A country in a container

Dealing with symbols of the GDR after 1990

At midnight on 2 October 1990, not only did the GDR cease to exist, but its symbols also suddenly lost their validity. State coats of arms, medals and statues became relics of the past overnight. Many were discarded, others stowed away in drawers at home or sold at flea markets – and later ended up in museum collections. This special exhibition is dedicated to the post-history of the GDR's state symbols and asks how the material evidence of a defunct state was dealt with – and what role it still plays in the collective memory today. The third and final volume of the DDR Museum's series »DDR in Objects« brings together the themes of state, politics and ideology. The exhibition shows a selection of the collection pieces from the illustrated book and asks why a country disappeared so quickly into the bulky waste container.

Introduction:
Sören Marotz, Exhibition Director, DDR Museum

In conversation:
Eric Strohmeier-Wimmer, Head of Collections, DDR Museum
Dr Liza Soutschek, Research Assistant, DDR Museum

SPECIAL EXHIBITION 25 MARCH TO 15 NOVEMBER 2026

Admission is free of charge

25 March 2026, 6 pm

Conference room DDR Museum
Sankt Wolfgang-Str. 2
10178 Berlin

Here you can see the location.

The event will take place in German.