Experience the change: Umbruch Ost” exhibition from August 5th in Leipzig!

Experience the change: Umbruch Ost” exhibition from August 5th in Leipzig!

In August 2025, Federal Archives – Stasi Records Archive Leipzig An important special exhibition on the topic of “Upheaval in the East. Changing living environments” opened. The organizer, the Federal Foundation for Coming to terms with the SED Dictatorship and the Federal Government Commissioner for the New Federal States, launched this exhibition to shed light on everyday life in Germany since reunification in 1990.

The exhibition, which was conceived by historian and journalist Stefan Wolle, will present over 120 photos that address the changing lives of East Germans. The focus is on people's personal experiences of upheaval and the challenges that arose after reunification.

Details about the exhibition

The exhibition opens on August 5, 2025 and will be open to visitors until December 31, 2025. Opening hours are Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, Sunday and public holidays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free, which ensures broad accessibility for all interested parties.

Visitors can look forward to a comprehensive examination of the history of German unity since 1990. The topics discussed include the expectations and trust of East Germans, inner-German solidarity and coming to terms with the SED dictatorship. In addition, the economic collapse and rise in unemployment in the 1990s are also covered. Other thematic focuses include the situation of women and families, youth culture, resentment and social divisions in the new pan-German identity.

Connection to further reception

In addition to the exhibition in the Federal Archives, there will be a thematically related exhibition in the Landschulheim Marquartstein high school give. This exhibition runs from March 4th to March 21st, 2024 and also focuses on the experiences of change of people in East Germany. Among other things, it will present modern photographs by well-known photographers and contemporary witness interviews to create a multimedia experience.

By linking both exhibitions, the social discourse about the consequences of German unity and the realities of life associated with it will be strengthened. The combination of image documents and personal stories creates a comprehensive perspective on this formative time in German history.