Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
er's
Aufbau der Republik
(
Building the Republic,
1953), is classic Socialist Realism, show-
ing the entire society—industrial laborers, farm workers, women, and children—all happily
singing the same patriotic song. Its subtitle: “The importance of peace for the cultural devel-
opment of humanity and the necessity of struggle to achieve this goal.” This was the com-
munist ideal. For the reality, look at the ground in the courtyard in front of the mural to see
an enlarged photograph from a 1953 uprising here against the communists...quite a contrast.
Placards explain the events of 1953 in English.
This modest exhibit, roughly between the Topography of Terror and Checkpoint Charlie,
tells the story of how the communist-era Ministry for State Security (
Staatssicherheit,
a.k.a.
Stasi) infiltrated all aspects of German life. Soon after the Wall fell, DDR authorities
scrambledtodestroythecopiousillicitinformationtheiragentsandinformantshadcollected
about the people of East Germany. But the government mandated that these records be pre-
served as evidence of DDR crimes, and the documents are now managed by the Federal
Commissioner for Stasi Records. A timeline traces the history of the archives, and wrap-
around kiosks profile individual “subversive elements” who were targeted by the Stasi.
There are a few actual artifacts, but the exhibit is mostly dryly written texts and reproduced
photographs that don't do much to personalize the victims—making this museum worth a
visit only for those with a special interest in this period. Temporary exhibits are upstairs.
Cost and Hours:
Free, daily 10:00-18:00, Zimmerstrasse 90-91, tel. 030/232-450,
Other Stasi Sites:
If you're interested in this chapter of East German history, you
may find it more satisfying (but time-consuming) to visit two other sites affiliated with the
Stasi: a different
Stasi Museum,
in the former State Security headquarters (€5, Mon-Fri
11:00-18:00, Sat-Sun 12:00-18:00, Ruscherstrasse 103, U-5: Magdalenenstrasse, tel. 030/
553-6854,
www.stasimuseum.de
)
;andthe
StasiPrison,
where“enemiesofthestate”served
time (€4, visits possible only with a tour; English tours daily at 14:30—call to confirm be-
fore making the trip; German tours Mon-Fri at 11:00, 13:00, and 15:00, Sat-Sun hourly
10:00-16:00; Genslerstrasse 66, reachable on various trams from downtown—see website
for specifics, tel. 030/9860-8230,
www.stiftung-hsh.de
)
.
This famous Cold War checkpoint was not named for a person, but for its checkpoint num-
ber—as in Alpha (#1,at the East-West German border,a hundred miles west ofhere), Bravo
(#2, as you enter Berlin proper), and Charlie (#3, the best known because most foreigners
passedthroughhere).Whiletheactualcheckpointhaslongsincebeendismantled,itsformer
location is home to a fine museum and a mock-up of the original border crossing. The area
