Treasure Hunters

The GDR and the raw materials issue. There was a lack of many things in the GDR. But one issue was particularly precarious: apart from lignite and potash salt, there were no raw materials worth mentioning. The »dream of oil« in their own country in the 1960s came at just the right time. However, this dream was soon extinguished due to the lack of yield from the deposits near Grimmen, especially as the Soviet Union supplied cheap oil until the end of the 1970s. The situation was similar with natural gas. However, the expertise in exploring new deposits led to many a treasure in socialist countries, such as a gold mine in Mongolia. Although the Geological Research and Exploration Combine discovered it, the »harvest« could only be reaped after 1990. Klaus Erler will illustrate all of this in his lecture. 

Lecture and discussion:

Dr Klaus Erler, former General Director of the Geological Research and Exploration Combine, Halle/Berlin

Moderation:

Sören Marotz, Exhibition Director DDR Museum, Berlin

19 February 2025, 6 pm

Konferenzraum DDR Museum
Sankt Wolfgang-Str. 2
10178 Berlin

Here you can see the location.

The event will take place in German.