About the museum collection

The foundations of the museum collection were laid when the Russian troops left Germany in 1994. The majority of the objects from the former Soviet “surrender museum” were taken over on permanent loan, including the military technology in the museum’s garden. Since then, the collection has been continuously expanded.

A particular focus is on the German war of annihilation in the Soviet Union 1941-1945 and the Soviet defence. In addition, the museum has recently also been collecting objects related to the stay and withdrawal of Soviet/Russian troops in the GDR and reunified Germany.

Collections:

The thematic focus of the photo collection is the Second World War, especially the German-Soviet War 1941-1945, as well as the presence of Soviet/Russian troops in Germany 1945-1994.

The majority of the positives are available as small-format prints in photo albums from the Second World War period (around 20,000 photos). These albums and bundles are of German provenance. They are pictures that were either photographed by German Wehrmacht soldiers themselves or collected (“snapshot photography”).

The analogue collection also includes an extensive collection of original negatives from the estates of Soviet war photographers (around 4,500 images).

A large collection relates to the withdrawal of Soviet/Russian troops from Germany 1990-1994 with more than 20,000 negatives of Russian and almost 30,000 negatives of German provenance. (Photographers: Vladimir Borisov, Detlev Steinberg)

This fee schedule applies to the use of photographs from the collection of the Museum Berlin-Karlshorst.

The chronological scope of the collection extends from the First World War to the present day. The focus is on German-Soviet relations, especially the war period 1941-1945. In addition, we have recently begun to increase our collecting activities on the subject of the stay and withdrawal of the Soviet Group of Forces in Germany/Western Group of Forces.

In addition to historical documents and files, the document collection also includes journalistic products such as pamphlets, brochures, magazines, newspapers and military, topographical and geographical maps.

A significant part of our collection consists of personal and factual documents such as identity cards, field post letters, diaries and albums of memories.

The largest part of the objects is the militaria collection. These include uniforms, medals and decorations, flags, light and heavy military equipment and various items of equipment. The objects date from the period of the Second World War, in particular the German-Soviet War, as well as from the subsequent phase of the stay and withdrawal of the Group of Soviet Armed Forces in Germany/Western Group of Troops until 1994.

The collection is completed by a large number of everyday objects that the soldiers at the front carried with them or that came from the Soviet and later Russian troops. Numerous objects therefore also document German-Russian relations in the post-war period. The diverse collection also includes mainly Soviet but also German posters from the war and post-war period, paintings, sculptures, models of military technology and objects from the fields of philately and numismatics.

Contact and general information:

The fact that the museum’s collection is so extensive is thanks to countless people who support the museum with their donations.

Do you have any objects, newspapers, documents or photos that fit in with the above-mentioned focal points of the collection and that you would like to make available to the museum? Then please get in touch with us.

Enquiry form

Overview of research options:
- Part of the collection of the Museum Berlin-Karlshorst has been digitised and can be searched online: visit Museum-digital
- Library of the museum
- Further research options/databases of the museum do you find here.

Please use for request this contact form.