In the organizer's words:

Project launch and reading

The State Agency for Civic Education and the Public History department at the University of Hamburg launched a new project on GDR history in October 2025: "Gateway to Freedom?!" explores the possibilities for an extracurricular place of learning in the Hanseatic city and will offer a variety of formats at different locations in the city from 2026.

This public event, which is being held in cooperation with the Ottensen District Archive - History Workshop for Altona, marks the start of the project. The author Aron Boks will read from his new book: "Starkstromzeit. Vom Leben in einem Staat, den es nicht mehr gibt" is a personal GDR story in which Boks follows the trail of a lamp designed by his grandfather - a Gen Z search for traces that shows how objects and design from a vanished state shine and have an effect long after the system has disappeared. The event is also an opportunity to get to know the project and its aims.

And further highlights will follow: A pop-up learning space will be created around the anniversary of the Peaceful Revolution, creating space for exchange, impulses and discussions. Funding from the Federal Foundation for the Reappraisal of the past in the BKM funding line "Youth remembers" will enable the start-up phase until May 2027.

The new project builds on two successful predecessor projects: "Places of (In)Visibility" (2021-2023) and "Local Democracy - Personal Memories of Hamburgers from the GDR" (2024-2025). Since 2021, the cooperation between the State Center and the Public History department has developed into an important focus on the visibility of GDR history in Hamburg.

Project coordination: Theresa Hertrich