A country in a container

The disposal of GDR state symbols

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  Korn aus dem Ährenkranz des Staatswappens – Dieter Bankert, einer der Architekten des Palastes der Republik, sicherte dieses originale Korn aus dem Ährenkranz des Staatswappens am Palast der Republik als persönliches Erinnerungsstück.

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  DDR-Fahnen – Zum 1. Mai und auch zum Republikgeburtstag am 7. Oktober war es ein ungeschriebenes Gesetz, DDR-Fahnen vor die Fenster zu hängen. Im Zuge der Wiedervereinigung wurden sie überflüssig und landeten oft bündelweise im Müll.

With the end of the GDR, its symbols also lost their validity. In the weeks and months leading up to October 3, 1990, public spaces had already undergone visible changes. Signs of SED rule were removed, much of it ending up in bulk waste containers or at flea markets—and later finding its way into museum collections via various detours.

But not everything disappeared without a trace. After 1990, intense debates erupted about street names, monuments, and buildings. Today, relics of the GDR are once again present as anchors of identity – both locally and in museums. What does the way we deal with the symbols of the former state reveal about our culture of remembrance?

Runtime: Wed, 25/03/2026 to Sun, 15/11/2026

Price: €13.90

Reduced price: €8.00

Reduced price info: Reduced tickets are valid for children over 6 years, pupils, students, trainees and severely disabled persons. The corresponding proof must always be brought along. Children under 6 are free.

Takes place here:

• DDR Museum Berlin