Wheelchair accessible

Family friendly

English, German

There is perhaps no better way to tackle history than through the stories of the people who were part of it. The emotions, thoughts and images that have inscribed themselves into our memories are all parts of a greater story and offer a unique and valuable perspective on historical events. Seven open-air exhibitions at locations where the events of thirty years ago unfolded invite visitors to explore the history of the Peaceful Revolution and the fall of the Berlin Wall. Testimonies by contemporary witnesses offer an intimate view of the events of this period. Among the interviewees are civil rights campaigners, opposition activists, observers from West and East Berlin, immigrants, church representatives, artists, legal emigrants, refugees and escapees as well as victims of the state secret police. Their stories were collected and curated in a large interview project, to be featured as essential elements into the exhibitions, using quotes and listening stations.

Spread across the city, the seven exhibitions recount the events of the Peaceful Revolution at original locations (Gethsemane Church, Alexanderplatz, Brandenburg Gate, Kurfürstendamm, the former Stasi headquarters, Schlossplatz  and the East Side Gallery) through the eyes and stories of people who were on the ground and helped to make history. Each of the exhibitions explores a different theme, covering a range of global and European contexts, from the long history of resistance to the Communist dictatorships to the role of the Western media in the fall of the Wall, from the many different ruptures and transformations of the 1990s to the experiences of immigrants. The exhibitions are accompanied by stunning 3D video projections  on nearby historical buildings and a programme of events  in the festival pavilions. The open-air exhibitions are open around the clock. Admission is free of charge.

The seven open-air exhibitions are a project of Kulturprojekte Berlin in cooperation with the Berlin Commissioner for the Study of the SED Dictatorship, the Robert Havemann Society and the Berlin Wall Foundation.

Further information about Stories & Places.