35 years of East Side Gallery: Art connects and inspires Berlin!

35 years of East Side Gallery: Art connects and inspires Berlin!

An important anniversary will be celebrated on September 28, 2025: 35 years ago, the East Side Gallery was opened, the longest section of the Berlin Wall, which was converted into an open-air gallery. At that time, after the fall of the wall, 118 artists from 21 countries painted the gray concrete walls and created an impressive symbol for overcoming the division of Europe. These works of art not only reflect life in divided Germany, but also invite you to deal with the importance of freedom. The artist Heike Stephan remembers that the idea for this artistic campaign was created shortly after the wall opening on November 9, 1989, inspired by the art of wall in West Berlin, especially in Kreuzberg. One of the prominent works includes Dmitri Wrubel's "Bruderkuss", which became the best -known painting of the gallery, and Birgit Kinder's iconic picture of a trabant that breaks through the wall.

The first painting campaigns took place at Potsdamer Platz. The first Eastern artwork was created under special conditions, observed by GDR border soldiers who had no command to intervene. At night, however, many of these works of art were painted over by soldiers with a white color, which did not stop the artists from applying for approval to restore their art. The GDR Minister Council gave official approval in February 1990 and thus gave the final starting signal for the East Side Gallery. In 1991, the gallery was finally included in the monument list of the State of Berlin, a step that underpinned the importance of this cultural site. Nevertheless, there were no challenges, because in the 1990s there were always problems with certainty and order in the area of ​​the gallery.

Initiatives to maintain East Side Gallery

On the occasion of the 35th anniversary, the starts Berlin Wall Foundation An initiative to preserve the monument. This includes, among other things, the long -term preservation of concrete and colors, protection against weather, auto exhaust gases and vandalism as well as discussions about the preservation of the original and possible changes. The planned activities include guided tours with participating artists, workshop talks and a special exhibition with original sketches. What is special about this initiative is the focus of the questions about the imperishable of art in public space.

A significant aspect of the East Side Gallery is that many artists have decided not to paint their works from 1990 again. You want to keep your original comments and styles. In recent years there have also been several restorations to protect the works of art from vandalism, such as the comprehensive renovation in 2009 and the sealing of many paintings in 2015. Since November 2018, the Berlin Wall Foundation has been responsible for this cultural site, which is not only concerned with national but also international audience.

Digital platforms on art in public space

In the context of the artistic examination in public space HTW Berlin a revised website on the subject of monuments and works of art in Berlin. This platform, which is supported by the Berlin University of Applied Sciences and the Association for the History of Berlin, provides information on over 3,000 works of art in public space. The new website lists around 12,000 views per month and offers an improved search option and new content, including 3-D models from works of art.

With the revitalized platform, awareness of art in public spaces is strengthened and a valuable contribution to the imparting of Berlin's cultural history is made. Initiatives such as those of the Berlin Wall Foundation and the commitment of institutions such as HTW show how important the preservation and appreciation of these cultural treasures is for society.