Current information
Accompanying programme of the special exhibition “Rift through Europe. The Consequences of the Hitler-Stalin Pact”
20. August 2024
8 May 2024 – Programme for the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe
11. April 2024
The museum organises a special programme every year on 8 May. You are invited to a reading café with historical newspapers and a special film screening. There will be guided tours and much more. The day ends with an evening lecture on the topic No end to the war in Ukraine? Experiences from wars of the past. TO THE PROGRAMME
Undesired. The DGO (German Society for East European Studies) and the Museum Berlin-Karlshorst
21. March 2024
On February 14, 2024, the Russian government declared the German Society for Eastern European Studies (DGO) an “undesirable organization.” As a result, anyone who comes into contact with the DGO in the future will be threatened with penalties. This affects the Museum Berlin-Karlshorst, which is a member of the DGO, in several ways. Since we began collaborating with Russian, Belarusian, and Ukrainian institutions over 30 years ago, the work of the DGO, its research, and analyses have always been a crucial foundation for our museum work, and they will continue to be so in the future. The effectively imposed ban on contact with the DGO will likely not have directly noticeable consequences for the museum, its staff, or some members of the museum’s sponsoring association, as long as they are on German territory. However, this does not apply to the Russian members of the sponsoring association. They are now indirectly threatened with sanctions. Specifically, this affects: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, as well as the State Historical Museum, the Central Museum of the Armed Forces, and the Museum of Victory in Moscow.
With its declaration, the Russian government continues its path of terminating the decadeslong exchange of history, culture, and society between Germany and Russia. That it is evidently heading into a dead end is demonstrated by the example of our museum.
The Museum Berlin-Karlshorst expresses solidarity with the DGO and all other organizations classified as “undesirable” and individuals branded as “foreign agents.”
Statement on two years of war against Ukraine – What does the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine mean for the work of the Museum Berlin-Karlshorst?
23. February 2024
Since 24 February 2022, only the Ukrainian flag has been raised in front of the museum, not the Belarusian, German, Russian and Ukrainian flags as before. This is a sign that the museum’s employees continue to condemn the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine in the strongest possible terms.
The museum feels for all the people in Ukraine who suffered under the Russian war of aggression. Since March 2022, the museum has been a member of the “Aid Network for Survivors of Nazi Persecution in Ukraine”. This network, which is affiliated with KONTAKTE-KOHTAKTbI e.V., helps survivors of the German occupation from 1941 to 1944 who are now victims of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.
For 30 years, the Museum Berlin-Karlshorst has been committed to a differentiated view of the history of the Second World War. In doing so, it has always been dealing with the forms of remembrance, national memory narratives and also the instrumentalisation of history for political purposes. The Russian government is currently misusing the history of the Second World War for its war propaganda. The museum is strictly opposed to such instrumentalisation. In its work, it is committed to an unbiased exchange on different views of history and memories. To this end, the international discussion series “History in Conflict” was launched last year and will be continued in 2024.
The Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus criminalise statements on historical facts and interpretations if they deviate from the interpretations provided by the state. This destroys the founding consensus of the co-operation that began 30 years ago. However, it is essential for the museum’s work to discuss the different perspectives on the past in an open and liberal-democratic atmosphere. The museum is therefore intensifying its dialogue with colleagues who are continuing their work in exile. It must be noted with concern that even these spaces for free research in Germany are under threat from Russia.
The dialogue with Russian and Belarusian museums has been interrupted. As much as a continuation of this dialogue is desirable in the future, it is not possible under the current political conditions. There are, however, contacts with Ukrainian museums and archives that will be important in the future. Nevertheless, the Russian and Belarusian perspectives on the history of the Second World War remain important points of reference in the museum’s work.
It will also be important in the future to continue to incorporate existing contacts with institutions in Central and Eastern Europe as well as in the Caucasian and Central Asian countries into the museum’s work. DOWNLOAD PDF | Translations: GER, ENG, RUS, UKR, BLR
Continuation of the international event series “History in Conflict”
18. January 2024
Photo: Destroyed railway station in Kaunas, Lithuania, probably August 1944 © Museum Berlin-Karlshorst | Iwan Schagin
Under the title “History in Conflict. 1944 – A Year between Fronts”, the museum is continuing its successful series of events in 2024.
From January to July 2024, we would like to take a look at the year 1944 in six events at different locations – international guests will discuss the historical contexts as well as the changes and conflicts in memory.
The event language is German. MORE INFORMATION
Exhibition on 75 years Airlift opens
29. June 2023
On 28 June 2023, the open-air exhibition Blockaded Victors – Divided Berlin. 75 Years Berlin Airlift opened at Tempelhof Airport – a joint exhibition by the Berlin-Karlshorst Museum, the Berlin-Gatow Airfield Military History Museum and the Allied Museum. MORE INFORMATION
Statement by the Museum Berlin-Karlshorst on the ongoing war against Ukraine
21. February 2023
“A year ago, the Russian Federation extended its war against sovereign Ukraine, which is contrary to international law, to the whole country. We continue to condemn this war in the strongest possible terms. We stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people. Our sympathy goes to the victims of war and Russian crimes. Our solidarity is with all those who are campaigning against this war all over the world. We are doing our utmost to provide support at various levels. …” MORE INFORMATION / GER-ENG-RUS-UKR-BLR
Project for archival preservation in Ukraine
27. September 2022
The Museum Berlin-Karlshorst supports museums and archives in Ukraine, drawing on its many years of experience in working with Ukrainian partners.
The Museum Berlin-Karlshorst has been active in various aid programmes since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. It has been a major contributor to several of these projects, drawing on its extensive experience in building contacts and networks. The long-standing exchange with partners in Ukraine enables prompt and unbureaucratic help at eye level in the current war situation. MORE INFORMATION
Support network for survivors of Nazi persecution in Ukraine
23. March 2022
On the initiative of the association KONTAKTE-KOHTAKTbI e.V., around 30 memorial sites and places of remembrance have joined forces to support victims of National Socialist persecution in the current war in Ukraine, with whom the initiatives have long had close ties in their work. The Museum Berlin-Karlshorst is part of this support network. Donations are intended to help witnesses and, if necessary, colleagues in the memorial sites in Ukraine at their places of origin or, in the case of flight, also in Germany. If you would like to support us, please donate to the following account:
Donation account at Berliner Volksbank
Recipient: Kontakte-Kontakty
IBAN: DE59 1009 0000 2888 9620 02
BIC: BEVODEBB