Collection & Archive
Index
The Foundation collects original objects and historical artefacts related to the Berlin Wall and the history of the division. The collection includes all forms of material cultural assets, especially objects, photographs, documents and publications. Original remains oft he Wall from all over Berlin are preserved in the memorial's lapidarium. The thematic focus is on the GDR border regime, flight and escape assistance, protest and resistance against division, dealing with and everyday life with the Wall, the Allied occupation forces in Berlin and the culture of remembrance of the divided city. The holdings are constantly expanding, mainly through private donations. The collection is the basis for academic research, educational work and for exhibitions, publications and online projects.
A collection concept describes in detail how the foundation's collection is expanded, maintained, and made accessible (only available in German).
Overview
The collection, the research and press archives, and the reference holdings of the Berlin Wall Foundation are continuously being digitalised and recorded in a database. They are available for viewing and use by all those interested in the subject. Due to regulations from archival law, copyright law, protection of privacy or individual agreements with donors, certain holdings are excluded or only accessible to a limited extent.
Memories of the Fall of the Berlin Wall
Every year, we remember the fall of the Berlin Wall. This historic event is not only shaped by complex political changes but is also accompanied by a multitude of personal stories and perspectives. But who actually remembers what, and in what form?
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A champagne cork from the night of the fall of the Berlin Wall with the inscription "This is totally insane." © Berlin Wall Foundation, donated by Katharina Gelhaar, 1989
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So-called "Wall woodpeckers" chipping away at the Berlin Wall to secure a piece as a keepsake and to help make the Wall disappear © Berlin Wall Foundation, Photo: Jan Herrmann-Dangl, 1989
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Wall fragments, packaged in small cardboard boxes, quickly became a bestseller. Packaged in small cardboard boxes © Berlin Wall Foundation, donated by Rolf Witt, 1989–1990
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From August 1990, a section of the Berlin Wall on Bernauer Strasse was placed under historical protection with the goal to create a memorial as a reminder of the consequences of the border © Berlin Wall Foundation, ELAB, Archive of the Reconciliation Parish, 1990
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Entry in the Golden Book of the Foundation by Chancellor Angela Merkel, the Governing Mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit, and the Commissioner for Culture and the Media Monika Grütters, who together opened the new permanent exhibition at the memorial © Berlin Wall Foundation, 2014
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Latch lever of a balloon sponsor from the "Light Border" on Bernauer Strasse - the Light Border stretched across the entire downtown area of Berlin, marking the former border with glowing balloons © Berlin Wall Foundation, 2014
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Authentic blue Weimar mobile excavator, which was used for the demolition of the Wall, with a piece of the Berlin Wall © Berlin Wall Foundation, 2013
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Building block set "Trabant 601 – 30 Years of the Fall of the Berlin Wall." - the target audience for these sets included not only children but also collectors, as well as construction and model enthusiasts © Berlin Wall Foundation, 2019
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Board game "Mauerfall 89", which was developed by former East German refugee Volker Langer - the goal is to bring down the Wall © Berlin Wall Foundation, 2005
Memory is not neutral. It is shaped by individual perspectives, cultural contexts, and societal power relations. Which voices are heard, and which remain in the background?
The objects in our collection tell the story of the different forms of remembrance. While for some, after the fall of the Wall, it was about removing it as quickly as possible, others advocated for preserving the Wall as a memorial. Since then, central commemorative events have regularly taken place on Bernauer Strasse with the involvement of the general public. In addition to the official commemoration, an independent, sometimes commercial culture of remembrance developed, keeping the Berlin Wall alive in miniature form – as a model kit or board game.
All of the objects, along with many others, are currently on display in the entrance area of the permanent exhibition at the Documentation Center of the Berlin Wall Memorial.
An Online Tour with more information about the objects and their history is also available in English.
The Foundation collects material relating to all aspects of the Berlin Wall, in particular the border fortifications, daily interactions with division, flight and emigration, the fall of the Wall, and remembrance after 1990. These include photographs, film material, original objects, documents, private letters and writing, maps and souvenir albums. The most important parts of our collection were given to the memorial as private donations and can be preserved here permanently for the future. If you have material that could be useful to our educational work or that could help preserve the memory of the Berlin Wall, please contact our curator directly (without obligation).