The Niederkirchner family - a contradictory legacy
Käte Niederkirchner (1909–1944) was regarded in the GDR as an icon of the anti-fascist resistance. Workplace collectives, vacation homes, kindergartens, and even a ship were named after her. Today, two streets in the districts of Mitte and Pankow, as well as a commemorative plaque unveiled in 1989 on her former residence at Pappelallee 22, still honor her memory.
Image gallery
Bezirksmuseum Pankow
With this exhibition on the Niederkirchners’ contradictory legacy, the Museum Pankow sheds light on the family’s complex history while simultaneously questioning the prevailing heroic narrative.
The exhibition examines the interplay of familial and societal memory and repression against the backdrop of historical ruptures. It encourages visitors to go beyond the example of the Niederkirchner family and to question traditions, instrumentalizations, and the creation of legends.
- A catalog will be published to accompany the exhibition.
