A City Divided
The history of the German division and reunion: In several dioramas you can experience the history of the German division and reunion with the example of a street corner in the middle of Berlin. Many small scenes bring the history of this time back to life.
Many people experienced the division of Germany themselves, most of them the reunification and almost everyone the effects of the division on our society today. Just like us. Nevertheless, even after 34 years, we often find it difficult to visualise what the division of Germany meant for millions of us on a daily basis. When you stroll through the streets of Berlin-Mitte and realise that the former German border has been crossed several times in just a few minutes, it's not easy to comprehend. This is probably how many people feel - especially the younger generations. This is probably a normal process when things that have been lived and experienced become history - and yet this history characterises the way we live together in the present. Does Miniatur Wunderland have the ability to bring history to life using models? We are convinced: yes! That's how the idea for this exhibition came together. Miniatur Wunderland and the Hamburg State Centre for Political Education developed the concept for this exhibition together. Initially, we created seven dioramas to mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 2009, offering schoolchildren in particular the opportunity to engage with history in a different and more lively way and offering people outside of school and work training a reason to remember it visually. For German Unity Day 2023, we worked together again and created two more dioramas. They show the two decades following reunification and illustrate how the two parts of Germany are growing together.
All dioramas are based on a fictitious crossroads in Berlin, divided into East and West. Fictitious because it allows as many everyday situations as possible to be portrayed in the smallest possible space. On the surface, the dioramas recreate the appearance of the respective eras in East and West Berlin. The events, living conditions and everyday life of the respective epoch are highlighted from different angles. These are historical settings, i.e. we present themes, but not in the sense of a documented reality. We very consciously allow all visitors the opportunity to perceive or remember the historical events presented from the perspective of the individual. We have tried to incorporate as many facets as possible. We have certainly not been able to recreate everything. We hope you understand this and enjoy the exhibition nonetheless. We had fun, enjoyment and exciting discussions during the preparations for this cooperation between the State Centre and Miniatur Wunderland - we wish you the same.
