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Collections & Archive

Close-up of pieces of the Wall

The collections department preserves all kinds of historical objects related to the history of the Berlin Wall and its impact on the lives of people in East and West. Numerous private photographs and historical documents bear witness to the ongoing changes at the border and reveal how both sides dealt with the division until its end. 

Site-specific collection information

When the memorial was established on Bernauer Strasse, numerous original objects were excavated from the former border strip and added to the collection. Today, the memorial’s lapidarium serves as the central storage area for original Wall relics from all over Berlin. The collection, which contains photographs, documents, media, postcards, files and printed material, focuses on the history of Bernauer Strasse, from the Wall’s construction to the establishment of the memorial. In addition, the digitized archive of the divided Reconciliation Parish, whose church on the East Berlin side of Bernauer Strasse was destroyed in 1985, documents the city’s historical development during and after the division.

  • Photo of the Lapidarium

    Parts of the wall in the Lapidarium on Bernauer Strasse

  • A flag with a red cross

    Red Cross flag from the archives of the Reconciliation Parish

  • Pieces of the Wall

    Pieces of the Wall cast in synthetic resin, donation of a wall woodpecker

  • Wall pieces

    Wall stones, donation of a wall woodpecker

  • Photos are being scanned

    Viewing historical slides and negatives on the light desk

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