GDR

Lesbian women were often overlooked and marginalised in the GDR. Nevertheless, they came together, organised meetings, and fought for visibility and equal rights. The blog post tells the story of their everyday lives and the challenges they faced. Read more
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The Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED)

The history of the SED: A historical overview of ideology, power structures and political change in the GDR. Read more
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FDJ – Freie Deutsche Jugend (Free German Youth)

The Freie Deutsche Jugend (FDJ) was the mass organisation for young people in the GDR. Membership was intended to educate the younger generation to become »socialist personalities«. This blog tells the story of the FDJ and sheds light on the diverse experiences that young people had in the GDR. Read more
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The Friendship Pipeline

The »Soyuz« natural gas pipeline stretches from the Urals to the former Soviet western border. The construction section in the GDR, known as the »Druzhba line«, was organised by the FDJ. In this blog post, we provide insights into the content and show themed objects from our collection. Read more
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The West Package: A Christmas Dream in the GDR

Christmas without a parcel from the West? Unimaginable for some, reality for others. This blog post takes a closer look at the idealised parcel and tells the very personal stories of some of the staff at the DDR Museum. Read more
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The Palace of the Republic: Between Splendour and Controversy

The Palace of the Republic was a meeting place for the people and politics at the same time. In this blog post, we highlight the history of the palace from its construction to its controversial demolition and show thematic objects from the collection. Read more
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Education and Ideology in the GDR

In the GDR, the education of children and young people was state-directed. The SED primarily pursued economic and ideological goals. In this blog, we look at the measures taken to achieve these goals. Read more
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The path to professional sport in the GDR

This blog post discusses the methods used by the GDR that led to its exceptional sporting success on an international level. Read more
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The Summer Olympics and the GDR

In this blog post, we look at the GDR's sporting career at the Summer Olympics. Read more
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Queerness in the GDR

This blog post addresses different forms of discrimination against queer people in the GDR, as well as the limited room for manoeuvre that was available to them. Read more
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The history of Tierpark Berlin

In this blog post, we present the history of Tierpark Berlin and show some objects related to the zoo from our collection. Read more