Program

Fifty years after Wolf Biermann’s expulsion from the GDR, we look back on a watershed moment in German history. The evening draws on music, literature and film to explore protest, exile and what freedom of expression means today.

An exhibition about courageous women activists from Afghanistan: for more than 20 years, they fought for women's rights. When the Taliban seized power in 2021, they had to flee. From Germany, they continue their fight.

Near the Bernauer Straße tunnel construction hotspot, we recount the fascinating history of Berlin’s escape tunnels. Afterwards, eyewitness Eveline Rudolph will talk about her escape through the famous ‘Tunnel 29’.

The exhibition shows what East Germans’ lives were like. It shows how the Communist regime shaped everyday life, how people coped with the lack of things and the borders, and how they created free spaces for themselves.

The exhibition features photographs by “Stern” photographer Harald Schmitt, as well as by scene photographers Thomas Kalak and Helge Tscharn. It is further enriched by numerous photographs and artefacts from both East and West.

The exhibition at this historical site shows how the division of Germany and the construction of the Berlin Wall came about. It also explains how the customs and passport checkpoint functioned at the Tränenpalast.

Creative workshop "Freedom for All" with works by artist Nadia Budde. In German.

Learn about podcasting & explore the digital world with Minel (12), Jan (17), and Prof. Lydia Göse. Two young podcasters explain how they got into podcasting and what it all entails. Afterward, they record a live podcast episode on-site with Prof. Göse. This episode will later be broadcasted as part of the “Brandwissen” podcast.

In 2018, Gabi Dolff-Bonekämper found the discarded chairs from the Round Table in a shed in Pankow. The installation "Sturzlage" recreates the impression of disorder back then.

Since 2018, a small museum dedicated to this particular subject has been located on the historic site of what was once the largest children’s home in the GDR.

Kurze Zusammenfassung hier eintragen.

Right next to the Bernauer Straße tunnel construction ‘hotspot’, we recount the fascinating history of Berlin’s escape tunnels and, as a highlight, offer a glimpse inside the only original escape tunnel from 1970-71.

Guided tour in German of our special garden exhibition “On the Roof of Himmler’s Guesthouse: The U.S. Army in Wannsee in 1945” with our curator Judith Alberth—free of charge, no registration required, everyone is welcome!

In the center of the room stands a long, lavishly laid table. It evokes, all at once, a banquet table, family gatherings, and artistic installations.

The exhibition at this historical site shows how the division of Germany and the construction of the Berlin Wall came about. It also explains how the customs and passport checkpoint functioned at the Tränenpalast.

In her lecture, Gabi Dolff-Bonekämper, traces the history and significance of the Central Round Table and the Free People's Chamber regarding the democratic awakening in Berlin.

In 1617, a wave of persecution began in Bernau, during which many innocent people were accused of witchcraft—a story in which narratives carry more weight than facts, and the powerful are always right!

The satirical Leichenoper, a 1990 film by the DFF, is a historical document of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Afterward, we’ll discuss the Song Opera together, its creation, and the role of art in politically challenging times.

Bike along the Berlin Wall: Experience emotionally moving escape stories, original Wall remains, and fascinating sites between Prenzlauer Berg and the government district – We bring history to life.

The exhibition at this historical site shows how the division of Germany and the construction of the Berlin Wall came about. It also explains how the customs and passport checkpoint functioned at the Tränenpalast.

Discover more about the impressive photographs by “Stern” photographer Harald Schmitt as well as scene photographers Thomas Kalak and Helge Tscharn, and learn the stories behind the photographs and objects.

The exhibition at this historical site shows how the division of Germany and the construction of the Berlin Wall came about. It also explains how the customs and passport checkpoint functioned at the Tränenpalast.

BEYOND LINES is a dance performance by LUNA PARK - in cooperation with the Tränenpalast, one of Berlin's most significant memorial sites. The performance explores the crossing of borders.

Book Presentation, book sale and discussion with Dr. Teresa Tammer (Author) and Karin Dauenheimer (Eyewitness).

The BND is being granted expanded operational powers to counter hybrid threats. The law raises the question of how much intelligence capability a robust democracy needs without undermining its own values.

Did we miss an opportunity for democratic renewal in 1989–90? How can we draw on the legacy of the Peaceful Revolution to address today’s threats to democracy and freedom? Together with experts, we want to discuss these questions.

Irene Bindel reads from her book *Wassermilch und Spitzenwein*. In her book, she recounts her childhood as the daughter of a Jewish father, her experiences of persecution, and her new beginning in Berlin after 1945.

This workshop aims to support a selected group of political activists for free who fight for freedom and democracy and help them evaluate and improve their negotiation competencies.