Blog | DDR Museum

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GDR history

»Centrum Warenhaus« and »Konsument«

In the 1960s, the department store chains »Konsument« and »Centrum Warenhaus« were established in the GDR. The two department stores were intended to satisfy the changing consumer needs of the population. Here we show you thematic objects from our collection. Read more

From the collection

From the collection

DEFA film classics

Over the years, the Deutsche Film AG, DEFA for short, has created numerous film classics. In this article we present a few selected films and show the accompanying film booklets from our collection. Read more

From the collection

From the collection

»Color picture books« from DEFA production

They are almost rarities of the GDR era: the coloured DEFA picture books. Also known as slide roll films, the picture books were widely distributed in East German homes from the 1950s to the end of the 1970s. Read more

From the collection

From the collection

The Berlin TV Tower

At 368 metres, it is still the tallest building in Germany: the Berlin TV Tower. In this blog post, we present the history of this world-famous building, which was opened in the capital of the GDR on 3 October 1969, as well as objects from our collection on the subject. Read more

From the collection

From the collection

With distinction! Medals and decorations in the GDR

There was no stinginess with decorations and medals in the GDR. In fact, every field of society had its own awards. We present a small selection in this article. Read more

From the collection

History

Reaching for the Stars: The »Interkosmos« Programme of the Eastern Bloc

The »Interkosmos« programme of the then Soviet Union was intended to advance scientific research vis-à-vis the USA and also made it possible for other nations to fly into space. Sigmund Jähn was the first German to fly into space. Read more

From the collection

Collection

The Society for German-Soviet Friendship

The Society for German-Soviet Friendship (DSF) was the second largest mass organisation in the GDR and was intended to counteract the anti-Soviet attitude of the population after the end of the war. The DSF was active in cultural work with numerous activities. Read more

From the collection

From the collection

»Kaffee Mix« and coffee crisis

One of the most sensational products of the GDR was the »Kaffee Mix«, also called »Erich's Krönung«. In this blog post, we take a closer look at the history of coffee in the GDR. Read more

From the collection

From the collection

Alcohol in the GDR

In the GDR, people liked to drink a lot. Alcohol was not in short supply, and the shelves in the shops were well stocked. Today, the bottles are piled up in the collection of the DDR Museum. Read more

From the collection

From the collection

On the way to world class – the 1-megabit memory chip

The GDR missed the way to become a world leader in memory chip technology. In 1988, the 1-megabit microchip »U61000« was presented to the Politburo – while the West's 4-megabit chip was already in development. Read more

GDR tourism

Travelling

Baltic Sea Island Rügen

The Baltic Sea island of Rügen is known for its long and fine sandy beaches and is the largest island in Germany. The sights attract many holidaymakers every year. Read more

From the Collection

The magazine »FF Dabei«, a popular companion for the TV programme

The official television programme in the GDR was very limited during its existence. Due to the limited range of media, there was also only one programme guide. Until 1969 it was called »Funk und Fernsehen der DDR« (FF) and was then renamed »FF dabei«. Read more

From the collection

From the collection

Civilian travel with Deutsche Lufthansa and Interflug

On 4 February 1956, Deutsche Lufthansa opened its scheduled flight operations on the route between East Berlin and Warsaw. Two years later, the airline Interflug was founded. Our collection contains numerous objects from the 33 years of Interflug. Read more

From the collection

From the collection

Creative building with Formo and PEBE bricks

Creative building and corresponding system toys have always inspired many children. While in the West one could indulge one's play instinct with Playmobil and LEGO, in the DDR there were also two established building systems with PEBE and Formo. The original idea of plug-in bricks goes back to the anchor bricks developed in Rudolstadt (Thuringia) in the 19th century. Read more

GDR history

Ask Dr. Wolle

Storming the Stasi: Memories of 15 January 1990

At the turn of the year 1989/90, the DDR was in a strange state of suspense. The Wall had been open for eight weeks. The old order was dissolving, a new order did not yet exist. The weightlessness of free fall prevailed. It was only a question of time when the impact would occur. Read more

Museum news

From the Museum

0-euro note: 30 Years German Unity

In September 2020, on occasion of the 30th anniversary of German Unity, the DDR Museum released the new 0-euro note. It is available in the museum shop. Read more

From the collection

From the Collection

Pictorial: »GDR in Objects 1949-1990. Leisure, Culture, Travel«

With the second volume of the trilogy »GDR in Objects 1949-1990«, the DDR Museum gives a unique insight into the world's largest museum DDR collection. Read more

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From the collection

DDR in Objects 1949-1989

The Art Directors' 11 Favourites of the Collection Volume I

Art director Joris Buiks presents his eleven personal favourite objects from the eleven chapters of our first collection volume »GDR in Objects 1949-1990. Daily Life, Home, Consumption«. Read more

From the collection

From the Collection

10 GDR Objects from Dresden

Dresden was one of the economic and cultural centres of the GDR. The collection of the DDR Museum contains numerous objects that reflect the historical development of Dresden. Ten of them are presented in this article. Read more

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GDR tourism

Places of the GDR

Berlin State Opera Staatsoper Unter den Linden

Built in 1742, the Staatsoper Unter den Linden enjoys great popularity today and is one of the world's leading opera ensembles. But what exactly makes the opera so special and what role did it play in the GDR? Read more