Josef Kaiser and Modern Architecture in the GDR

Guided Tour of the City

Karl-Marx-Allee is no ordinary boulevard; it is a built manifesto of the GDR. On this on-site tour, we’ll follow in the footsteps of architect Josef Kaiser and his collective. The second construction phase of Karl-Marx-Allee (formerly Stalinallee) between Strausberger Platz and Alexanderplatz clearly illustrates the stylistic shift toward the “Magistrale der Moderne” (Highway of Modernism): Starting in 1959, a new urban center emerged around Schillingstraße and Berolinastraße, featuring the Kino International, the Hotel Berolina, and the restaurant—now Café Moskau. The five pavilions—including the recently reopened Mokka-Milch-Eisbar and the Kunst im Heim store (now Galerie Capitain Petzel)—complement the ensemble. At the same time, Kaiser and his collective developed the new “QP” series for modern, industrially manufactured apartment blocks: standardized, efficient, yet with a commitment to design.

On this guided tour, we’ll explore how architecture was meant to convey political messages, how de-Stalinization is evident on the facades, and how ideology gave rise to urban life. We invite you to join us in observing and strolling along the magnificent boulevard of what was once East Berlin’s city center.
The tour ends at the café of the Kino International.

More about the exhibition“Josef Kaiser: Building for the GDR.”Translated with DeepL

Meeting point: In front of the Karl Marx bust, Strausberger Pl. 12, 10243 Berlin-Friedrichshain

Price info: Participation is only possible with an online ticket.

Price: €24.00

Reduced price: €13.00

Next date:

• Date Friday, 25/September/2026 13:00 bis 15:00 ( 1 more date )
• Venue Berlinische Galerie
• Address Alte Jakobstraße 124, 10969 Berlin-Kreuzberg