“World of the GDR” permanently closed: 70,000 objects auctioned

2023-07-09 14:22:43
HomeCulture”World of the GDR” permanently closed: 70,000 objects auctioned

The Dresden DDR Museum gives up after a blatant drop in visitors. According to the operator, interest has waned. Is that correct?

Auctioneer Stefan Günther with the GDR emblem in the GDR Museum on Dresden’s Albertplatz. Robert Michael/dpa

The private museum “Welt der DDR” reopened in Dresden in 2017 and initially attracted 80,000 visitors a year. On more than 1,500 square meters, they were able to gain an insight into the various everyday worlds of life in the GDR: A living room with a classic GDR wall unit was recreated, there was a classroom with utensils from physical education and pioneer life, a kindergarten room with toys from the time, a doctor’s a pharmacy, an office of a combine, many cars and motorcycles and a supermarket, pardon me, a department store with a mannequin serving as a waiter and a wide range of spirits.

Retail entrepreneur and museum operator Peter Simmel had invested 300,000 euros in the new museum, which had moved to Dresden with its holdings from its original location in Radebeul. In his estimation, young people have no interest in the GDR, and the older ones usually only come once. After the number of visitors had dropped to just 15,000 per year, the closure was announced in the spring and the auction of the collection took place at the weekend with a great crowd.

Living room with GDR furnitureRobert Michael/dpa

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Around 70,000 exhibits went under the hammer – from plastic mugs and aprons to furniture and vehicles such as two Trabis and two Wartburgs. Among the bidders were eight other GDR museums, as the head of the auction house, Stefan Günther, said. In the run-up to the event, the greatest interest was in furnishing the counter in the supermarket, including various tins and bottles of alcohol. Even two Robotron computers found buyers who paid 150 and 160 euros for the collector’s items.

Whether that’s true with the waning interest remains to be seen. There is currently a debate about GDR identity and everyday life in the vanished country, which was sparked by the bestsellers by Dirk Oschmann and Katja Hoyer. Despite the setback caused by water damage after the bursting Aquadom, the DDR Museum in Berlin will soon welcome its seven millionth visitor since it opened in 2006.