PHOTO:
© Stiftung Humboldt Forum im Berliner Schloss / Giuliani von Giese
Hin und Weg. Der Palast der Republik ist Gegenwart
In the organizer's words:
Loved and hated, admired and reviled, disappeared and remembered: where the Humboldt Forum is located today once stood the Palace of the Republic, a representative building of political power in the GDR.
The program Hin und weg. The Palace of the Republic is Present, the Humboldt Forum is dedicating an annual focus to this vanished site, reflecting on its own existence and prehistory as well as the publicly debated question of why the Palace of the Republic was demolished and the Humboldt Forum built in its place - with the appearance of the baroque palace and in parts over the original concrete foundations of the palace, which have been preserved underground.
Invitation to discourse
Why the title "The Palace of the Republic is Present"? Because the questions raised by the construction, operation and demolition of the palace still move many people today. The program focuses on loss, oppression, freedom, participation and transformation and includes a large special exhibition, a theater production, a variety of events, workshops and digital offerings as well as an extensive book publication.
Special exhibition
The exhibition Hin und weg. The Palace of the Republic is Present will bring the Palace's past and present to life on 1,300 square meters from May 2024. On display are objects from and about the palace, drawings, photographs and posters, audio and video interviews from the "Remembrance work at the Humboldt Forum" project and participatory activities.
The exhibition is dedicated to the various phases of the building: from its planning and construction (1973-1976) to its use as a multi-purpose political and cultural building in the GDR, its significance as the seat of the first freely elected People's Chamber, its interim use and its demolition in the Federal Republic of Germany, which was completed in 2008. Numerous works of art, designs and furnishings from the Palace of the Republic illustrate the various uses of the building, including fragments of the sculpture Gläserne Blume (Glass Flower ) and the painting Die Rote Fahne (The Red Flag ) by Willi Sitte.
The starting point is the encounter with the vanished site, which for many people is still a powerful symbol of the end of the GDR. For many people, the demolition of the palace is representative of how the Federal Republic of Germany dealt with the GDR legacy and its people, who experienced loss as well as the devaluation and devaluation of their own biographies. For others, the demolition is seen as an act of liberation from the GDR state and its dictatorial activities, while some are indifferent to the demolition. Through numerous interviews, the exhibition shows the perspectives of people who worked in the Palast, who visited it or deliberately avoided it. Prominent and previously unheard voices have their say.
Families with children aged 4 and over can explore the themes of the exhibition in a playful way with a children's booklet. Using simple explanations, search and creative tasks, it draws attention to specific exhibits. They can use the creative sheet to design a souvenir box to take home afterwards.
Events, guided tours and workshops
A varied program of events and educational activities awaits you as part of the annual focus. Guided tours and workshops present the history and significance of the Palace of the Republic, provide insights into different perspectives and invite you to exchange ideas. Performances, films, concerts, lectures and discussions give you the opportunity to get to know the different facets of the Palace of the Republic. The Palast-Treff brings experts and visitors together for a round table discussion. The virtual reality installation Palace of Remembrance is a walk-in work of art that brings the spatial experience of the Palace to life.
Theater
The approximately 30 years of existence of the GDR prestige object are the focus of a theatrical journey through time in which the history of the "Palace for the People" comes to life. The play explores its significance as a cultural, political and identity-forming place. 100 Berliners bring the Palast der Republik back to life at its historical location. An ensemble of citizens, contemporary witnesses and choirs in cooperation with the Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts and the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music will resurrect the building in a sensual theatrical happening and vividly bear witness to the traces that this lost place has left behind. Premiere is on May 17, 2024.
Book publication
The publication Hin und weg. The Palace of the Republic is Present positions the Palace of the Republic as an all-German topic and illuminates it in all its breadth, with topics such as architecture, building history, artistic positions, research and experiential knowledge. At its heart are numerous perspectives on the palace and its history from a wide variety of people, with discourses opening up the topic to a broad audience.
With texts by Victoria Helene Bergemann, Aron Boks, Gesine Danckwart, Hanno Hochmuth, Dagmar Hovestädt, Zsófia Kelm, Ilko-Sascha Kowalczuk, Yevheniia Moliar, Chen Shuyu, Gülşah Stapel, Oliver Sukrow, Bruno Torres, Uljana Wolf and curators from the Humboldt Forum Foundation at the Berlin Palace, among others. With photographic works by Tobias Kruse, graphics by graphicrecording.cool(Johanna Benz, Tiziana Beck).
There and away. The Palace of the Republic is present, hardcover, approx. 200 pages, approx. 30 €
Available from May 2024 in the Humboldt Forum store and in bookshops.
History of the place at the Humboldt Forum
Since the beginning of 2014, the History of the Site department has conducted research, developed and digitized film, television and photographic material, researched and collected objects and archival materials, organized exhibitions and events as well as various discussions and publications on the Palace of the Republic. Twelve "traces" with objects or documents relating to the Palace of the Republic are permanently installed in the Humboldt Forum and can be explored virtually in the media guide. The Palace of the Republic also plays a prominent role in the "Video Panorama".
- Duration: 17.05.2024-16.02.2025
- Language: German / English
- Location: Special exhibition area
- Wheelchair accessible
- Exhibition: 12,00 € / 6,00 EUR, many free events
Our tip: Joint discount campaign of the DDR Museum and the Humboldt Forum
With an admission ticket from the DDR Museum , visitors receive a 25% discount on admission to the exhibition "Hin und weg. The Palace of the Republic is Present". Visitors to the exhibition can in turn receive a 25 percent discount on admission to the DDR Museum. The discount can be redeemed on site and applies exclusively to the full-price ticket and cannot be combined with other discounts.
The discount is valid for the duration of the exhibition from May 17, 2024 to February 26, 2025.
Location
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