Press release and Invitation: »GDR in Objects 1949-1990«

Berlin, July 7, 2020 - On the occasion of the 30th year of reunification and the 14th anniversary of the museum's existence, the DDR Museum publishes »GDR in Objects 1949-1990. Daily Life, Home, Consumption« which is the first of a total of three volumes about the museum's collection. The standard work with over 1,200 objects on 400 pages from the museum's own and probably the world's largest GDR collection with over 300,000 objects will be published on July 15, 2020 with 4,000 copies in a limited edition. The German and English language book will be available exclusively in the shop of the DDR Museum and in the online shop.

The publication of the other volumes on the subjects of leisure, culture and travel as well as work, economy and politics will be published in autumn 2020 and winter 2020/21. For the trilogy, the collection experts gathered both distinctive and everyday as well as unusual artefacts from four decades of the GDR. »With this work, the DDR Museum is making its large and diverse collection more aware to the public and, after 30 years of reunification, presents life in the GDR in the form of objects. The selected artefacts impressively document the history of the state's development«, says Jörn Kleinhardt, head of the collections.

The texts of the scientific director of the museum, Dr. Stefan Wolle, and the business writer Quirin Graf Adelmann v.A. complete this »material journey into the past« with entertaining and informative insights into everyday life as well as the economic and product history of the German Democratic Republic.

Invitation to press launch and review copy

The DDR Museum cordially invites you to the press presentation (in German) with a small breakfast on July 15, 2020, 11 am at the historic venue Salon Babette. In addition to a brief presentation of the project and the first volume of the trilogy, you will have the opportunity to talk (German and English) to the head of collections Jörn Kleinhardt and the two authors, Dr. Stefan Wolle and Quirin Graf Adelmann v. A. We also have the possibility to translate during your conversation.

In order to maintain the currently required general hygiene rules, please register in advance, including the number of people, at presse@ddr-museum.de or at +49 30 847 1237 47.

The entire volume will be available as a PDF file for reporting at the press conference. If you are interested in a digital review copy, but cannot come to the press appointment, please contact us by email.

The reading sample as well as all the necessary information are on the right hand side above the press pictures.